etf

Some ETF managers were quick to establish ETFs that benefit from changes in consumer behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a look at two of them:


The DIREXION WORK FROM HOME ETF $56.36 (New York symbol WFH) aims to provide investors with diversified exposure to firms involved in cloud technologies, cybersecurity, online project coordination, document management, and remote communications.


These companies can be located anywhere in the world, but over 90% of the portfolio is currently invested in U.S....

The Canadian economy ranks among the top 10 globally and has performed better than most of its large, developed peers over the past decade. The country is also among the top 15 most-competitive economies in the world; to date, it has fared relatively well at containing the COVID-19 pandemic....

While inflation remains very low, conditions for an eventual uptick may well be building. Those factors include today’s very low interest rates, massive government spending and borrowing to inject money into the economy, growing import barriers, and the higher cost of doing business in a pandemic....

The BETAPRO NATURAL GAS LEVERAGED DAILY BULL ETF $11.15 (Toronto symbol HNU) aims to deliver 2 times the daily performance of the Horizons Natural Gas Rolling Futures Index. That index is designed to mirror natural gas prices.


The ETF launched in January 2008, holds $67.6 million of assets, and charges a high MER of 1.33%.


Since its inception, the fund has lost a startling 99.6% of its value....

Diversification is a key part of our approach to successful investing. Done right, it can help investors cut the overall risk of their portfolios. Here’s a look at two different approaches: one ETF holds bonds in addition to stocks; the other invests globally in real estate stocks.


Still, our approach to portfolio diversification generally takes a broader view....

A robo-advisory may be better than a bad broker, but there are still downfalls

The major Canadian and U.S. stock markets have moved back up since their initial COVID-19 drop. Nonetheless, we think that if you can afford to stay in the market for several years or longer, now is still a good time to buy. We see ETFs as one way for you to profit from that rise, while cutting your risk.


The best of these funds offer a diversifed group of stocks while charging you low management fees....

ISHARES S&P/TSX REIT INDEX ETF, $14.53, is a hold. The ETF (Toronto symbol XRE; buy or sell through brokers; ca.ishares.com) lets you tap all 21 Canadian real estate investment trusts in the S&P/TSX REIT Index. Investors pay a MER of 0.61%, and the REIT fund gives you a high 6.3% yield.


The ETF’s top holdings are Canadian Apartment REIT (15.4%), RioCan REIT (8.8%), Granite REIT (8.7%), Allied REIT (8.6%), Choice Props....

The Bank of Canada cut its benchmark interest rate to 0.25% from 1.75% in March. The move was meant to spur the economy after COVID-19 hit. Whether the bank holds that rate steady, or cuts it even further, depends on the country’s economic growth and unemployment levels.


Meanwhile, even for our conservative investors, we caution against investing in bonds....

A: The iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF, $17.60, symbol XEI on Toronto (Units outstanding: 35.3 million; Market cap: $621.3 million; www.blackrock.com/ca), aims to track the S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index, which effectively holds the 75 highest-yielding Canadian stocks.

The index is market-capitalization weighted, with each stock capped at 5% (any stock may rise above 5% temporarily until rebalancing)....