Hi Pat: My first Inner Circle question is: what is your opinion on the following for steady income: ING Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund and PIMCO Global StocksPLUS & Income Fund? Thanks.

ING Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund, $9.35, symbol IGD on New York (Shares outstanding: 97.5 million; Market cap: $911.6 million; www.ingfunds.com), is a closed-end fund that holds 130 global common stocks with a history of high dividend yields.

The fund currently has 41.9%… Read More

What is your view of Uranium Participation Corp.? Is there a better way to profit from a rebound in uranium prices? Thanks.

Uranium Participation Corp., $5.25, symbol U on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 106.4 million; Market cap: $558.6 million; www.uraniumparticipation.com), is a holding company that was created to invest almost all of its assets in uranium oxide (U3O8). Denison Mines (symbol DML on Toronto) manages Uranium Participation Corp.

The… Read More

What is your view of Uranium Participation Corp.? Is there another way to make money from rising uranium prices? Thanks.

Uranium Participation Corporation, $5.56, symbol U on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 106.4 million; Market cap: $591.6 million; www.uraniumparticipation.com), is a holding company that was created to invest almost all of its assets in uranium oxide (U3O8). Denison Mines (symbol DML on Toronto) manages Uranium Participation Corporation.

The… Read More

Dear Pat: I would be glad to have your views on Precious Metals & Mining Trust. I have always found your observations extremely useful. Thank you very much for your advice.

Precious Metals & Mining Trust, $11.55, symbol MMP.UN on Toronto (Units outstanding: 19.3 million; Market cap: $222.8 million; www.sentry.ca), is a closed-end fund that holds a portfolio of speculative, mostly gold-mining stocks. These companies include Semafo Mining, which makes up a very high 27.2% of… Read More

Dear Patrick: Thanks for all your great advice. What do you think of the DPF India Opportunities Fund? DPF India is trading at a discount to asset value of around 25%, and trades on the TSX.

DPF India Opportunities Fund, $5.50, symbol DPF.UN on Toronto (Units outstanding: 23.1 million; Market cap: $127.1 million), is a closed-end fund that invests in Indian stocks. It holds shares of mostly large-cap, well-established Indian companies. The fund has a high 3.31% MER.

We like the outlook… Read More

Hi Pat: What do you think of Central Fund of Canada? I’m told they hold actual bullion to back investments. What do you think of iShares CDN Gold Sector Index Fund for a basket of gold mining stocks?

Central Fund of Canada, $14.21, symbol CEF.A on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 213.0 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion) is a closed-end mutual fund that holds gold and silver bullion. It now holds 56.7% of its assets in gold bullion, 40.5% in silver bullion and 2.8% in… Read More

Top ETFs for foreign investing

ETFs have added to their advantages over closed-end funds over the last few years. That’s because ETFs have evolved, and competition has increased. Still, there are a lot of ETFs that have been created to tap into popular, but risky, themes and fads, so you… Read More