Housing Market Infects Industrials ETFs
November 21, 2008 – Heavy equipment holders are selling their products at auction for less than expected, and items such as excavators, backhoes, or heavy construction machinery are being sold due to too much idle time. Sellers said they were... Continue Reading »

Tax Hit Is Another Reason to Switch to ETFs
November 21, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) may snatch up investors from mutual funds as investors see unsatisfactory returns in their mutual funds being taxed. The insult to industry may exacerbate the exodus that mutual funds have been... Continue Reading »

New Real Estate ETF Enters at a Challenging Time
November 21, 2008 – PowerShares is entering into the real estate market with the United States through a new actively managed exchange traded fund (ETF) launched Wednesday. PowerShares Active Real Estate Fund (PSR) will trade on the New York Stock... Continue Reading »

Can Fundamental Indexes, ETFs Calm a Bear? It Depends
November 20, 2008 – Is there anything an exchange traded fund (ETF) investor can do in a down market such as this besides grin and bear it? Investment strategies such as stock picking and bond investing are all in the... Continue Reading »

ETF Prospects On a Market Rebound
November 19, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are set to be one of the best-kept market bets when the stock market decides to rebound. So far, the ETFs that are tied to worldwide market indexes have gone through a... Continue Reading »

Domestic Housing Market, ETFs Seek Help
November 14, 2008 – Real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) and the housing market need a helping hand. The FDIC is breaking with the Bush Administration and is now proposing a $24 billion plan to help 1.5 million Americans stay... Continue Reading »

Dour Climate Puts Real Estate ETF Auction on Hold
November 13, 2008 – The first-ever initial public offering open auction launch of exchange traded funds(ETFs) was set for Wednesday, but has been delayed as MacroMarkets deemed the real estate market conditions unhealthy. Blame the severely slumping real estate market rather than... Continue Reading »

Microcap ETFs Might Be Poised to Look Upward
November 12, 2008 – Have microcap exchange traded funds (ETFs) found the elusive bottom in what is a seemingly bottomless pit? Recent selloffs in the markets have diminished iShares Russell Microcap Index Fund (IWC), leaving it more than 50% off... Continue Reading »

Obama’s Sector To-Do List May Impact ETFs
November 9, 2008 – President-elect Barack Obama has his work cut out for him as he enters office with the weight of financial trauma, tumbling stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) and a gaping deficit. No question: there’s a lot... Continue Reading »

Homebuilders ETFs Await Federal Foreclosure Relief Plan
November 7, 2008 – Real estate and homebuilder-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) are left waiting in the wings while the implementation of a federal foreclosure-prevention program is worked out. Disagreements on how to structure the program are complicating the details... Continue Reading »

Active Mutual Fund Investors Head for Exits to ETFs
November 5, 2008 – According to one study, It appears that the actively managed mutual fund is out and other investment tools such as structured notes, 130/30 funds, separately managed accounts and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are in. Financial Research... Continue Reading »

How Manhattan Slowdown Hurts Real Estate ETFs
November 5, 2008 – The crumbling real estate market has spread from the residential housing sector and right on over to the commercial market, hitting some exchange traded funds (ETFs) where it hurts. New York City commercial real estate transactions... Continue Reading »

Triple Leverage ETFs Maximize Market Directions
November 5, 2008 – If you need or want more leverage in your exchange traded funds (ETFs), today you’re going to have the choice. Direxion has launched eight ETFs that are leveraged bull and bear funds designed to seek 300%... Continue Reading »

Understanding Why Target Date ETFs Feel the Pain
November 4, 2008 – Target date exchange traded funds (ETFs) are a different animal when it comes to investing. A recent story we did on the subject noted that one in particular, the TDX Independence 2010 (TDD), was demonstrating “acceptable”... Continue Reading »

ETFs As A Core To Portfolio Building
November 4, 2008 – Studies show that the majority of active fund managers do not outperform the markets consistently, a fact that has more investors considering exchange traded funds (ETFs) and other index products instead. One of the best ways... Continue Reading »

PowerShares Adds To Actively Managed ETF Lineup
November 4, 2008 – PowerShares is growing its family of actively managed exchange traded funds (ETFs) this month. The newest addition to the family will focus on U.S. real estate and will trade on the NYSE Arca. MarketWatch reports that... Continue Reading »

Utilities ETF Is Sending Signals
November 3, 2008 – It’s been tough going for stock exchange traded funds (ETFs) lately Among other things, fear and greed tend to influence the markets more than anything and right now nobody knows if the “Big Money” is done... Continue Reading »

Tax-Loss Harvesting with ETFs Can Lessen the Pain
November 3, 2008 – The market meltdown has created an opportunity at tax time for exchange traded fund (ETF) users. John Spence for MarketWatch explains that when investors sell an ETF or mutual fund, any losses in excess of capital... Continue Reading »

