3 top picks from Burgeonvest Bick's John DeGoey John DeGoey is vice-president and associate portfolio manager at Burgeonvest Bick Securities. His focus is on personal finance and ETFs. iShares Japan Fund Index Canadian Hedge This provides a fundamental approach to Japanese stocks. Japan is the world's second-largest stock market and has been in a deep sleep for a quarter-century until 2013. BMO Global Infrastructure Index ETF This is a great way to get access to global "hard" assets without the roller-coaster ride of commodities, gold and base metals. First Trust AlphaDEX™ Emerging Market Dividend ETF This is a brand-new product with an interesting wrinkle on how to conservatively get access to an under-owned part of the world. The product began trading May 22. Past picks: May 1, 2012 Vanguard FTSE Canada Index ETF Then: $25.43 Now: $26.37 Total return: +5.79 Vanguard MSCI U.S. Broad Market Index ETF (CAD-hedged) Then: $25.43 Now: $28.11 Total return: +20.10 per cent Vanguard MSCI EAFE Index ETF (CAD-hedged) Then: $25.92 Now: $32.17 Total return: +27.46 per cent Total return average: +17.78 per cent I believe markets are highly efficient and that prices are more or less fair at all times. As such, my view is that people should focus on setting an asset allocation that is suitable for them and re-balancing that mix as circumstances warrant. They should do so using products that are cost effective, tax-effective (that is, have a low turnover) and broadly diversified. The time and money spent in picking stocks, picking actively managed mutual funds and timing market movements is almost certain to be wasted.