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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: My portfolio by region is Canada 58%, US 37%, International 5%. It is recommended that I put my international to 25%. What are 5 stocks/ETF's that you would recommend that would increase my international exposure? Industry-wise, I am heavy on financials and energy already, and I prefer a balanced portfolio. Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Timothy on December 22, 2025
Q: I have both VIDY and VIU. How similar are they? Should I keep both for a long term hold? If I kept only one, which should I keep.
Thank you for your excellent advice.
Read Answer Asked by Ivars on December 16, 2025
Q: I'm thinking of shifting some money out of S&P500 index and into XSU / EQL / VIU so I'm not so overpositioned in tech and whatnot. Good idea? Thoughts?

Reasoning:
XSU - smallcaps should outperform at somepoint?
EQL - same stocks but more equally weighted
VIU - north am excluded (also own ind stocks in cad and us)
Read Answer Asked by Danielle on December 16, 2025
Q: A follow up question on portfolio construction. I’ve decided to try and get more dividends while I wait for capital appreciation inside my TFSA.

So the portfolio will be 20% International holding FLVI and VIU. 45% Canadian and will hold XDIV and CDZ. The 55% US will hold SPYD, VYM, HVD and all 11 sectors through Vanguard or ishares.

I’m looking to collect some dividends while I wait for capital gains and realize I will not get full dividends on the US ETFs. What are your thoughts on this set up, is there anything to improve either with diversification or higher dividends? Appreciate your service.
Read Answer Asked by Mark on December 12, 2025
Q: Hey 5i, I would like your suggestions on portfolio construction for a retired individual. Basically I would like your suggestions for percentage breakdown between Canada, US, and international. My plans for international is just buying VXUS and calling it a day. For Canada I’m buying ETFs XDIV and CDZ. For the US I’m going to buy the 11 sectors (including REITS) through ETFs, either Vanguards or ishares. So I would like your suggestions on percentages put to the 11 sectors in the US for a retired individual. Thanks so much and what a great service you have!
Read Answer Asked by Mark on December 01, 2025
Q: Is VIU actively managed? What or who determines weightings in each international country ? Or is it just by stock screening that certain countries get a higher percentage weighting? Finally, if VI is the hedged version, what is it hedged against ? The Vanguard website says USD but this ETF is ex North America.
Read Answer Asked by Thomas on November 28, 2025
Q: Wanting to diversify my holdings to include international markets.

Could you please recommend an ETF for India, Japan, Europe and emerging markets.

What percentage do you recommend to be outside North America?

Thanks Dave
Read Answer Asked by David on November 26, 2025
Q: these ETFs are my main yield workhorses. Can you suggest others to compliment them?
Read Answer Asked by Mark on November 25, 2025
Q: Hi team,

Could you come up with a list of « sleep at night » ETFs, with a 5-10 years horizon, ranking them from best to lowest potential growth and from highest to lowest risk ?

Please deduct as many credits as you see fit.
Gratefully,

Jacques IDS
Read Answer Asked by Jacques on November 14, 2025
Q: We have $50,000 we want to invest and leave alone for 3-5 years. We understand there is a good chance of a market correction, and unknown market volatility the next couple years. Would you suggest putting it into an ETF, and if so, can you give us 3 or 4 names to consider?
Or, a couple sectors, with company names, to purchase shares in. Thank you.
Grant
Read Answer Asked by Grant on November 10, 2025
Q: I have US stocks and CAD stocks but also want to keep a large portion of my portfolio in indexes. I have VFV and similar for trakcing S&p and have added VEQT in the last few years for world diversification. I have a small amount in XAW, but does it make sense to have more in XAW since i have a bunch of individual canadian stocks? or do you have a preference for canadians to own one of these over the other?
Read Answer Asked by Danielle on November 09, 2025
Q: I don’t have any international ETF. Can you please suggest 2 to 3 ETF

If you need to buy one ETF which one would you recommend to buy.

Thanks for your excellent service
Read Answer Asked by Hector on November 06, 2025
Q: I currently hold the above ETFs in a RESP and wonder if I should add any other ETF or this is good enough and just keep adding to these ones. Money not needed for 9 years.

Thanks
Read Answer Asked on November 04, 2025
Q: Morning troops. Just wondering of there is a hedged version of VIU? I am a 65 y/o retiree looking for mainly income but not afraid to look for a little growth also. Am looking to hedge because I don't like playing currency fluctuations. I currently have 1% of my portfolio in XIN so am looking to boost my international exposure. Any other suggestions welcome. Cheers.
Read Answer Asked by Neil on November 03, 2025
Q: Hi There,
If I'm looking long term, and want to keep things really simple, what would you suggest as the best international ETF(s) to pair with an S&P 500 ETF such as TPU.TO? And do you see a drawback to leaning into the S&P 500 as it reaches new highs?
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Jonathan on November 03, 2025
Q: Could you give me three Canadian and three US
ETFs for international exposure.
Read Answer Asked by Roy on October 31, 2025
Q: I am thinking of selling my bonds for an an international (ex-North-America) ETF that is fairly non-volatile (defensive, consumer cyclical, industrial).

I heard this as a strategy in the Canadian Financial Summit and it made sense because the bonds I've held for stability offer less in returns and in stability than the diversification does.

I'd like to hear your opinion on this strategy. Can you also recommend 4-5 ETFs that would play well into this strategy.

Thanks as always.
Read Answer Asked by Kevin on October 31, 2025
Q: I need to add more global allocations to my portfolio. Can you suggest three Canadian and three U.S. ETFs?
Read Answer Asked by Roy on October 30, 2025
Q: If a new Canadian investor wanted to get into the North American market and use low cost index investing to achieve both diversification and simplicity what would you consider for such a portfolio. And if international exposure was desired what could be considered as additions for that.
Read Answer Asked by dave on October 23, 2025
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