Actively Managed ETFs Making Strides
October 30, 2008 – The actively managed exchange traded fund (ETF) didn’t fare as well as anticipated when they originally launched earlier this year. A primary reason for this is that there’s no back-tested data, so a track record... Continue Reading »

Splitting Stocks With RevenueShares ETFs
October 30, 2008 – RevneueShares announced a stock split for three of their exchange traded funds (ETFs) that will take place on Nov. 3. The ETF provider is aiming at a per-share drop in price in an effort to... Continue Reading »

ETF Bulls, Bears Have Different Takes On Events
October 29, 2008 – Whether you’re an exchange traded fund (ETF) investor who’s bearish on the market or bullish on it, no doubt you’re finding your own way to interpret the recent market activity and what it all means. But... Continue Reading »

Rental Market, ETF Has Two Faces
October 29, 2008 – Layoffs and job losses aren’t just terrible for the housing market, it could also effect the correlation between a growing bunch of apartment vacancies, hurting related exchange traded funds (ETFs) and investments. Vacancy rates for houses... Continue Reading »

Obama, McCain Will Impact Market, ETFs in Different Ways
October 29, 2008 – Only one thing is this election is for certain: the outcome will have an effect on the markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) in one way or another. This is the first time in 76 years... Continue Reading »

ETF Assets Surge While Mutual Funds’ Leak
October 28, 2008 – If you think that exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been hemorrhaging assets along with mutual funds, you’d be completely wrong. The kind of inflows and trading volume ETFs have received this year might be enough... Continue Reading »

PowerShares Cuts Expenses for 11 ETFs
October 28, 2008 – Everyone loves to see lower prices, especially when it comes to exchange traded funds (ETFs). In an effort to keep up with the competition, PowerShares announced late last week that they are cutting expense ratios on... Continue Reading »

Buy-and-Hold ETF Strategy Gets Burned
October 27, 2008 – The recent market and exchange traded fund (ETF) turmoil has investors and advisors alike rethinking the “buy-and-hold” strategy. One firm in Pennsylvania has moved 65% of its assets into cash positions, making it the largest cash... Continue Reading »

Small-Cap ETFs Show Mettle By Comparison
October 27, 2008 – The small-cap exchange traded fund (ETF) as an asset class has had a successful decade, while proving that the little guy can come out on top in any climate. No asset class has been spared in... Continue Reading »

Financial ETFs Continue to Feel Effects of Shifting Industry
October 24, 2008 – As are most exchange traded funds (ETFs) representing sectors and global areas of the market, financials continue to take hits as the effects of the bailout plan are slow to be seen. American International Group (AIG)... Continue Reading »

Bond Insurers Hatch Plan That Could Help ETFs
October 20, 2008 – Bond insurers are working on a plan that could eventually restore the industry’s related exchange traded funds (ETFs) Ambac Financial Group and MBIA Inc. area couple of the bond insurers working with them. The companies also... Continue Reading »

Balancing Risk, Reward With ETFs In Down Markets
October 18, 2008 – Investing in exchange traded funds (ETFs) or anything else in times of recession might demand incremental purchasing. Gary Gordon for ETF Expert says that the strongest risk-reward relationship rests with the return of capital plus the... Continue Reading »

ETF Investors Feel Fright About Economy
October 15, 2008 – Glum retail numbers this morning sent the markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) into a tailspin, leading to the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s second-largest one-day point loss ever. Investors are now bracing themselves for what could... Continue Reading »

ETFs Feel the Fall Chill In September
October 13, 2008 – The chill in September that was felt among the markets also filtered into exchange traded funds (ETFs). Citigroup Global Markets conducted the research and found that the average ETF was down 9.3%, while the S&P 500... Continue Reading »

ETFs Weather the Market Turmoil Well
October 13, 2008 – Is there actually a “safe investment” in all of this chaos that investors can turn to when CDs, money markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) all seem to be vulnerable? In general, the money invested in... Continue Reading »

Tom Lydon on Gaining An Edge With ETFs
October 13, 2008 – “iMoney” author Tom Lydon discusses the use of exchange traded funds (ETFs) in this volatile market to quickly access different asset classes. Lydon also addresses what’s ahead for ETFs in the future, including actively managed funds,... Continue Reading »

Dow, S&P, ETFs Wrap Up a Stormy Week
October 10, 2008 – Most of the major indexes ended lower today, capping a volatile and losing week for stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs). It could have been worse, though. The Dow dropped nearly 700 points at the opening,... Continue Reading »

S&P, ETF On Pace to Be a Loser This Decade
October 7, 2008 – This decade has the potential to go down in history as one of the worst for our economy and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Today the Dow Jones and S&P 500 extended their declines, and now the... Continue Reading »

Large Cap ETFs Have A Brighter Future
October 4, 2008 – Large-cap stocks and companies could be on the verge of a transformation, with regulation under major scrutiny, making exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to a broad range of companies a potentially safer bet. Despite the... Continue Reading »

