Standard & Poor’s says 2011 is shaping up to be the year of the exchange traded fund with more new ETFs launched in the first seven months of this year than in 2008 and 2009, combined.
Through early August, 191 new exchange traded products were launched in 2011, with more waiting in the wings, according to S&P. In 2010, 181 new products were listed.
Among the new offerings in 2011, S&P’s two favorites track international equities and low-volatility stocks. Many financial advisors, however, prefer to see a three-year track record before committing capital.
“While many equity ETFs have begun to establish a record in 2011, we do not believe you need to wait until 2014 to consider them. That said, just because an ETF has gained a following does not mean it has above-average fundamental characteristics,” said Todd Rosenbluth, S&P equity analyst.