ETFs

Exchange traded funds trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks. Investors can buy them on margin, or sell them short. The best exchange-traded funds offer well-diversified, tax-efficient portfolios with exceptionally low management ETF fees. They are also very liquid.

Investors use ETFs in a variety of ways, and some investors work only with ETFs and no other type of investment in portfolio creation.

An amazing aspect of ETFs is their diversity. Some investors may create an entire portfolio solely from a few well-diversified ETFs.

ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks. That’s different from mutual funds, which you can only buy at the end of the day at a price that reflects the fund’s value at the close of trading.

Prices of ETFs are quoted in newspaper stock tables and online. You pay brokerage commissions to buy and sell them, but their low management fees give them a cost advantage over most mutual funds.

As well, shares are only added or removed when the underlying index changes. As a result of this low turnover, you won’t incur the regular capital gains taxes generated by the yearly distributions most conventional mutual funds pay out to unitholders.

ETFs have a place in every investor’s portfolio, at TSI Network we also recommend using our three-part Successful Investor strategy:

  1. Invest mainly in well-established companies;
  2. Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; the Consumer sector; Finance; Utilities);
  3. Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight.

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ETFs Library Archives
Traditionally, the price of most stocks, and the ETFs that hold them, drop during bear markets like the one we saw in 2022. However, certain segments generally perform better than the overall market during downturns—and bounce back faster, including during the 2000-2002 and 2008-2009 bear markets.


Below, we highlight three ETFs focused on resilient market segments: value stocks, military defence and healthcare....
GLOBAL X COPPER MINERS ETF, $36.19, is a buy. The ETF (New York symbol COPX; buy or sell through brokers; www.globalxfunds.com) lets you track the Solactive Global Copper Miners Index, with 40 global mining and exploration firms....
Most precious-metal stocks dropped, along with stock markets, in March 2020. They then quickly reversed that trend to soar for investors, in part because of gold’s appeal as a “safe harbour” in uncertain times. In fact, in August 2020, gold jumped to over $2,000 U.S....
INVESCO SOLAR ETF, $83.98, is a buy for aggressive investors. The ETF (New York symbol TAN; buy or sell through brokers) tracks solar-related companies (including technology firms and utilities) listed on global exchanges.


The fund’s top holdings are Enphase Energy (U.S.; home solar systems) at 11.2%; First Solar (China; solar panels), 10.4%; SolarEdge Technologies (Israel; solar-power batteries), 9.0%; GCL Technology (China; polysilicon), 4.9%; Sunrun (U.S.; solar panels), 4.7%; and Xinyi Solar (China; solar panels), 4.6%. The ETF charges a reasonable MER of 0.66%.


Renewable stocks have drifted down lately, after big run-ups last year on President Biden’s support for sun, wind and hydro power—plus strong investor interest in stocks that will gain from the push for global decarbonization....
Generally speaking, Canadians are blocked from buying mutual funds that are registered in the U.S. unless those funds are also registered with provincial securities commissions. (Moreover, some Canadian mutual funds are only available in a limited number of provinces.)


Investors in this country can, however, buy exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, listed on U.S....
Consumer companies such as Walmart, Kellogg and Nestle provide basic goods that consumers need, even during a recession. It is therefore not surprising that these companies have relatively consistent revenue and profit histories and are able to maintain their dividends even during tough economic times.


These providers of consumer staples are also part of a very select group that help protect investor portfolios during market downturns.


How bear market affects certain sectors


When stock markets drop, most stocks will fall along with the market....
High inflation, rising interest rates and the war in Ukraine have all combined this year to hurt European economies and stocks prices.


Still, Europe is home to some of the world’s leading companies—and many of them are now trading are attractive prices.


The top holdings of the European-focused ETFs we looked at on pages 111 and 112 are all high-quality, global leaders in their respective industries.


Not only do these companies overall have strong track records of profitable growth, but they also have balance sheets with the financial strength to see them through difficult times.


The table above right shows the credit ratings of the top ETF holdings as provided by the main rating agencies—a rating of A or above indicates a strong ability to service debt....

This month we highlight a U.S. small and mid-cap ETF that aims to invests in companies with long-term competitive advantages. We also look at a “green” bond ETF from CI Asset Management.


VANECK MORNINGSTAR SMID MOAT ETF $25.76 (New York symbol SMOT) invests in U.S.-domiciled small and medium-size companies.


The ETF aims to track the Morningstar Small-Mid Cap Moat Focus Index....

Southern Copper Corp. (symbol SCCO on New York)is one of the largest copper producers in the world, with operations in Mexico and Peru. More than 80% of its revenue comes from copper sales, with smaller contributions from molybdenum, silver, and zinc. Since 1996, the company’s common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima stock exchanges.


The company’s financial performance is largely influenced by movements in copper prices....
Peru is best known for its stunning mountain landscapes, llamas, and the famous Machu Picchu, one of the new “seven wonders of the world.” But the country is also a major producer of commodities such as copper and silver and various agricultural products.


ISHARES MSCI PERU ETF $28.17 (New York symbol EPU; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $120.4 million) tracks the performance of a broad basket of publicly listed Peruvian companies....