Asset Managers, Like Investors, Turn to Safe Haven ETFs
October 1, 2008 – Asset managers that deal heavily in exchange traded funds (ETFs) are taking defensive stances on the current market and buying hard, tangible assets like gold and commodities. Gold is, and has always has been the most... Continue Reading »

Dow Jones Loses Nearly 800 Points In Volatile Session
September 29, 2008 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its largest one-day loss ever, leaving few bright spots in the world of exchange traded funds (ETFs). The Dow today plunged 777 points, by far surpassing the previous record of... Continue Reading »

ETFs Increasingly Popular With Mutual Fund Managers
September 28, 2008 – While the exchange traded funds (ETFs) work to make their mark with investors and get a bigger slice of the mutual fund pie in terms of assets, fund managers don’t appear to have to be... Continue Reading »

Why EAFE, ETFs Could Be Long-Term Prospects
September 27, 2008 – One of the major pathways for exchange traded fund (ETF) investors to get international exposure is by investing in the MSCI Australasia Far East Index, or the EAFE. This famous benchmark dates back to... Continue Reading »

Influx of Renters May Help Real Estate ETF
September 25, 2008 – Rental real estate is presenting some true opportunity right now, and there is an exchange traded fund (ETF) to help you capitalize on this trend without actually buying the rental property. iShares FTSE NAREIT Residential Real... Continue Reading »

Homebuilders ETF And Existing Sales Begin To Wilt
September 24, 2008 – The wilting housing market is showing no signs of life, as existing home prices fall and real estate- and home construction-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) stall out. As of August, the United States suffered a record... Continue Reading »

Micro-Cap ETFs Are Nimble In a Recovery
September 23, 2008 – Micro-cap stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been struggling along with just about every other segment of the market as of late. When micro-caps do take off, they do so with quite a bang, and... Continue Reading »

ETFs Give Alternative For Money Market Exposure
September 22, 2008 – The current market can not only confuse investors, they can lead to major anxiety, so why not an exchange traded fund (ETF) to help quell these feelings? It appears that the credit crisis has now penetrated... Continue Reading »

Large Caps and ETFs Have Future Possibilities
September 18, 2008 – Large-cap stocks are showing up cheap relative to their small-cap counterparts, giving related exchange traded funds (ETFs) a chance for growth when the markets recover. Despite the valuations, do not be fooled, there is still some... Continue Reading »

Investors Duck for Cover Under Treasury Bond ETFs
September 18, 2008 – Market volatility has investors running for cover in safe havens, and treasury exchange traded funds (ETFs) are no exception. Equities came crashing down on Wednesday in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s bailout of insurer American... Continue Reading »

Insurance, Financial ETFs Thwacked After AIG Takeover
September 17, 2008 – Financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) and Wall Street in general don’t look like they’ll be getting a reprieve today after the Federal Reserve stepped in to bailout American International Group (AIG). Shares in the world’s largest... Continue Reading »

Are You An ETF Hater? This May Change Your Outlook
September 17, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are the latest investment hot spot, but as with everything in the spotlight, there are going to be nay-sayers and haters. The even the investors who love to hate ETFs know that... Continue Reading »

Recent Markets Could Keep Active ETFs In the Headlines
September 16, 2008 – Actively managed exchange traded funds (ETFs) have created many recent industry headlines since they have entered the market. Market strategists are calling the latest market fluctuations a perfect environment for the actively managed ETF to show... Continue Reading »

With ETFs, There Are Ways to Play Lower Industrial Output
September 15, 2008 – Industrial output has broad implications for the economy and exchange traded funds (ETFs), so it isn’t good that it plunged by the largest amount in three years. Output fell by 1.1% last month, and economists were... Continue Reading »

MacroMarkets Tries Their Hand At Housing Market With ETFs
September 13, 2008 – MacroShares, the name behind a series of paired exchange traded funds (ETFs) tied to the price of oil, is now going to get into real estate. S&P said it has now licensed MacroMarkets to create products... Continue Reading »

Some Dividend ETFs Are Beating the Markets
September 11, 2008 – Dividend-focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) usually get torn up pretty bad after a bear attack, however, there are some funds that have beat the odds. Since financial companies usually dominate dividend-paying companies, it is only natural... Continue Reading »

Global Infrastructure ETFs Are Catching Wall Street’s Eye
September 11, 2008 – Global infrastructure and the exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track the sector are gaining attention from investors and advisors, as high returns and low correlations to other markets could be in the offing down the... Continue Reading »

Investors Go for Large-Caps, Global ETFs In August
September 11, 2008 – The National Stock Exchange (NSX) has released the August numbers for exchange traded funds (ETFs) and exchange traded notes (ETNs). Together, assets reached $596.5 billion, a 15% increase over $518.9 billion ayear ago. Net cash inflows for... Continue Reading »

