Precious metals should let you profit over the next few years if interest rates begin falling (a clear possibility). That lowers the appeal of the U.S. dollar and increases the appeal of gold—and other precious metals—as a store of value. Here we look at three… Read More

This section is the second part of our discussion on ETFs that represent each of the five main economic sectors. Here we cover ETFs in the Consumer, Manufacturing and Finance sectors.
Please see the supplement section starting on page 49 for more information on our five-sectors… Read More

A key rule of our three-part Successful Investor strategy is to spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; Consumer; Finance; and Utilities).
This has two main benefits: a) It keeps you from… Read More

Low volatility ETFs aim to use betas to reduce portfolio volatility. We don’t think they are good for investors.
Recently, a member of my Inner Circle inquired about a low volatility ETF, aimed at decreasing overall portfolio volatility and exposure to market swings.

The BMO Low Volatility… Read More

Traditionally, the price of most stocks, and the ETFs that hold them, drop in market declines. However, certain segments generally perform better than the overall market. Below, we highlight three ETFs focused on firms that produce and sell consumer staples. They should, as in past… Read More

A: The BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF, $41.48, symbol ZLB on Toronto (Units outstanding: 81.2 million; Market cap: $3.4 billion; www.etfs.bmo.com), provides exposure to a portfolio of Canadian stocks with an overall low beta weighting (more on beta below). The aim is to reduce… Read More

Smaller firms can sometimes generate higher returns than their larger counterparts, but they are often riskier, less liquid, and may underperform for long periods. One way to offset some of the risk is to focus on ETFs that hold top-quality small-capitalization companies.
Here’s a look at… Read More

BMO S&P/TSX CAPPED COMPOSITE INDEX ETF $28.09 (Toronto symbol ZCN; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Conservative; Market cap: $7.3 billion) tracks the S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index. The index includes over 200 top-ranked Canadian stocks, which represent more than 90% of the Canadian equity market. Individual stock weights are capped… Read More

BMO COVERED CALL CANADIAN BANKS ETF $17.30 (Toronto symbol ZWB) holds shares of Canada’s six largest banks (CIBC, TD Bank, Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia, Royal Bank and National Bank).
The fund started up in January 2011. Its MER is a relatively high 0.71%.
BMO Canadian High Dividend Covered… Read More

Telecommunications form an integral part of the economic infrastructure. Moreover, existing players benefit from strict licensing standards and high capital requirements that act as barriers to entry for any new companies. In addition, many of the major telecommunication companies have strong cash flows, high levels… Read More