iShares MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (XMU-T)

Exposure to the US large-cap market, but focusing on the stocks that create the lowest portfolio volatility. YTD, down only ~2% compared to the S&P's -10%. Will lag if the market rips.

(A Top Pick Aug 17/15. Up 8.77%.) Minimum volatility is the way of playing the market that a lot of people hadn’t really thought about. A lot of people were concerned about markets being frothy. If you are concerned about volatility, using low volatility products might give you a little less on the upside, but you will also get less if things drop as well.

They are pretty good for nervous clients. The valuations are a lot higher because everybody likes this. He only buys this for a particularly risk adverse client.

If you are looking at a way to buy the US market in order to minimize exposure to Canada, this one gives you exposure to US stocks without having to deal with the ups and downs in what might be a volatile market going forward, you are at least getting exposure with less volatility. This is not currency hedged, so you may want to watch that because at some point he thinks currencies might start to go the other way.

(A Top Pick September 4/12. Up 18.44%.) This is the way to get exposure to the US. Biggest market globally with less volatility. We didn’t need it this year because the market went up.

This is quite new and he likes the concept of getting a lower beta portfolio i.e. less volatile. It’s a new product, so don’t expect miracles. There will be light volume on it because people are just getting used to these things.

This is a new ETF with minimum volatility of US stocks. Broadly diversified.