WRAP Funds Report – August 2017
Fund of Fund or WRAP funds have consistently led the mutual funds sales stats in the past few years. Investor and advisor interest in the products are at an all time high, given the unprecedented levels of market volatility and uncertainty that is prevalent in the markets today. To help you zero in on the best WRAP funds available, we have created our new Monthly WRAP Funds Report that will be...
Read MoreInvestment Fund Ranking Report – August 2017
Each month, we analyze nearly 2000 mutual funds, pooled funds, and hedge funds putting them through our proprietary quantitative valuation model. We then prepare our Monthly Fund Ranking Report which rates and ranks each of the funds in our universe based on a number of key risk / reward metrics. You can download our August 2017 Investment Fund Ranking Report here.
Read MoreETF Focus List – September 2017
Additions
None
Deletions
None
Funds of Note
PowerShares Senior Loan CAD Hedged ETF (TSX: BKL.F)
Vanguard Canadian Short Term Bond ETF (TSX: VSB)
PowerShares S&P/TSX Composite Low Volatility ETF (TSX: TLV)
iShares Core S&P 500 Index (CAD Hedged) ETF (TSX: TLV)
BMO MSCI EAFE Index (CAD Hedged) ETF (TSX: ZDM)
iShares S&P/TSX Capped Financials ETF (TSX: XFN)
July 2017 Portfolio Review
July was a continuation of June, with bonds down on worries over higher interest rates, and equity market were mixed with a stronger Canadian dollar acting as a further headwind. In this environment, the portfolios were again in negative territory. The Conservative Portfolio lost 1.1%, the Balanced Portfolio was off by 1.4%, and our Growth Portfolio fell by 1.7%. For a detailed review of the...
Read MoreRecommended List of Mutual Funds – July 2017
Additions
IA Clarington Floating Rate Income Fund (CCM 9940 – Front End Units, CCM 9942 – Low Load Units) – With the recent upward pressure on yields, investors are looking for ways to protect their portfolios. One asset class that can help do that is floating rate notes and loans, which pay a rate of interest that floats with a market interest rate, usually LIBOR. In most cases, this coupon rate is reset monthly, more or less eliminating duration risk. These loans are typically unrated, non-investment grade credits, that are often well-collateralized with seniority in the capital structure, providing protection against potential defaults. Another benefit is floating rate investments tend to have low correlation to the more traditional asset classes, making them a strong diversifier when incorporated in a well-diversified portfolio.
Read MoreSocially Responsible Investing Report – July 2017
With environmental and human rights concerns becoming more important to people, interest in the Socially Responsible Investing segment has never been stronger. In an effort to help keep investors and advisors informed on the SRI funds available, we have created our monthly Socially Responsible Investing Fund Report, which will be published on a monthly basis. You can download the July 2017...
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