Investment Q&A

Q: I have 2 unregistered accounts and hold too much money in HISAs. I would like to invest more in Horizon's total return ETFs that pay no distributions. I have been looking at HBB but the chart looks nothing like similar Canadian bond etfs. Today, July 10th, HBB is trading at the same level it did 5 years ago but XBB is 13% lower today, VAB 13% lower and ZAG 15.2% lower. Can you explain this large difference? Should HBB now track in a similar way to XBB? Thanks!

Q: Hi 5iResearch Team,

My question is general. Recently I came across an article on Bond-reform proposal by Federal Government. In which it was mentioned by a group of institutional investors that this means higher interest rates for companies, provincial governments and other bodies that issue bonds. If that is right then will not mortgage cost for the home owners will go up?

I will appreciate if you could give some info on this money lending cycle.
 
Thanks

Piyush

Q: Can I please have your opinion on whether bond ETF's might be less forward looking "stocks" than a regular equity? It almost seems to me that they react to interest rate changes after they are announced versus anticipating them the way the rest of the market would anticipate an expected change. Are bond ETF's mostly a retail investor thing, or are there lots of institutional "smart money" participants as well?

Q: In ref. to TK's question July 10 I am curious why you would suggest ZWB over HMAX for an income-based portfolio? I looked hard at both, for the same reason as TK, and chose HMAX. Just counterchecking my decision. Thanks, James

Q: What are the main risks of this debenture? What will happen if the company’s stock price is lower or under the conversion price?

Thanks,
Lipng

Q: What is your current opinion of the MFS Charter Income Trust as a defensive and income instrument?

Q: I wish to find a place for some cash. I am not entirely clear on some details for HSAV: the current trading price is around $106,60.

Of course, there are no distributions; What do you calculate the effective yield to currently be?

My trading platform suggests NAV is $106.30, so there is a premium being paid at the current price. What effect will that have on the yield? And what effect when I come to liquidate the holdings?

Last, if you see HSAV a not that good a place to deposit, what other place(s) would be good to hold some cash? BMO HISA is currently offering 4.6%

Many thanks

Q: Supposing that an investor had three registered accounts of roughly equal size that they wanted to change from equity ETF's to a fixed income allocation for their portfolio, and these accounts would have to be converted to RIF's in 6 years. Let's also assume that we get one or two more small rate hikes this year, then interest rates flatten and begin to come down slowly over the following several years. Which of three options would you choose on a risk/reward basis? 1. Just hold money market funds currently paying 4.5%+ 2. Barbell XSB and XLB using two accounts, and put XBB (or ZAG) in the third (avg. yield close to 3 %? with potential cap. gains) 3. Put TLT in all three, yield close to 3%? maybe highest potential cap. gain? With the BOC policy rate going up close to 5 points since the start of 2022 the bond funds above fell anywhere from 10%+ to 30%+. Does that imply that if the BOC rate went back down 2.5% that they would rise 5%+ to 15%+, or you can't make that kind of straight line assumption? Maybe there is a way better option, but I don't really want to tie up funds in GIC's and don't want to try to pick individual bonds either. I also considered something like PSA but no cap gain upside there and the money markets probably pay as much interest or more. Thanks for your thoughts.

Q: you opinion on rbf5280

i am a little light in the hi yield space

Q: I have seen an offer to a friend from Schroders for a Canada Bond paying 8.18%.

The document states that there is a 1 year buy back

The buy price is $108 and the buy back price is $108 after the 1 year term

The purchase is for 925 units

Interest is paid quarterly, $2042.95

Brokerage fee is $249.75

How are they generating this return from "Canada Bonds" to clients when Canada Bonds are at best 5%?
Also how can they set a buy back price? It looks like a GIC to me but there are no GIC's that pay 8.18%.

Joe

There is a fee for admi

Q: Hi, I have heard about short term bonds providing high yields. I don't have much experience in this area. Could you recommend a way to add this into my portfolio?

Thanks
Paul

Q: Hello Team,

What are your favourite etfs for high interest savings account for both CAD and USD?

Thank you!

Q: For readers information,I have these MMFunds in various accounts with TD.(Canada and US)There are no fees and they pay 4%+.The rate varies with todays interest rates.Same day stock or bond purchases are allowed by selling these funds.I hope this helps.

Q: Hi,

Can you offer your words of wisdom about this product. I don't see any questions this when I searched your archives. Came across this product some time ago when a guest on BNN mentioned this.

Is this a safe place to park my USD (iTrade allows me to hold USD) Are thee any other products that are similar and less expensive? It's MER is 0.12 according to Horizon's website.
Is this okay to hold them in both registered and non registered accounts? With the long anticipated pullback on its way, I thought parking cash in USD is a way to go. Plus USD seems to weakening and may be worthwhile to buys some now?

As always many thanks in advance.

Q: In a registered account as a single long term etf for bonds is hyi an acceptable choice over zag? If interest rates go furhther up or down, is there more risk with hyi? These are currently showing monthly distributions of HYI: 6.72% and ZAG: 3.56%.
Retired investor...

Q: Could you comment on this with rates rising

Q: When you own a money market fund such as tdb8150, do you accrue interest on a daily basis. If I buy Monday and sell Friday , will I receive interest. One does not need to hold for a specific time ?

Q: I purchased ZFL as a hedge against the possbility of a recession. I am now down 8% on this position, interest rates keep going up and there is no recession. Assuming a balanced diversified portfolio, what would you do with ZFL; HOLD, SELL or Add ??
Many Thanks
John

Q: If the scenario plays out of higher interest rates for longer; is it logical to presume Reits, and Preferreds, -both sensitive to interest rates, may continue to soften. I have been buying them as they are going down but wondering if this is a good strategy. Could you comment. Thank you.

Q: So here is an interesting one for you. Recent (early) retiree at age 55. Let's assume I have 2 bond funds - one domiciled offshore and set up as a Trust, and the other a traditional mutual fund domiciled in Canada. Assume both have a similar return and distribution profile, as well as holdings. The offshore one only pays nominal monthly distributions, meaning they essentially go towards increasing one's adjusted cost base ("ACB"). It is not an actual cash distribution. This is good in the sense that, in theory, this reduces your capital gains when one sells. The other one pays the same monthly distribution, but it is cash, and not just nominal. As a retiree looking for cash yield, am I being short-sighted in wanting to stick with the fund that pays the monthly cash distribution, or is there something besides what is noted here that I should be more focused on with the fund that pays the nominal distribution? At this stage, all other things being equal, I am inclined to sell the offshore one and just own the one fund that is domiciled in Canada and take the monthly cash income.

And sorry about the long question. I really did try to keep this short :)