Mega-Caps Go Down After International ETFs Falter
September 10, 2008 – Our market’s troubles have been slamming both global exchange traded funds (ETFs), and in turn, it’s boomeranging right back around and hitting mega-caps. European and Japanese companies are suffering as much or more than U.S. large-cap... Continue Reading »

As New Active ETF Providers Gear Up, Bear Stearns Fund to Close
September 10, 2008 – Another entrant into the actively managed exchange traded fund (ETF) realm is a few steps closer to reality: Grail Advisors LLC of San Francisco has its application in the comment phase with the Securities and... Continue Reading »

Is An ETF Better When Mixed With A Mutual Fund?
September 10, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are popular investment tools, no doubt, and now some of their newest fans seem to be one of their biggest rivals - mutual funds. More and more mutual funds are beginning to... Continue Reading »

ETFs Tumble After Pending Home Sales Fall, Lehman Solvency Questioned
September 9, 2008 – Wall Street and exchange traded funds (ETFs) took a step back early this morning after a few worrying developments. The stability of Lehman Brothers (LEH) came into question, sending their shares as much as 40% lower.... Continue Reading »

New NETS ETF Turns To Japanese REIT Market
September 9, 2008 – Northern Trust is launching the first Japanese REIT exchange traded fund (ETF) to be based upon the Tokyo Stock Exchange REIT Index. The NETS Tokyo Stock Exchange REIT Index Fund (JRE) launched on Monday, and brings... Continue Reading »

SPA ETF Rebalances Higher In Energy, Lower in Financials
September 8, 2008 – The underlying index of the SPA Market Grader 100 (SIH) exchange traded fund (ETF) just got its semi-annual rebalance. The index is going marginally heavier in energy (from 23% to 25%) and lower in its... Continue Reading »

New Currency ETN Tracks Asia, While U.S. Economy Shows Signs Of Life
September 5, 2008 – Barclays Global Investors is listing an Asian currency-focused exchange traded note (ETN). The note will give investors access to new currencies previously unavailable to exchange traded fund (ETF) and ETN investors: the Philippine peso, Chinese... Continue Reading »

ETFs Around the World Sneeze After Dow Sinks
September 5, 2008 – Wall Street coughed yesterday, and Europe and Asia’s markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) caught a cold. After the Dow Jones lost more than 340 points, Europe’s FTSE-100, Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC all fell by... Continue Reading »

Pimco Goes Active With Filing for Bond ETFs
September 4, 2008 – Pimco’s eagerly anticipated entree into the exchange traded fund (ETF) world will feature actively managed bond funds, among others. Their announcement in July that they had filed for ETFs with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)... Continue Reading »

ETFs Full of Hot Air If Our Power Grid Doesn’t Get An Upgrade
September 3, 2008 – When it comes to making advances in alternative energy and giving some life to those exchange traded funds (ETFs), we could be ahead of our time. About 100 years too far. Our nation’s aging power grid... Continue Reading »

Hard Assets ETF Based on Jim Rogers’ Index Launches Today
September 3, 2008 – Van Eck is the first exchange traded fund (ETF) provider to market with a fund tracking global hard assets. Market Vectors-RVE Hard Assets Producers ETF (HAP) will begin trading Wednesday morning, on... Continue Reading »

ETF Selecting Doesn’t Have To Be Like A Box Of Chocolates
September 3, 2008 – When it comes to selecting your exchange traded fund (ETF), it doesn’t have to be like a box of chocolates. Unlike Forrest Gump, investors do not have to choose an ETF and never know what they... Continue Reading »

Tortoise and Hare: Growth ETFs Outpace Value
August 29, 2008 – For those investors seeking profit now, rather than after a market recovery, growth-oriented exchange traded funds (ETFs) appear to be outpacing the value. One of the biggest reasons this is happening is because of inflation.... Continue Reading »

Five ETFs That Are Waiting To Shine
August 29, 2008 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) world has exploded, and there are hundreds of funds to choose from. But there are a few that are great ideas that don’t seem to have taken off yet. Matthew Hougan... Continue Reading »

Of the Top Ten Funds In July, Seven Were ETFs
August 28, 2008 – July was a notoriously troubled month for the markets, but not all exchange traded funds (ETFs) were suffering. John Spence for MarketWatch notes that there were 708 U.S.-listed ETFs in July, with 24 managers at the... Continue Reading »

Financial ETFs Beat Up By Lehman Speculation, AIG Loss Estimates
August 25, 2008 – Financial and real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) have got a real case of the Mondays. Uncertainty still abounds in the financial sector. Lehman Brothers (LEH) shares dropped midday after speculation about the future of its... Continue Reading »

