Europe offers you a post-COVID-19 recovery

For the past decade or so, the European economy has lagged behind the faster-growing economies of the U.S. and China. The departure of the U.K. from the European Union also raised key questions about its overall stability.
However, the massive monetary and fiscal stimulus provided by… Read More

Q: I lack confidence in both the Canadian dollar and the American dollar; therefore, I am considering investing in Swiss stocks. What is your opinion of EWL—the iShares MSCI Switzerland Index ETF? Thank you in advance.

A: iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF, $39.99, symbol EWL on New York (Units outstanding: 38.8 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; www.ishares.com/us), tracks an index composed of large and mid-sized Swiss equities.

The ETF’s biggest holdings are: Nestle SA, Roche Holding, Novartis, Zurich Insurance, UBS Group, Lonza Group,… Read More

They’re aiming to steady your returns

Traditionally, the price of most stocks, and the ETFs that hold them, drop during bear markets such as the one we’re now in. However, certain segments generally perform better than the overall market during extended downturns, including the 2000-2002 and 2008-2009 bear markets. Below, we… Read More

These ETFs set you up for 2020 gains

This issue, we identify five niche funds ready to boost this year’s returns for our subscribers. (They’re in addition to our top ETF pick for 2020, see column at right.) Each is also likely to cut your investment risk for 2020, and for the many years… Read More

They give you low-fee access to top stocks

Fund management expenses (MERs) can eat up a substantial proportion of your investment returns over time. That’s one reason why ETFs have become very popular. But there’s a segment of those funds with even lower MERs. Below, we analyze three of those ETFs providing investors… Read More

Here’s more top Sustainable ETFs for investors

You will find that the most-popular ETFs in the Sustainable Investment category pick companies based on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) attributes. While the top-ranked companies are generally included in ETF portfolios, the funds also tend to widen their holdings to include all major… Read More

International stocks seem inexpensive

The U.S. equity markets and the U.S. dollar have been star performers for the past decade. However, there are signs that their dominance may be ending.
The U.S. economy makes up about 25% of the global economy, while its equity markets represent 56% of the global… Read More

These ETFs let you get more from your cash

The attraction of holding cash has diminished greatly over the past decade due to a low interest rates. Still, many investors hold it in their investment portfolios. That’s not necessarily to earn income, but as a byproduct of their normal portfolio activities or as a.. Read More

Buy the best stocks outside the U.S.

Our view hasn’t changed—virtually all Canadians should have, say, 20% to 30% of their portfolio in U.S. stocks, or in ETFs holding those stocks. In fact, for some investors, that’s all the foreign exposure their portfolios really need. U.S. stock markets have performed much better… Read More