The U.S. housing and homebuilding markets dropped in 2020 on fears that a COVID-induced catastrophe would disrupted the U.S. economy. The recovery, however, came quickly in 2021, aided by decades-low mortgage rates, limited housing supply, and a strong job market.


The recovery was nonetheless shortlived as the market slowed in 2022 on higher mortgage rates and weaker consumer confidence because of inflation....

Sociedad Quimica Y Minera (ADR symbol SQM on New York) is currently the largest holding of the iShares MSCI Chile ETF (see above), making up 16% of its total assets. SQM is a large, low-cost producer of lithium, iodine, and specialty fertilizers.


SQM’s share price fluctuates in large part along with the prices of the commodities it sells....

The Chilean economy will likely emerge from recession in 2024, further reducing joblessness and lifting wages. Consumer purchasing power will improve as inflation falls. Longer-term, as the world transitions to greener technologies, the global demand for copper, lithium, and renewable energy should rise....

Smaller firms can sometimes generate higher returns than their larger counterparts, but they are often riskier, less liquid, and may underperform for long periods. One way to offset some of the risk is to focus on ETFs that hold top-quality small-capitalization companies.


Here’s a look at three ETFs that meet that criteria....

BMO S&P/TSX CAPPED COMPOSITE INDEX ETF $28.09 (Toronto symbol ZCN; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Conservative; Market cap: $7.3 billion) tracks the S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index. The index includes over 200 top-ranked Canadian stocks, which represent more than 90% of the Canadian equity market....

BMO COVERED CALL CANADIAN BANKS ETF $17.30 (Toronto symbol ZWB) holds shares of Canada’s six largest banks (CIBC, TD Bank, Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia, Royal Bank and National Bank).


The fund started up in January 2011....

The U.S. housing construction and improvement markets have recovered strongly from the lows they hit at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. In fact, they have gone on to new highs.


That growth includes a big jump in late 2023. That rise was spurred by ongoing pent-up demand for housing....

A: We still feel that investors will profit the most with a well-balanced portfolio of high-quality individual stocks, but ETFs can also play a role in a portfolio. Here’s a look at the ETFs you’ve asked about:

Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF, $83.70, symbol XLE on New York (Units outstanding: 424.4 million; Market cap: $35.5 billion; www.ssga.com), provides exposure to companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuel, energy equipment and services industries.

The fund’s MER is just 0.10%....

We first recommended Canadian Pacific Railway (now called Canadian Pacific Kansas City) in the first issue of The Successful Investor in January 1995.

The stock moved up for our subscribers in the late 1990s, though much more slowly than Internet and technology stocks....

WOLVERINE WORLDWIDE INC., $8.57, symbol WWW on New York, is a Michigan-based footwear manufacturer. Its brands include Wolverine Boots and Shoes, Merrell, Sweaty Betty, Hush Puppies, Saucony and Stride Rite.

On January 11, 2024, the company announced that it had sold its Sperry brand (best known for boat shoes and loafers) to Authentic Brands Group Inc....