Small-Cap ETFs Filled With Big Surprises
August 21, 2008 – Sometimes, big things come in small packages, and this summer’s surprise market upswing has revealed that the small-cap focused exchange traded funds(ETFs) are full of surprises. To date, the best small-cap sampler is the iShares... Continue Reading »

iMoney, Tom Lydon Appear in Advisor Perspectives
August 19, 2008 – Tom Lydon talks about iMoney: Profitable ETF Strategies for Every Investor, as well his top ETF investing trends. Visit Advisor Perspectives to get Tom’s thoughts on where ETFs have been headed so far in 2008. Continue Reading »

Fund of Fund ETFs Can Be Fun For Investors Who Want to Take It Easy
August 18, 2008 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) managers have taken a cue from hedge funds and mutual funds and created ETFs that specifically hold shares of other ETFs. It’s like a one-stop-shop for investors. The proliferation of ETFs has... Continue Reading »

ETFs Have Got You Covered
August 17, 2008 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) fan club keeps on growing. Brian Neill for the Bradenton Herald says that he’s staying away from most individual stocks. Instead, he’s spending more time on ETFs, and the more he... Continue Reading »

This ETF Buys Into Its Own Idea
August 16, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) have given rise to a variety of unique funds, and one of them is one that buys into itself - literally. The PowerShares Buyback Achievers Portfolio Fund (PKW) holds a basket... Continue Reading »

Comparing the Large-Cap ETFs
August 12, 2008 – When it comes to exchange traded fund (ETF) investing, are large market capitalization funds created equally? Large-caps are the most common and popular investing asset class, and they are easy to compare because their make-up is... Continue Reading »

New Line of ETNs Pay Homage to Benjamin Graham
August 12, 2008 – Benjamin Graham, the forefather of value investing, is the inspiration for a few exchange traded notes (ETNs) based on his beliefs. The ETNs will seek to track companies with strong, liquid balance sheets, and must... Continue Reading »

ETFs Supporting Value Wait Patiently For Their Day
August 7, 2008 – Value-based managers and investors of exchange traded funds (ETFs) are going through a tough time, despite claims of plentiful stock bargains. Many value funds have sharply tumbled, with Bill Miller’s Value Trust down 29.3% and Morningstar’s... Continue Reading »

Small Cap ETFs Lead the Way In Recovery Periods
August 7, 2008 – Small-cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) are leading the charge as the markets begin to show tentative signs of recovery. The downtrend in July was bucked by the iShares Russell 2000 Index (IWM) with a 3.3% gain,... Continue Reading »

After Three Months Since Inception, Active ETFs Look Promising
August 6, 2008 – After recently passing their three-month anniversaries, the first active stock exchange traded funds (ETFs) have shown better results than their rival indexing funds. Murray Coleman for IndexUniverse acknowledges that it has been a short period of... Continue Reading »

Don’t Underestimate The Power Of A MicroCap ETF
July 31, 2008 – Microcap exchange traded funds (ETFs) might hold the smallest of small companies, but they can also be capable of big things. The Russell microcap index is actually an index made up of businesses so small, you... Continue Reading »

Tom Lydon Talks ETFs on Your Money with Chuck Jaffe
July 30, 2008 – Tom Lydon sat down and talked about asset classes such as energy, commodities and more with Chuck Jaffe for MarketWatch radio.    Tom Lydon on "Your Money with Chuck Jaffe" - July 30, 2008 [29:44m]: Play... Continue Reading »

ETF Beginners Should Start Here
July 30, 2008 – Are you a novice to exchange traded fund (ETF) investing? If you would like to build an all-ETF portfolio, there are some things to consider. We had a conversation with Katy Marquardt for U.S. News & World... Continue Reading »

Canadian ETF Faces High Energy And High Activity
July 29, 2008 – Canada’s main stock index is on the upswing, lending upward mobility to related exchange traded funds (ETFs). A share sale by Merrill Lynch (MER) boosted confidence that financial firms in Canada can withstand failed housing-related investments,... Continue Reading »

China’s Strict Rules Could Impact Related ETFs
July 28, 2008 – China is on everyone’s minds these days as the country gears up for its Olympic Games next week, and many are looking for ways the country’s activity could boost related exchange traded funds (ETFs). But are... Continue Reading »

Dividend ETFs Are Put Together In Different Ways
July 28, 2008 – Dividend investing with exchange traded funds (ETFs) has had enough time in the game to see which ones are the most successful. Dan Caplinger for The Motley Fool reports that after the tech bubble in the... Continue Reading »

SPDRs Weave An International Web With Sector ETFs
July 24, 2008 – The options for international sector exchange traded funds (ETFs) doubled overnight as State Street Global Advisors announced the addition of ten such funds to their SPDR lineup. This brings the Spider line to include 80 ETFs,... Continue Reading »

If Markets Stay Volatile, Tell ‘Em Large-Cap ETFs Sent Ya
July 23, 2008 – If the dollar remains weak and the markets stay depressed, large-cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) are poised to be sitting pretty. That’s according to Neil Michael, head of quantitative strategies for SPA ETFs. “I suspect that... Continue Reading »

