“Diversify your investments by country, asset class and investment vehicle” was the message today at Franklin Templeton Investments’ annual Outlook and Opportunities Forum 2005 held in Toronto.

Canadian investors were told that although they have a red hot income trust market, a booming dollar and strong equities, opportunities lie in places like Europe and China, ranging from equities to high-yield bonds and other income products.

“The key to successful diversification is to get the right mix in your portfolio, and that means including non-Canadian assets,” said Don Reed, president and CEO of Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. “With the changes to the RSP foreign content rules, there is no reason why Canadians should not be taking a closer look at global markets to access the rest of the world for their portfolios.”

According to Reed, who also manages Templeton International Stock Fund, Europe’s changing landscape is creating investment opportunities. “Attractive stock valuations, favourable interest rates and economic reforms among its major countries mean Europe has great potential, especially for anyone looking for value investment opportunities,” he told the audience.

George Morgan, manager of Templeton Growth Fund, echoed Reed’s enthusiasm in European stocks, especially when it comes to dividend yields.

“There is great value in Europe, with 40 per cent of Euro companies having a dividend yield that is above the bond yield.”

In his presentation, Morgan acknowledged that Canada is a powerhouse, but this strength also makes Canadian equities look a little expensive to a value investor like himself.

“With a bottom up, stock-by-stock approach, there are some good opportunities in Canada, but on the whole, we tend to find more and better bargains – cheaper stocks – in other markets, like Japan or Europe,” he said.

Very selectively, he also believes there are still a few inexpensive oil stocks to be found.

“There is still value to be had in the oil sector, where with selective exposure, you can still reap the gains of the oil boom without taking excessive risk by betting on continued high price of oil.”

Franklin Templeton says the Canadian market’s story is a tale of low interest rates, a strong dollar and soaring commodities, offering investors positive returns from diversified sources.

“Stocks, bonds and income trusts are all offering good returns,” said Leslie Lundquist, manager of Bissett Income Trust Fund. “Commodities are powering the equity markets and playing a greater role in the income trust market as well.”

An income trust investment specialist, Lundquist is confident that income trusts are becoming part of the every day investor’s portfolio.

“Like any other investment, the key is to do your homework, be selective and stick to good companies … for income trust investing, look for companies that can produce stable cash flows,” she said.

Mark Mobius, Templeton’s emerging markets guru, is confident in how economic forces, such as trade balances and currencies, are playing out in the world’s emerging markets.

Mobius is especially interested in the so-called BRIC nations: Brazil, Russia, India and China.

“These countries are the new engines of economic growth. They have large populations, strong GDP growth, per capita income growth, and strong market performance. More importantly, they offer investment value, with stock valuations roughly 50% cheaper than U.S. equity markets,” he said.

“Just like with equities, successful bond and fixed income investors should diversify their holdings,” Eric Takaha, Director of High-Yield Bonds with Franklin Advisers, told the gathered audience. “Diversification will help bond investors, as we are seeing opportunities across various fixed income sectors, from corporate bonds to floating rate securities.”

“The longer-term potential for a weaker dollar is making certain non-U.S. dollar denominated government bonds also look attractive,” said the California-based money manager.