Physical gold and silver have been strong performers over the past two decades even beating the S&P 500. Gold has also been much less volatile than the equity markets.


Investors shouldn’t overindulge in any one investment, and that includes gold, silver, platinum or any other precious metals....

This month we discuss a new, competitively priced ETF holding physical gold, as well as a fund aiming to ride the artificial intelligence wave.


BMO GOLD BULLION ETF $34.29 (Toronto symbol ZGLD) aims to replicate the performance of the price of gold bullion, net of fees and expenses....

An informal economy (or underground economy) is the part of an economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. Informal economic activity ranges from unregistered legal activities to outright illegal activities. Examples include undocumented employment, fraudulent accounting practices, small-scale farming, gambling, prostitution, drug dealing and smuggling.


Economists identify two main factors that drive economic activity underground—the pace of economic development and the quality of societal institutions....

The Italian economy has recovered well from the pandemic setback, but growth slowed last year as high energy costs and interest rates weighed on consumers. Unemployment, especially among the youth, has improved, but a large, untaxed informal sector (see box next page) and high government debt remain challenges.


Still, the country is home to some exceptional companies, such as Ferrari, that flourish despite the difficult overall economic situation.


Here is one ETF that provides exposure to the top public companies in Italy.


ISHARES MSCI ITALY ETF $37.51 (New York symbol EWI; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $412.5 million) invests in publicly listed Italian companies.


Financial companies account for 32% of its assets, while Consumer Cyclicals (22.0%), Utilities (16%), Energy (8%), and Industrials (9%) are other key segments.


The ETF holds a portfolio of 24 stocks; the top 10 comprise 66% of its assets....

Many investors overlook mid-cap stocks, thinking that a combination of large- and small-cap stocks will provide their portfolios with all the diversification they need. However, as a group, U.S. mid-cap stocks have often performed better than large caps and are generally less risky than small caps....

GLOBAL X GOLD PRODUCER EQUITY COVERED CALL ETF $25.08 (Toronto symbol GLCC) invests in an equal-weighted portfolio of North American-listed gold mining companies. The portfolio currently holds 10 stocks, with all the top producers such as Barrick Gold and Newmont Corp....

Precious metals should let you profit over the next few years if interest rates begin falling (a clear possibility). That lowers the appeal of the U.S. dollar and increases the appeal of gold—and other precious metals—as a store of value. Here we look at three ETFs that aim to benefit from the long-term positive trends in precious metals (see the supplement on page 59 for more on precious metals and their role in your portfolio).


SPROTT PHYSICAL GOLD AND SILVER TRUST $29.44 (Toronto symbol CEF; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $6.2 billion) invests in physical gold and silver bullion held in the vaults of the Royal Canadian Mint....

This month we update our Portfolio for Income-Seeking Investors.


In light of the current market volatility, investors are paying more attention to dividend yields (dividends paid per share divided by the current stock price)....

BANK OF MONTREAL $128 (www.bmo.com) is a buy. The bank raised your quarterly dividend with the January 2024 payment by 2.7%, to $1.51 a share from $1.47. The new annual rate of $6.04 yields a high 4.7%....

CGI’s shares hit a record high of $160.40 on March 21, 2024, but have dropped recently on fears that businesses may cut spending on technology services as they cope with higher operating costs and interest rates. However, that may be a false economy, as CGI helps themts improve their efficiency....