GIC vs. bond ETFs for a retiree
Should this fixed income investor change his bond allocation? [MoneySense]
Which bond ETFs are best for RRSPs?
A reader asks for help weighing her options for fixed income [MoneySense]
When Bond Yields Throw You a Curve
In my previous post, I explained the flaw in the conventional advice about shifting to short-term bonds if you expect interest rates to rise. While it’s true that bond prices fall when yields go up (t [...]
Bonds Behaving Badly
There are a couple of basic rules bond investors can depend on. The first is that bond prices fall when interest rates rise, and vice-versa. The second is that long-term bonds are vulnerable to larger [...]
Bond Basics 3: Should You Wait for Higher Yields?
In my last podcast, I set out to answer a series of common questions about bonds. Here’s one I’ve been hearing on and off since 2009: “With yields so low now, is it even worth it to invest in bonds? W [...]
Bond Basics 2: Why Your ETF Isn’t Losing Money
In my latest podcast, I answer a series of frequently asked questions about bonds. The second of these came from a reader named Andrew: “I have been investing using your Couch Potato strategy for just [...]
Podcast 7: Making Sense of Bonds
I've always felt that being a defenseman is the toughest job on a hockey team. Forwards score most of the goals, and goalies can steal the show with a few timely saves, but fans rarely notice a defens [...]
Bond Basics 1: Why Bond Prices Fall When Rates Rise
Bonds have a reputation for being conservative, even boring. But no one ever accused them of being easy to understand. I get a steady stream of emails and blog comments about bonds, and they reveal th [...]
The Real Problem With Inflation-Protected Bonds
When I announced my stripped-down model portfolios at the beginning of last year, one of the asset classes I dropped was real-return bonds (RRBs). Part of the reason was simplicity: it’s easier to man [...]
The Curious Case of the BMO Discount Bond ETF
When the BMO Discount Bond Index ETF (ZDB) was launched back in February 2014, it was unique: the first broad-market ETF in Canada made up primarily of bonds trading below their par value. By avoiding [...]
