I’m a long-term member of the Inner Circle group. What do you think about the iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Fund? Is it a good way to play the energy sector (Suncor, Cenovus, Imperial Oil, etc.)? What do you think? Thanks.

iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Fund, $15.61, symbol XEG on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 56.0 million; Market cap: $874.2 million; ca.ishares.com), aims to mirror the performance of the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index, which is made up of the largest-capitalization energy stocks on the Toronto exchange. The… Read More

Pat: Instead of holding shares of oil and gas stocks, I am considering buying the iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Fund. What do you think of this ETF?

iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Fund, $15.56 symbol XEG on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 59.7 million; Market cap: $928.9 million; ca.ishares.com), aims to mirror the performance of the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index, which is made up of the largest-capitalization energy stocks on the Toronto exchange. The… Read More

AIC DIVERSIFIED CANADA FUND $34.89

AIC DIVERSIFIED CANADA FUND $34.89 (CWA Rating: Conservative) mainly holds shares of Canadian companies of average or above-average quality. It also holds some U.S. stocks.

The $1.0-billion fund’s 10 largest holdings are TD Bank, Shoppers Drug Mart, Power Financial, Canadian Oil Sands Trust, First Capital Realty,… Read More

Two AIC funds with a finance focus

These two AIC funds hold much of their portfolios in finance stocks. This sector has risen lately on better-than-expected profits and an improved outlook for the economy as a whole.

We prefer diversified funds. But if you must focus on a particular sector, finance still offers… Read More

I own the following trusts: Crescent Point Energy Trust, Canadian Oil Sands Trust Canadian REIT, Pembina Pipeline Income Fund and Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Income Fund. What is your advice on these trusts?

Canadian REIT and Pembina Pipeline Income Fund are both recommendations of our Canadian Wealth Advisor newsletter. We see them both as buys. Crescent Point Energy Trust recently converted itself into a conventional corporation. Its new name is Crescent Point Energy Corp. (symbol CPG on Toronto)… Read More

Two large-cap buys with a finance focus

BMO DIVIDEND FUND $37.58 (BMO Mutual Funds, 77 King Street West, Suite 4200, Royal Trust Tower, Toronto, Ont., M5K 1J5, 1-800-665-7700; Web site: www.bmo.com. No load — deal directly with the bank) (CWA Rating: Conservative) currently holds about 43.3% of its portfolio in the Financial… Read More