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PH&N High Yield Bond Fund
If you don’t already own units of this great fund, then you are out of luck. It has been capped since November 2010, and there has been no discussion of reopening it anytime soon.
read moreHSBC Canadian Bond Fund
The HSBC Canadian Bond Fund is a pretty run of the mill bond fund that invests in a mix of Canadian corporate and government bonds, as well as some exposure to mortgages. Looking at the current asset mix, it is overweight in both corporate bond and mortgages, which is prudent given the interest rate environment. Combined, this will result in a lower sensitivity to interest rates than the broader bond market. Given the rate outlook, the managers expect to keep this positioning over the near term.
read moreMackenzie Canadian Large Cap Dividend Fund
As part of Mackenzie’s reorganization of its sprawling fund family, this dividend focused offering, which was formerly the Mackenzie Maxxum Dividend Fund was renamed to the Mackenzie Canadian Large Cap Dividend Fund.
read morePIMCO Monthly Income Fund
When it comes to fixed income investing, PIMCO is easily the most recognizable company in the space, and is arguably one of the best. Still, they are relatively new in the Canadian mutual fund industry, launching a small fund family in early 2011.
read moreCundill Canadian Balanced Fund
Manager Lawrence Chin use the same deep value style that has become synonymous with the Cundill name. The approach is almost contrarian, buying stocks when they are most hated by the markets. Over the long term, this has provided strong returns for investors with modest levels of risk. However, during shorter periods of time, it has the potential to experience higher levels of volatility, which can lead to periods of underperformance.
read moreRenaissance Optimal Income Portfolio
The portfolio is a fairly static mix of a number of Renaissance offered funds. The target asset mix is set at 30% Renaissance Canadian Bond Fund, 25% Renaissance Canadian Dividend Fund, 15% Renaissance Global Infrastructure Fund, 15% Renaissance High Yield Bond Fund, 10% Renaissance Global Bond Fund, and 5% Renaissance Real Return Bond Fund. This mix stays pretty consistent over time, with portfolio turnover averaging about 3% a year for the past five years.
read moreFidelity Canadian Large Cap Fund
If you have held this fund for the past quarter, you no doubt saw a pretty nice jump as it handily outpaced both the index and its peer group. This outperformance came from a couple of sources including its significant global equity exposure, which is currently just under 50%. Another source of return came from its significant holdings in both Shoppers Drug Mart, and Loblaws. Both of those names rallied sharply thanks to the recent takeover news. While I have a lot of confidence in Daniel Dupont’s style, process and approach, I would strongly...
read moreTD Canadian Core Plus Bond Fund
During the quarter I replaced the TD Canadian Bond Fund with the TD Canadian Core Plus Bond Fund on my Recommended List of Funds. The reason that I made the move was that I believe that the Core Plus Bond is better positioned for the current and expected fixed income environment. About 70% of the Core Plus Bond is managed in a near identical fashion to the TD Canadian Bond Fund. This portion invests in investment grade bonds. Up to 30% of the fund can be invested in tactical investments including global bonds, high yield bonds, emerging...
read moreChou Bond Fund
Fund Company Chou Associates Management Inc. Fund Type Global Fixed Income Balanced Rating C Style Credit Analysis Risk Level High Load Status Front End RRSP/RRIF Suitability Poor TFSA Suitability Poor Manager Francis Chou since inception MER 1.45% Code CHO 400 Minimum Investment $5,000 Analysis: The Chou Bond Fund, like the other funds offered by Chou, is a bit hard to classify. This is nothing like a traditional bond fund, and is managed with Francis Chou’s deep value conviction. Despite its name, it is classified as a Global Fixed Income...
read moreMackenzie Ivy Foreign Equity Fund
The main reason that we like this fund is that it holds up well in volatile markets. Management has definitely been earning their keep of late, with the fund gaining 15.1% in the first half of 2013. With volatility expected to remain high for the next little while, this fund will continue to be at the top of our list for global equity picks.
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