Some iShares ETFs Are Calling It Splits
July 16, 2008 – Barclays Global Investors has announced they are splitting shares amongst 10% of their exchange traded fund (ETF) line, iShares. There are more than 160 U.S.-based products within this fund family, and they represent $327 billion in... Continue Reading »

Is A Small-Cap Stock and ETF Rally Set Up?
July 15, 2008 – •If history is to repeat itself, is there a small-cap stock and exchange traded fund (ETF) rally on the horizon? Outperformance by small-cap stocks has generally followed market bottoms of recessions, so says Merrill Lynch. But... Continue Reading »

U.S. Real Estate ETFs Left Standing
July 9, 2008 – Who’s left standing in the real estate exchange traded fund (ETF) category? The real estate sector has been bearing the brunt of the credit crisis and rising interest rates, but it can still be a hedge... Continue Reading »

Do-It-Yourself Diversification With ETFs
July 9, 2008 – For any exchange traded fund (ETF) investor, diversification is key. One of the sole reasons people choose to use these funds is to get the instant diversification with one investment, while keeping risk and volatility... Continue Reading »

Can NBC’s Purchase Forecast Better Days for Industrial ETFs?
July 7, 2008 – NBC Universal is gearing up to purchase The Weather Channel and Weather.com, which might help exchange traded funds (ETFs) that count NBC’s parent company, GE (GE), as a top holding. The deal is to purchase... Continue Reading »

Looking for the ETF Silver Lining Amid the Clouds?
June 30, 2008 – With the markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) getting socked by near-daily bad news, you might be wondering how Pollyanna did it. Wasn’t she exhausted? How can you stay optimistic when: Oil keeps hitting new... Continue Reading »

Thinking Caps Are Calling For Large-Cap Stocks And ETFs To Step Up
June 30, 2008 – As far as exchange traded funds (ETFs) divvied up by cap size and growth vs. value, it’s been all about the mid-caps so far this year. For the last three months, mid-caps have returned... Continue Reading »

Buy-and-Hold Portfolios Are Easy With ETFs
June 26, 2008 – One it comes to an exchange traded fund (ETF) buy-and-hold portfolio, it’s not a one-size-fits-all venture. Studies have shown that the performance of investors who are in it for the long haul mostly rides on... Continue Reading »

When It Comes to ETFs, Each Area Marches to Its Own Drummer
June 20, 2008 – The Dow Jones industrial average tested new lows today, so you might be feeling gloomy, but taking a look at the mid-cap growth exchange traded fund (ETF) and the Nasdaq helps round out the... Continue Reading »

Small Companies Might Be Dinged By Active ETFs
June 18, 2008 – While the disclosure rules for actively managed exchange traded funds (ETFs) might benefit the investor who still craves transparency, the rules could inadvertently hurt small-company stocks. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules mandate that... Continue Reading »

Mid-Cap ETFs And Stocks Are Just The Right Size
June 3, 2008 – What type of stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are not too large and not too small, and doing mostly just right in 2008? The mid-caps. Between the three cap sizes, mid-sized companies have been the... Continue Reading »

First 130/30 ETN Launches - Will It Take Off?
June 1, 2008 – JP Morgan is the first to market with a first-of-its kind exchange traded note (ETN). The First Trust Enhanced 130/30 Index (JFT) is a modified equal-weighted total return index that offers 130% long and 30%... Continue Reading »

All-World ETFs: Just Add Water, Instant Diversification
May 28, 2008 – All-world exchange traded funds (ETFs) are the latest industry hot spot, and providers are lining up to launch them. The two-month-old Barclays fund iShares MSCI ACWI Fund (ACWI) holds 694 stocks from the 2,736-stock underlying... Continue Reading »

PowerShares Celebrates Landmark 5 Years For PWC ETF
May 24, 2008 – PowerShares is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its first exchange traded fund (ETF) and the index upon which it is based. PowerShares Dynamic Market Portfolio (PWC) launched on May 1, 2003. Since then, PWC has... Continue Reading »

Micro-Cap ETFs Will Have Their Day (It’s Just Not Today)
May 23, 2008 – Lately, mid-cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) have surged on ahead of all the other caps. Bringing up the rear are the microcaps. Five years ago, that wasn’t the case and microcaps, those companies with market... Continue Reading »

Emerging Markets ETF Weighs In On the Small Caps
May 22, 2008 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) provider State Street Global Advisors delivered the first cap-weighted, small-cap emerging markets ETF last week. The SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX) tracks an index of 1,660 holdings, reports Heather... Continue Reading »

With ETFs, Sometimes It’s Good to Be the Middle Child
May 20, 2008 – The trouble with mid-caps and their exchange traded funds (ETFs) is that they don’t get the same coverage in the financial media as the large-caps. Even small-caps get more attention as investors mine through... Continue Reading »

