By Privatizing Infrastructure, ETFs Can Build Up Returns

September 02, 2008 at 11:00 am by Tom Lydon

Maintaining highways and cleaning up roadkill may not sound profitable, yet banks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) think they are worthy investments.

The fact is, we need those things and more… there is a tidal wave of infrastructure projects that need to be undertaken not only in the United States, but overseas as well, reports Jenny Anderson For The New York Times. An estimated $250 billion has been collected by banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and so on.

Federal, state and local governments are all under growing deficits, so the idea of privatizing infrastructure is looking enticing. Budget gaps are starting to make public resistance to private financing less futile. In fact, until recently, the use of private funds to build and manage large scale infrastructure was dismissed, because the cities and towns could raise taxes and user fees or turn to the muni-bond market.

Labor unions are even backing private financing, as investment funds stand to reap major rewards from the current infrastructure problem that is turning into a crisis.

ETFs that could help build up our cities:

  • iShares S&P Global Infrastructure Index (IGF)
  • SPDR FTSE/Macquarie Global Infrastructure 100 (GII)

 
 

 

Tags: , ,

Share: DiggDigg | Del.icio.usBookmark at Del.icio.us | Tip'd

Subscribe to our RSS Feed

Click here to subscribe to our RSS feed

2 Comments For This Post

  1. Mike Says:

    I subscribe to ETFTrends email newsletter. Thank you for your service.
    I realize you want to keep your articles short and to the point, however,
    it may further benefit the reader if you outlined one or two key differences between the ETF’s you are reporting on.

    Mike

  2. Tom Lydon Says:

    Mike,

    Thank you for your suggestion, and thanks for reading!

Leave a Reply

Subscribe to E-mail Newsletter

Enter your e-mail address below to sign up for our free e-mail newsletter, the Daily Market Update. We will never share your e-mail address with third parties.

ETF Analyzer

iMoney

ETF Trends' new book iMoney is now available. Click here for details. Or order online from one of these bookstores:
Amazon        Amazon

    • Steven Ely: Could you please tell me where I can get a list of Muni Bonds that are on a watch list. I am a very small...
    • Tom Lydon: Santosh, Closed-end funds are launched through an initial public offering that raises a fixed amount of...
    • Michael Russnow: You ought to look at the following short video produced in Cologne, Germany by TV Star Andreas...
    • Santosh: Can anyone tell me how how an actively traded ETF differ from a listed close ended mutual funds? How...
    • MurrayR: Oxford Club’s Alexander Green says making the switch from mutual funds to ETF funds can save thousands in...

Recent Podcast

Tom Lydon on Gaining an Edge with ETFs

 
 Tom Lydon on Gaining and Edge with ETFs: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download