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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: Hi 5i team,

I am 65 and want to invest my TFSA money into 3 equity ETFs, one for US, one for Int’l and one for emerging markets. I am prudent investor that prefer companies with some growth but decent valuation, strong balance sheets and stable business. Nothing too aggressive. Could you please suggest ETFs for TFSA that suit my needs and are traded in C$ and hedged? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Willie on October 31, 2018
Q: My target allocation for International Equity is 20% and is made up of just two ETFs (VE and VEE). Do these two holdings provide adequate and broad enough international exposure or would you recommend any additional (or different) ETFs? How would you recommend splitting the 20% total between these holdings?
Read Answer Asked by Steven on October 20, 2018
Q: Just sold mutual funds and want to transition to low fees ETF's for the portion of my portfolio outside of Canada. It is for my RRSP, 15 years from retirement. I was thinking SPY / XEF and VEE for the equities side. Do you have something better to propose? I would need help for the fixed income portion, 1 or 2 ETFs please. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Jean-Bernard on October 10, 2018
Q: Hi Guys: . . Thank you for this great service; I am learning new things frequently. Two questions: I hold VEE and ZDM at about 6-7% each in my registered accounts. The share was higher, but I trimmed it recently in favor of individual stock holdings. Q1: With rising oil and US dollar prices, would you say that VEE is likely to remain stressed for another year or more? As per Vanguard it does have large India, Brazil, and South Africa components, countries I suspect might be more vulnerable to these stress factors than perhaps China & Taiwan, the biggest components. Q2: With Brexit approaching fast would you consider ZDM rather risky at this point with a 17% UK component? Again, what's the outlook in your opinion for the next 1-2 years.
Read Answer Asked by Bilal on September 26, 2018
Q: Hi 5i - I have some new money to put to work and would like to round out my Canadian portfolio with some US and International ETFs. Currently I have some XSP and nothing else outside Canada. Can you provide some suggestions and an example weighting for an investor looking 20 years out with tolerance for risk? Thanks, Neil
Read Answer Asked by Neil on September 25, 2018
Q: My question is 2 part.
I am a long term investor, ok with risk and fluctuations and no need for the cash anytime soon.
Ive read a few of your comments regarding some hesitation towards emerging markets. Would you sell out of VEE or do you see it doing something positive soon?
What do you think about buying into one of the trillion dollar companies now? I was hoping for a dip on Amazon, but that doesnt seem likely to happen. Do you have a favorite? Would you reccomend using the proceeds from VEE to do this or keeping VEE and using new money?
Read Answer Asked by david on September 06, 2018
Q: Transitioning my mutual funds to a self managed ETF portfolio of near equal weighting of ve, vee, spy,vig and iwo for all USA and international exposure. I am due for another block of buying. Which of the 5 above would be best to add now. VE and VEE are down so average out my loss? On weighting I was due to add mostly VEE and IWO. Just starting the transition so can add pretty much any of them.
Read Answer Asked by Tom on August 29, 2018
Q: Gentleman,
I am looking after my mothers investment account which is currently valued at 400K. She is 75 and does not currently require the funds. I have 40K invested in each of the following ETF's - VFV, XSP, VVL, VGRO, XWD, VEE, XIN and 100K in VBAL and 20K in cash. Would you make any changes to my current ETF allocation? Will also be adding 100-200K to portfolio what would you recommend?
Always appreciate your advice,
Steve
Read Answer Asked by Steve on August 23, 2018
Q: Hi,I want to diversify my RSP which i already own a large position in Turtle Creek US Fund ,Barometer Global Macro Pool,and Edgehill International Advantage Fund and am thinking of adding the ETF's mentioned to this mix.
I am wondering your opinion on this group as a whole and if you would not endorse any of the additions i am planning.
Thanks,
Brad.
Read Answer Asked by Brad on August 17, 2018
Q: I need to beef up my foreign holdings. What is your recommendation on emerging markets ETF
Read Answer Asked by GRAHAM on August 09, 2018
Q: I currently own the following ETF's/ Funds. Canadian- ZCH ZSP FLI CJP COW VE VEE XGD ; U. S.- IWO AWF BBH FEZ XLRE XLF KRE XLK. In your view, are there any which should be sold to reduce duplication or for other reasons? And which are worthwhile adding to in this market? Thank you in advance for your usual well-considered reply.





Read Answer Asked by Harold on July 31, 2018
Q: I'd like to add some U.S. and emerging markets exposure into my TSFA. Could you please recommend a couple of ETF's (or other investment options) that would help me accomplish this. Thanks

Dave
Read Answer Asked by David on July 25, 2018
Q: On BNN this morning Larry Berman made a comment about ETFs that are sold in Canada and are essentially repackaged ETFs from the US. He stated that there is some double taxation going on. I believe related to withholding taxes although he didn't explain in detail.
I hold VGG and VEE which are repackaged holdings of VIG and VWO, respectively.
Is this in fact true and how much of an impact would this mean to the rate of return?
Read Answer Asked by Bruce on May 29, 2018
Q: Hi- my husband and I would like to put some of our RSP money into ETFs for long term growth. We are interested in US ETFs but not sure if you cover US ones or not. If not, are there some Canadian ones you would suggest? I already have XIC.TO and CDZ.TO
Thanks, Jill
Read Answer Asked by Jill on May 24, 2018