WisdomTree Files for Growth Funds, Launches Actively Managed Currency ETFs
May 17, 2008 – Fundamentally weighted exchange traded funds (ETFs) tend to be tilted toward the value end of the spectrum. But WisdomTree has filed for two growth funds, since demand for growth is picking up after having outperformed... Continue Reading »

GE to Leave Ailing Appliance Business; Will It Impact ETFs?
May 16, 2008 – General Electric (GE) is planning to leave the appliance business, but what will it mean for exchange traded funds (ETFs) that count the company as a holding? General Electric was once best known for its appliance... Continue Reading »

State Street Goes Down The International ETF Road
May 15, 2008 – State Street Global Advisors is going down the real estate and mid-cap road on an international scale, with new exchange traded funds (ETFs) that invest overseas. The new funds, according to Reuters, are: SPDR DJ... Continue Reading »

European Large-Caps On Their Way Up To Help ETFs
May 9, 2008 – Although the U.S.dollar is weak, and the credit crunch has tightened the cash flow, European large-caps don’t seem to be feeling this. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) that hold European large-cap stocks include Vanguard European Stock... Continue Reading »

Being In the Middle Better for ETFs Than Jan Brady
April 29, 2008 – Among the exchange traded funds (ETFs) that focus on a particular company size and investing style, mid-cap growth seems to be leaving the others in the dust lately. In the last three months, mid-cap growth... Continue Reading »

Can Actively Managed ETFs Beat the Market?
April 25, 2008 – The actively managed exchange traded fund (ETF) doesn’t seem to be turning any heads. After all, we’ve heard it all before. First, actively managed mutual funds can be the market. Then, hedge funds can... Continue Reading »

What Do Expense Ratios Have To Do With It?
April 24, 2008 – There are big discrepancies between assets and revenues, as analysts point out, but do expense ratios really matter to investors when it comest to investing with exchange traded funds (ETFs)? Matthew Hougan for Index... Continue Reading »

Is It Stupid to Keep It Simple With ETFs?
April 12, 2008 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) industry is currently brimming with excitement over a couple of new all-world funds. But can keeping it too simple be a wise strategy? Gary Gordon for ETF Expert doesn’t... Continue Reading »

PowerShares Launches Its Actively Managed ETF Line
April 11, 2008 – The long-awaited actively managed exchange traded funds (ETFs) from Invesco PowerShares are here. They’re billed as the industry’s first three actively managed equity ETFs, and they began trading on the NYSE Arca today. All of... Continue Reading »

Feeling Bearish or Bullish? There’s An ETF For Every Mood
April 11, 2008 – Last week’s stock surge has caused a pullback for some of the leveraged and inverse exchange traded funds (ETFs), the same funds that were earning traders so much money. David Penn for Trading Markets explains... Continue Reading »

Small-Caps vs. Large-Caps Are a Tale of David and Goliath This Year
April 8, 2008 – Small-cap value stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been benefiting from having less to lose than large-caps and so far this year, they’ve been outpacing them handily. In the last month, small-cap value... Continue Reading »

The Newest Members Of PowerShares ETF Family
April 7, 2008 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) provider PowerShares announced two new funds to be listed on NASDAQ. The company states that this will bring the ETF family to more than 110. The new ETFs are: PowerShares NASDAQ... Continue Reading »

Worldwide Growth Can Build Up Demand for Industrial ETFs
March 30, 2008 – The PowerShares FTSE RAFI Industrials Sector (PRFN) exchange traded fund (ETF) could benefit from optimism in the industrial sector down the line. How’s that? Many of the companies in this fund’s top holdings have... Continue Reading »

Playing the Waiting Game With ETFs
March 28, 2008 –   Some believe we’re in a full-blown recession, but no matter what they believe, exchange traded fund (ETF) investors shouldn’t panic. Chris Fichera for Consumer Reports suggests staying put and weathering the storm, while making some... Continue Reading »

The SEC Suspends 26 Microcaps, But ETFs Don’t Feel It
March 17, 2008 – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) suspended trading of 26 microcap companies, but the microcap exchange traded funds (ETFs) don’t appear to be affected. The suspensions will be in effect until March 27, and they’re... Continue Reading »

New Index Measures Whether Companies Can Deliver - Will An ETF Track It?
March 12, 2008 – Dow Jones Indexes has launched a new series - could an exchange traded fund (ETF) be far behind? Dow partnered with Transparent Value LLC to deliver the Required Business Performance Index series, which measures the likelihood... Continue Reading »

Basic Materials ETFs Could Spike From Commodities Bull
March 11, 2008 – At the moment, it doesn’t appear that raw materials stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are crumbling under the weight of a struggling market and rising oil prices. Don Dion for Seeking Alpha says that... Continue Reading »

Actively Managed Mutual Funds Make ETFs Look Good By Underperforming
March 8, 2008 – Actively managed mutual fund enthusiasts say that a bear market is where active stock picking can beat index funds or exchange traded funds (ETFs). Jonathan Chevreau for Financial Post takes a look at the... Continue Reading »

