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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 have $40,000 US to invest for 5 -10 years. With half of that amount I would like to buy about four equity-based ETFs for capital appreciation. Some I have read about include QQQ , BBH, and VGT. Are these good choices? Please add other recommendations.
For the other half, I would like more income based ETFs with a sensible degree of risk, such as VIG. Please add other recommendations.
I am not interested in Canadian based ETFs but International based ETFs would be alright.
I do no previous experience with ETFs.
Read Answer Asked by George on June 16, 2020
Q: My son has asked my advice on how best to invest ~$13K he holds in GICs in registered accounts. He has a very young family and wants to begin investing on the right foot with this initial investment while adding to it over time, funds permitting. My personal investing approach has been to invest in high quality, primarily Canadian, dividend paying equities but for him, just starting out and with many investing years ahead of him, EFTs seem a far more appropriate and safer choice.

Would you consider 60% CDZ and 40% ZDY a good suggestion for him or would you recommend other EFTs that better track the indexes like XIU and ZSP? Do you consider just two EFTs sufficient diversification until his portfolio grows larger? What about the percentage Canada/U.S. split? Does 60/40 seem OK? Many thanks for your thoughts on the matter.
Read Answer Asked by Bruce on June 16, 2020
Q: I have a well diversified Canadian Stock portfolio. However, that being said, there are no Consumer, Technology or Health Care stocks in that portfolio.

Do you think that low cost, diversified, market weighted US ETFs XLP, XLY, XLK, XLV is a smart way to cover the sectors lacking in my portfolio.

Many Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by John on June 16, 2020
Q: Are there any renewable energy etfs, specifically with hydrogen or fuel cells companies
?
Read Answer Asked by Richard on June 16, 2020
Q: Hi Peter, Ryan and Team,

I have a question about TFSA accounts. Are the maximum limits to the TFSA cumulative? For illustration purposes, say if the limit were $5,000 per year for 5 year period, the maximum to contribute is $25,000. But if during that 5 year period, I only contributed $10,000, am I able to make up the $15,000 difference in year 6?

Throughout year 6, would I be able to contribute $20,000 ($15,000+$5000) and does it have to be one lumpsum? I am a bit confused, because every time I make a contribution to the TFSA, the bank has a statement that warns about overcontributing for the year.

Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Marvin on June 16, 2020
Q: Like many I have lost a lot of  income due to dividend reductions and suspension. What companies have a balance sheet, positive cash flow, attitude, and good prospects going forward?
Please rate the ABOVE following best first as to the above criteria, add others that meet it.
Thanks
AD,ARX,ALA,AQN,BEP.UN,BNE,CM,ENB,FSZ,IPL,NFI,PIF,PSK,SYZ,TOG,T,TOU,TD,WCP,ZWH,ZWE
Read Answer Asked by JOSEPH on June 16, 2020
Q: I have over 60% of my portfolio in cash waiting for a significant pull back . Regardless of sectors what is the top 5 stocks both In Canada + US you would buy when and if we have a downturn, Do you think we will see a significant downturn or do you recommend nibbling away on swings. I am a moderate risk investor Thanks in advance for your guidance
Read Answer Asked by Terence on June 16, 2020
Q: I own some shares of Chorus and of course am down significantly. I'm wondering about the merits, in your opinion, of selling the CHR shares to harvest the loss and buying AC as a way of staying in the sector with our national airline and a probable recovery when Covid is history.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on June 16, 2020
Q: Kim Bolton on Market Call had 2 charts one for Cloud Consumer and Cloud Producer.
Cloud Consumer Stocks
TWTR, SPOT, SNAP, SHOP, NFLX, JD, Googl, FB, EA, DIS, BABA, AMZN, AAPL, ZS, ATVI.
Cloud Producer Stocks
ZM, WORK, WIX, WDAY, SPLK, RNG, ORCL, NOW, MSFT, INTU, DOCU, DDOG, DBX, CSCO, CRM, ADBE.

Can you please suggest 5 top picks from Consumer and producer in order which one would you suggest has Little or No DEBT and good management.

Thanks for the great service
Read Answer Asked by Hector on June 16, 2020
Q: Hello Peter and team.
I do re-balance the portfolio every 6 months, (June/Dec), These are the 10 names in my bag and they treat me well:
ZNQ 55%,
TSLA 9%;
FB 6%
MSFT 6%
SOXX 5%;
GOOG 5%;
AMZN 4%
AAPL 3% ;
CSU.TO 4%
Cash 3%
1. Would you suggest to trim ZNQ to the level, say to 50% ? to free up the cash then add any other names, or top up some of those existing individual names? or vice versa? stick with current no change need to be made for now?
2. in a long run, what might be the biggest risk in my bag could lose the alpha (Index)
Thanks for everything !
Read Answer Asked by LEI on June 16, 2020
Q: Hello
In today’s Globe and Mail , a financial advisor , suggests that Canadians should consider alternative investments in addition to stocks and bonds.
Investing in alternative assets for individuals can mean investing in funds that hold assets that include commodities, infrastructure like airports or highways, land and real estate,

Can you please recommend a few funds that are holding alternative investments?
Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Terry on June 16, 2020