Topic: How To Invest

Dear Pat: Can I have your view on the BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF? Thanks for your advice.

Article Excerpt

BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF, $20.48, symbol ZLB on Toronto (Units outstanding: 7.9 million; Market cap: $161.8 million; www.etfs.bmo.com), aims to invest in a portfolio of low-beta Canadian stocks. The ETF selects the 40 lowest-beta stocks from the 100 largest, most liquid securities in Canada. The underlying portfolio is rebalanced in June and reconstituted in December. Beta is a commonly used measure of volatility. To calculate a stock’s beta, an index like the S&P/TSX Composite Index is assigned a beta of 1.0. The historical volatility of different stocks relative to the index is then measured using either a 36-month or 60-month regression analysis. If a stock has a beta of 1.0, it means the market and the stock move up or down together, at the same rate. That is, a 10% up or down move in the stock market index should theoretically result in a 10% up or down move in the stock. A beta of 2.0 implies the stock…