Investment Q&A

Q: Great work Peter ... I am now retired and am about to allot my funds into their proper allocations. RRSP,RIF,and LIF ... I had chosen 7 stocks from the Income Portfolio for my LIF but having read comments from other investors I am not sure if I am heading in the right direction. You and Ryan have been so supportive so I must ask How would you allot 400K(RRSP), 200K (RIF) and 210K (LIF) ...right now I am completely covered 400K in the Model Porfolio. If this is to much to ask I completely understand , I do have a plan but would like to allow your expertise to weigh in. Thanks for all you do and post this at your discretion.

Q: Want to take some money off the table in my canadian portfolio but would like to keep some skin in the game. Thinking of an American etf of defence stocks to play the US dollar and the US need to dominate the world. At 67 years old I am willing to place the bet. Which ETF do you think would suit my needs. Thanks Doug

Q: Hi,
Could you provide an opinion on owning XFR as a conservative holding for the next 3-5 years.
Thank you

Q: I'm trying to overcome by "home country bias" for my RSP with a 15-20 yr time horizon (I have a DB pension so I'm not afraid of some risk). Can you suggest 3-5 stocks for US and Int'l exposure and/or other ways of participating in equity markets outside Canada.

Q: Aside from cash, money market and buying bonds and holding the bonds until maturity where do u suggest one puts cash/profits?
1) an ETF for 3 to 6 months
2) ETF for 6 to 12 months
3) ETF for 12 months and longer
4) Any other things u might recommend - preferred shares?

Thank you.

Q: Hi Ryan,What would be the best etf for china right now , Thanx Cliff

Q: Hi Team...I bought CBO in around May..it only goes down and when I look at the charts, it just basically drops (even over the last 5 years). Can you suggest an alternative? XHY??? I would like a steady Eddie for this part of my Portfolios but one that has a good dividend and some (even slow) growth!!?? Thanks ahead..

Q: hello 5i team, could you please give some info on i shares xpf, i hold some cbo and some xhy as part of my fixed income allocation will xpf compliment it

Q: I am looking at the strength in the US dollar and adding a USD ETF such as SDY Dividend ETF - is this a good ETF to play the USD dollar and strength in the US Economy?

Thank you for for help

Q: ETF
Good Day. A question for registered accounts only and switching between similar ETF's. I have held the Vanguard S&P500 etf for quite sometime and have a good size but unrealized capital gain. Except for probably a few basis points difference in MER's, tracking error or yield what would be your opinion in selling the Vanguard product and then taking the proceeds to buy the same IShares product? My thought process is to switch between like etf's realizing the capital gain to get this gain now working for me, and while making sure portfolio weightings are also maintained.
Is this a reasonable portfolio strategy to enhance returns with minimal risk. Also, this would not be a trading strategy but a long term process as capital gains hopefully grow over a couple of years.

Thanks,

Q: Oil and gas. My portfolio is likely underweighted in this sector (7%). I would consider increasing it via ETF. Do you have recommendations for ETF's in this sector (Canadian only preferred).

Q: Dear 5i:

I hold EWU an ETF that tracks the larger UK market. Any idea what the impact would be on it if Scotland actually secedes on the 18th?

Q: Dear Peter,
I'm glad to see that contributions to your ride are continuing and you are now at 98%. Way to go! My question is about investing in European securities. It was mentioned in a recent answer that 5% of a portfolio be in Europe and 10% in USA. What do you think are the best way(s) to invest in those areas?
Linda

Q: Europe is now printing money to grow their economy, how does the at home do-it-yourself investor take part in the potential growth of European equities?

Q: Hi,

If you had to bet on one of these solar stocks/etfs for a long term hold, which is the better bet- CSIQ, TAN or KWT? Or is there a better/safer solar alternative?

Q: What advise can you give to a person that just changed careers and their pension had to be moved to defined contribution plan with Sunlife Financial as to the type of products, ie ETFs,mutual funds,etc. and the weightings? time frame 20 years and very little investing knowledge.


thanks and we still consider5i as one of our top investments ever

Q: We learn this morning that the ECE cut its interest rates to 0.05%. It seems a good bet to add to my european assets using the ETF XEH. What do you think? Also, would you go with ZEQ instead of XEH or are those two pretty much the same?

Q: Morning 5i,

My question pertains to the Cash Distributions (CD) paid per unit on iShares ETF's. If the previous year a particular ETF was paid a high CD per unit does that mean we could expect the same this year? Or do these CD's change drastically from year to year, and if so then what drives the amount of the CD? An example would be iShares Alternatives Completion Portfolio Builder Fund, symbol XAL. 2013 CD was $0.63777/unit paid.

Q: Hi.

Though the valuations are reasonable and I'm still invested in many 5i stocks, I foresee a correction coming some time in ~ 2015. To mitigate this, I plan on moving 'a bit' of my equities into Vanguard Total Stock Market (VT) - the ETF of everything I call it ... My thinking is that North America (TSX) will be hit a little harder than the world in general when this occurs. When it does, and it will, I will sell VT and buy 5i stocks back at a discount. I know you can't time the market, and this is a bit crystal ball-ish - but the downside of doing so seems low ... Any advise or comment? Many thanks.

Q: I saw you commented on VTSMX in an earlier question. VTI is a vanguard fund with the same title "Vanguard Total Stock Market". Is there an advantage of going with one over the other?