Investment Q&A

Q: What would you be buying now (sector and or stocks that are atttractive)?;
or would you sit tight for a while longer (acknowledging that one cannot time the market)?

Thank you.

Q: Hi Peter,
With the price of gold fluctuating from day to day,what is the market telling us about the Fed and the economic numbers looking forward. Seemed like the price of gold was stabilizing last week and has now become an exercise in frustration. Some suggest that it is a good time to buy beaten down small-cap gold stocks such as SAS.
Thank you and have a good day.

Q: Hi 5i
I keep hearing analysts and advisors on BNN say the commodity super cycle is over. I fail to understand how commodities can not continue to go up when so much of the 3rd world is increasing there standard of living (driving cars, using more electricity, eating more meat etc.)
Then we have the complete slow down in the mining development sector due to financial, political and environmental issues.
I would appreciate your thoughts on the short/mid/long term outlook for commodities and the supply demand issues.
Thanks doug

Q: Peter ... are we going to experience a 10% market correction in the near future? ( 2 months). Thanks for everything.

Q: I just read an article were the analyst was concerned about high margin levels. It got me thinking about the 5i investment philosophy. Do you ever consider factors like this or where we are in the business cycle, or investor sentiment, or is that all just noise.Are the fundamentals of the company and its growth prospects the main determinant for you?
Mike

Q: You and your crew are providing well-reasoned and thoughtful opinions. I can't ask for more than that. Some of your former peers, if any, must be grinding their teeth at night.

In light of the ECB decision today and the FED comments yesterday, do you have an opinion on when interest rates in North Amerca will rise?

Q: I'm concerned about the volatility of the TSX; up 144 yesterday, down 167 today at 11.15 pst. In this environment, how can anyone invest for the long term with any confidence? We have 600G in stocks, and another 10% in cash. I was thinking of adding to some positions, but would I be better keeping the cash in the bank? Or is it just 'sell in May and go away'? Until when?

Q: Please help me clear my head, refocus and decide on a course of action after today's action.
Here are 2 headlines from the Globe and Mail, a mere 4 days apart and at polar opposites in terms of perspectives.

1. Headline on Globeinvestor Gold website today: "End of the supercycle looms as commodities, stocks sell off"

2. Four days ago, Rob Carrick outlined the case for :"Preparing for a Canadian comeback". (I have been and still do respect Rob's research, knowledge and opinions. So no put down intended here.)

Hopefully the shrill doom's day pronouncement about the end to the supercycle is an over -reactive, hysterical reaction to the last couple of days and not a forecast of worse things to come.

Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Q: Hello, I was wondering if you could clarify something for me, the "Sell in May". I'm assuming this means, to sell stock in May and take your profits, that being said it would follow that prices would go down in May. When I look at historical data, for stocks I'm interested in it seems that the prices actually go down in April, but historical data is limited in scope. I'm looking to buy, across the sectors, I've never bought during this time period, my question is should I wait?

Q: New member. Very informative site. Enjoying my membership a lot. I would like to add a (non-technology) growth stock to my portfolio. Can you give me two or three names to choose from? (I understand--all too well--that growth always comes with risk.) Thank you

Q: Hi, There is talk of a market pullback in the very near future...is it better to wait for this to happen and then buy at a discount?

Q: Goldman Sachs is evidently shorting gold and claiming 1450 end of 2013. I am quite cynical about their past record. What do you think about gold going lower here? Are you still confident in your Goldcorp assessment as a quality hold through this next period, until the seasonal summer buying months arrive? Thanks in advance.

Q: Hi 5i team. This is a general economics question. is there evidence that the US economy is capable of growth in the absence of stimulus? My simplistic calculation (14 T economy, 1T pump-priming) suggest that if QE is taken away, GDP growth will be zero or even negative. If that is the case, is the euphoria in the markets thus far this year based on the notion that, at least, things have improved so that we no longer slide towards recession (assuming the Fed will not stop QE) and actions taken by the Fed later against a better growth background (when it happens) will not affect the economic outcome drasticlly and this, against a backdrop of negative real returns on 10 yr treasuries now has push the markets up? Do you not find this going-in-because-it's-the-best-of-a-bad- bunch a little worrisome? Thanks. Henry

Q: Hi Peter, Your thoughts on today's blood bath and jobs report please. How bad is the report in your opinion. Thanks

Q: Three years ago this month the TSX was 1,100 odd points higher than DJI. Yesterday, DJI was almost 2,000 points higher than the TSX. Is there any significance in that?

Q: Hi could i get your opinion on the news this morning about a Cyprus bank tax.
thanks

Q: I am interested in your overall impression of the last couple of days. Bull market correction? Or downward trend due to negative sentiment that is building? Do you still have positive outlook for the remainder of 2013? Thanks.

Gerald

Q: SH-N With the US market having been on an upside ride for a while and at fairly lofty levels, does the risk/ reward ratio of using SH to short the market in order to protect myself against losing some of my gains seem like a reasonable trade? SH appears to be at about a 5 year low.

Q: Could you please give me your view of the Canadian Bond market. We have a fund that follow the Dex Universe Bond Index. Recently , we have heard that a lot of managers think that bonds are at risk for a downturn and that they are drastically reducing their exposure to this sector.
Thanks

Q: Peter. How's about a nice hefty correction of NA markets by mid to end February. I have been reading a number of SEERS and they all give "good' reason for it.
Regards - Sittin' in cash Bob Rushton