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Investment Q&A

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

Q: I currently have equal weights in ZAG and VFV (about 6% each) and a fair chunk of "cash" for stability. Rate drops seem to be stalled, so ZAG is going nowhere fast. OTOH VFV is flying high and might have temporarily peaked. I don't want to lose out on the eventual bond bounce, but I wonder if I should dump ZAG to get the potential VFV upside. I realize this might be crystal ball territory.
Read Answer Asked by Olaf on March 19, 2024
Q: Macro Markets Models
What is the estimated time frame for the Macro markets values turn to negative or positive from historical perspective?
Miroslaw
Read Answer Asked by Miroslaw on March 18, 2024
Q: Hi 5i
April 23, 2021 I asked the question...
...What would be your allocation % to the 11 sectors?
Your answer was...
....As a GENERAL guideline, considering current market factors and outlook, and leaning towards some growth: real estate 5%; financials 10%; industrials 15%; cons. disc. 15%; cons.staples 5%; utilities 5%; energy 5%; communications 5%; materials 10%; info/tech 20%; health 5%....

Would you revise this % allocation to the 11 sectors today?
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Gordon on March 18, 2024
Q: There seems to be a lot of commentary in the market about a potential pullback given the current run the US and CDN markets are having, while reaching close to all time highs.

Maybe the noise has me spooked but I do find it tough to deploy cash to stocks in the current environment, particularly in the AI and Tech space, given that some stocks are seeing growth of 200% to 400% in one year.

Its a long winded introduction to my question, what is your current view on the market, do you feel that a pullback is possible in the next few months, would you be cautious right now?

I understand that no one can predict the market at any given time but I would greatly appreciate your view.

Thanks
Tim
Read Answer Asked by Timothy on March 15, 2024
Q: Hi, I'm thinking of gradually reducing my individual stocks and moving into etfs for an all around set it and forget it roughly $3 million portfolio for someone retiring in the next few months. Can you give me your suggested etfs and percentages to hold to accomplish this balance? A chunk of these funds are not invested yet so I'd also like to know how you would suggest deploying these funds? Would you edge in gradually over a period of time or just get the money working? I'd really appreciate any advice you could give me in this format.
Thank you as always!
Read Answer Asked by Harry on March 14, 2024
Q: Can you suggest an AI
play at this stage. A little late to the game perhaps??
Read Answer Asked by Bill on March 13, 2024
Q: Everyone, is the money flow into the market in 2024 higher or lower than 2023? What segments is the money flow going into or out of. Clayton
Read Answer Asked by Clayton on March 12, 2024
Q: Good morning,

Have you done any work on what asset classes or equity sectors significantly outperformed/underperformed while Trump was President from 2016-2020. I recall that that the USD did not do well; gold did very well.

Any views/analysis most welcome. And would you be worried about overall market directionality with his expected focus on China and tariffs?
Read Answer Asked by Trevor on March 11, 2024
Q: Just a general question on how to react in moment like we are having now; a very nice 4 month bull with some sign of top. How to respond ? Trim your winner, trim your looser or do nothing and accept a correction. Thanks !
Read Answer Asked by Martin on March 11, 2024
Q: Hi 5i Team - I have heard some concerns about other countries withdrawing money from the TSX and probably the Vancouver exchange as well. Am assuming that this is through the sale of equities and then withdrawing the proceeds. Am not sure which countries or how many. Could you comment on whether this a valid concern, and if so then how might it affect prices of Canadian equities going forward.
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Rob on March 11, 2024
Q: Put Options betting the stock will go down or Call Options betting the stock will go up.

Do you prefer one over the other?

Thinking of trying both, I'm a 10 year self investor.

Or just continue to buy stock for the long term?

Are there any statistics that prove using Put & Call's perform better than buying and holding stocks?

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Ross on March 06, 2024
Q: Hi there, what economic data points are being released next week, and the week after?

Which one of those data points listed do you believe will move the markets (+/-) over the next few weeks?

History dictates that markets are generally positive during the month of March, anything to be concerned about this March? Your thoughts on (forward looking) how you believe this month will unfold?

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Hussein on March 05, 2024
Q: A family member is 73 years old, Canadian, single, retired, and lives a very modest lifestyle. She has $100,000 from a recent inheritance with no other savings. I have been asked to assist with setting up an investment portfolio. Another family member has recommended she place some funds with a "MIC" which historically has a 7 % return; I think $20,000 could be allocated there. Then looking for a reasonable measure of security of capital, with a balance of some income and a bit of growth, my thought would be to divide the remaining $80,000 into the following: VDY; FTS; RY; SLF; BAM; CNQ; ALA; WSP; Amzn; and VGRO.

If you were me, would this seem like a reasonable approach?

Many thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Leonard on March 05, 2024
Q: What is the best way/strategy to make money in the stock market? I have tried trading, but that only led to small profits.

I tried buy and hold, but then I didn’t cut my losses in time.
Read Answer Asked by David Michael on February 28, 2024
Q: could you comment on sectors affected by the new u.s. sanctions on russia.
many thanks
Read Answer Asked by howard on February 28, 2024
Q: "History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes". Does the AI/tech surge remind Peter of anything in the markets before in history? If so, how does it all end?
Read Answer Asked by Mike on February 28, 2024
Q: I have just updated my portfolio analytics and am delighted with the results and the advice from it. 5i has been a big part of that, giving me the insight, information and confidence to make mostly good decisions.

I originally put a 30% allocation for bonds when I started 4 years ago, mostly because that's what was usually advised for those in my position (about 10 years out from retirement).

However, I have put no new money into bonds over that time because the ones I own have been the worst part of my portfolio. They did not act as ballast when the market went down - they seemed more volatile than most of my conservative equities. They also did not go up appreciatively when interest rates rose, and overall, even with the payouts, I'm in the red on these bonds over the past 4 years.

I heard you mention bonds in asset allocation on the recent podcast but I didn't sense any great endorsement of them. Other than the traditionally recommended 60-40 or 70-30 split, can you offer reasons not to sell them off and buy conservative stocks like CN, CSU, BN, etc or else broad-based index funds like XIC, XUU etc.?
Read Answer Asked by Kevin on February 26, 2024
Q: Hi...just watched the 2nd part of the podcast....good stuff. Got me thinking. I am trying to reconcile two different issues that I've been thinking about for quite some time.

#1 = Asset allocation and trimming when a position goes from, say, 5% to 10%. That is a 100% return. Where to trim at? I usually trim when a position gets to 6-7%...my own personal risk tolerance, learned from being greedy and hanging on too long. Some positions, like PBH and WSP (currently held since 2012 and 2014 respectively), have each been trimmed over 15 times and are still full 5% positions.

#2 = Letting your winners run. The podcast talked about a position running 100%, which is nice...vs a 1000% run.


Nice problem to have but how do you square these two opposing concepts?

Thanks...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on February 22, 2024