ETF Conference Highlights

Many of the ETF industry experts have gathered at the Maximizing Market Returns with ETFs conference in Miami. (You can’t beat the weather….) This marks the first ETF only event in the U.S. this year and the tempo is positive and upbeat.

Some of the highlights include:

• There are hundreds of new ETFs in the pipeline and new ETF providers are entering the marketplace. With over 60 mutual fund companies offering conventional index funds, Darek Wojnar, Head of iShares Product Strategy suggests there will be even more players jumping into this marketplace.
• Demand for international and commodity ETFs has the most momentum as these markets offer diversification and have recently outperformed US market indexes.
• Individual investors and financial advisors are still trying to get their arms around ETFs and seek guidance in how to successfully incorporate ETFs into portfolios.
• Tony Baker, Managing Director of the AMEX discussed how their "enabling technology" is bringing actively managed ETFs to the marketplace soon.