skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: To reduce my Tech Sector allocation I am planning on selling Microsoft(3% of my equity portfolio). Initially I was thinking of purchasing additional shares in VIG but have been also thinking about a US Healthcare ETF such as XLV. Comparing returns and fees for a long term hold which of these two ETFs would you recommend? Thank you for your input.
Read Answer Asked by Elizabeth on July 06, 2020
Q: Natural gas is at its lowest level since 2009.
With employment and industry picking up, and interest in renewable and clean energy would investing in natural gas at this time be a good candidate for a contrarian move? Is HUN a good way to invest in this? Does it pay a dividend or Interest? Would you suggest a different way to invest in natural gas if HUN is not your favourite?
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Ric on July 03, 2020
Q: Hi 5i team,
I would like to have emerging markets equity exposure within my RRSP. Currently, my RRSP holds mostly US situs securities in a U.S. dollar brokerage account (TD-Waterhouse). I am debating between buying VWO (trades in US$) or ZEM (trades in CAD$). I use Norbert’s gambit to convert between currencies, so doesn’t matter so much if I make conversion now (from US$ to CAD$, if I buy ZEM now) or later when I need to withdraw the funds (if I buy VWO now, raising US$ from sale of US$ securities already held, and later converting to CAD$ when funds required for RSP withdrawal). Any emerging markets ETF(s) purchased now would likely be held at least 10 years (potentially, much longer, depending on longevity—spouse and I are both aged 60). One other consideration; we are HNW situation, so US estate tax considerations potentially in play, too (depending on U.S. laws at time of our demise, and specific holdings owned at that time; this consideration would favor ZEM). My question—given the above considerations (currencies, fees within RSP, estate)--which one of these two ETFs would you recommend for long-term emerging markets exposure within an RSP (or, if there is another ETF you would recommend for long-term RSP holding for emerging markets, which would it be, given the above situation?).
Read Answer Asked by Ted on July 03, 2020
Q: I sold my business and started investing last year. I am trying to build balanced portfolio and struggling with the bond portion. I don't want to buy individual bonds and was looking into something like HBB for unregistered portfolio and VAB and XSB for registered. Yet, I am very uneasy about buying bond ETFs in the near-zero interest rate environment - the rates can only go up (unless we end-up with negative rates here) and, obviously, bond ETFs will be going in the opposite direction. I was thinking about VSC but almost 35% of it are junk bonds, so no comfort there. With PSA now paying only 0.65%, I am really out of choices for the fixed income portion of my portfolio. Any suggestions (both for CDN and USD positions)? My time horizon is 10 years and I want something safe and tax efficient.
Read Answer Asked by Marie on July 03, 2020
Q: Hello -
Do you have a recommended Emerging Markets ETF that is ex-China, or alternatively, has reduced exposure to China?
I would be interested in this type of ETF in a USD account and also a similar version in my CAD account if it exists.
Read Answer Asked by James on July 03, 2020
Q: Please comments this ETF BETZ (Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF), Would it be a good long term investment? Or are there other substitutes for it to invest in this industry? Would you initiate a position today? Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by David on July 03, 2020
Q: Hello 5i,
I hold TRI as a Canadian Equity. If I journal it over to my USD account, would this serve to change my Asset Allocation for purposes of portfolio re-balancing - i.e. reduce my Canadian Equity and increase my U.S. Equity accordingly? Held within an RRSP for what it's worth.
If so, I can only assume this would apply to all dual-listed equities?
P.A. shows I need to increase my U.S. equity by about 6.70% so am looking at options.
Also, what are your thoughts on QQQ versus any individual component in the FAANG category? I am underweight Tech in general.
Thanks as always!!
Cheers,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on June 30, 2020
Q: I’m looking for exposure to gold bullion and am considering GLD (SPDR has .40% mer), PHYS (Sprott), IAU (ishares gold trust has .25% mer) or MNT.CA. Which one do you prefer and why, (I’ve read stricter auditing for PHYS)? Also should I be buying in USD or CAD? Looking for protection against money printing and a general hedge or if USD losses it’s position as world reserve currency.
Read Answer Asked by Leslie on June 30, 2020
Q: I have been keeping a lot of money out of the market for most of this year waiting for stability to return. Bonds seemed to be pretty much a pointless investment to me for the last few years but I've reconsidered. Putting a chunk of cash into a bond etf seems better than just leaving it in my account where it earns next to nothing. On the other hand, it's safe where it is. How safe are bond ETFs? I'm particularly thinking of bond ETFs which don't seem to bounce around much like BLV, VLB, and XLB, but which seem to have done well YTD.
Read Answer Asked by John on June 29, 2020
Q: Hi Team
I am looking for a long term trend, not short term trade
I looked at the XEG (etf for oil & gas) for a 10 year period, it has lost money
and all the way back at 2001/2002 (18 years) ; it has lost money
given the current govt policy to discourage building pipelines to enable Canada to sell oil to other countries at the World market price and the general trend of attacking Alberta to have dirty oil, is there any scenario that could change the long term trend for an index etf like XEG ? I do hold some pipelines to generate dividends but I could sell the position of XEG and put them in pipelines to generate some dividends (primary goal)with hopes of some capital appreciation (secondary) instead of losing my capital
Thanks
Michael
Read Answer Asked by Michael on June 29, 2020
Q: I am well past retirement and trying to consolidate my stock holdings into ETFs. I. may not last long enough to complete this transition, but I'm moving in that direction! My latest thought on this is to divide my Canadian equity between ZLB and CDZ the first for stability, the 2nd for dividends, and for US equity ZSP. I'm staying away from other International stocks at this stage. Does this seem reasonable?

thanks
Read Answer Asked by M.S. on June 25, 2020
Looking for more? Sign up for a FREE 14 day trial! No credit card required

We invite you to sign up for a 14 day free trial of 5i Research!
Experience all the benefits and tools we have to offer; stock research, model portfolios, Q&A with our experts, and so much more. Join a community of like-minded investors today!