PowerShares Launches Its India ETF Today
March 5, 2008 – PowerShares launched its India exchange traded fund (ETF) this morning, and it’s trading on the NYSE Arca. The PowerShares India Portfolio (PIN) will join the WidsomTree India Earnings Fund (EPI) as the two ETFs dedicated... Continue Reading »

The Second Clear Indexes Student ETF Contest
February 28, 2008 – Clear Indexes is holding their second student contest for best exchange traded fund (ETF) idea. The Second Clear Next Generation ETF Contest boasts a $5,000 prize and a paid internship, plus the chance to... Continue Reading »

New ETFs Take Innovative Approach To S&P
February 27, 2008 – A trio of new exchange traded funds (ETFs) launched on Friday, taking a different twist on the Standard & Poor’s benchmarks. They will use the same stocks as the S&P but the ETF will... Continue Reading »

Bidding Farewell to Mutual Funds, Saying Hello to the All-ETF Portfolio
February 26, 2008 – When it comes to exchange traded funds (ETFs), resistance is futile. On Seeking Alpha, Index Universe’s Murray Coleman questions the logic of buying higher-priced versions of the same benchmarks he’s been investing in up to... Continue Reading »

Understanding the Anatomy of a Crash Can Help With ETF Investments
February 24, 2008 – Today’s market environment can be confusing - one minute market averages and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are at all-time highs, the next they’re heading for the bottom. The volatile market has created a lot... Continue Reading »

Some Dividend ETFs Going Down With Financial Sector
February 13, 2008 – Dividend-focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) are experiencing a meltdown of their own. These types of funds have large plays in high-yielding financial stocks and this is the sector that has been hit hard by the... Continue Reading »

The Dow Makes a Rare Component Change, ETFs Will Change Along With It
February 12, 2008 – It doesn’t happen often: Dow Jones announced they will be changing the composition of the Dow Jones industrial average, changing the exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track this index. Two component stocks will be replaced: Bank... Continue Reading »

Are You Doubling Up With ETFs?
February 11, 2008 – When you look at your exchange traded fund (ETF) portfolio, and consider all of the single stocks that you own, are you ever doubling up? Investing in individual large-caps is great, however, if you... Continue Reading »

Malaise Shows in Retail ETFs and Sectors
February 7, 2008 – As if the wallets weren’t shut tight enough already: retail sales fell even further in January, putting a damper on related exchange traded funds (ETFs). Anne D’Innocenzio for the Associated Press reports that retailers had... Continue Reading »

Is The ETF Time REIT?
February 3, 2008 – The subprime mess is in full meltdown mode, so is it time to consider exchange traded funds (ETFs) in the real estate realm? In reality, real estate has been the best-performing category in open-ended... Continue Reading »

Claymore ‘Acts Responsibly’ and Closes 11 ETFs
February 1, 2008 – After three years of billions of dollars flowing into exchange traded funds (ETFs) and hundreds being launched, one ETF provider is showing their accountability and trimming the hedges. Following a recommendation and approval from their... Continue Reading »

New ETF Allows China Small-Caps To Shine
January 31, 2008 – Claymore has launched a new exchange traded fund (ETF), the AlphaShares China Small Cap Index ETF (HAO). The fund seeks results that correspond to the AlphaShares China Small Cap Index and measures the performance... Continue Reading »

Boeing Earnings Lift Off Defense ETFs
January 30, 2008 – Wall Street and related exchange traded funds (ETFs) were impressed by the 4% increase in fourth-quarter profits by Boeing Co. (BA). Delays in the 787 Dreamliner program don’t appear to pose a threat to... Continue Reading »

Could Fight Spill Over Onto ETFs?
January 29, 2008 – Could a lawsuit against an entertainment and Internet heavyweight hurt a couple exchange traded funds (ETFs)? Liberty Media (LCAPA) is suing IAC/InteractiveCorp (IACI) Chairman Barry Diller. The company wants to gain control after Diller proposed... Continue Reading »

Pay Attention To Earnings-Weighted ETFs
January 28, 2008 – WisdomTree rolled out a family branch of exchange traded funds (ETFs) fundamentally weighted on the basis of trailing earnings. So the more a company earns, the more it’s weighted in the index. Roger Nusbaum... Continue Reading »

Gauging ETF Liquidity
January 27, 2008 – Ever wonder if your exchange traded funds (ETFs) are liquid enough for your taste? You can check the liquidity yourself with the bid-ask spread. Although ETFs trade like stocks, trading volume does not give... Continue Reading »

Short ETFs Shining Bright
January 22, 2008 – These days, it’s all about the short exchange traded fund (ETFs). Scroll through the list of top-performing funds year-to-date on Morningstar and you’ll see the proof: the top 33 performing funds so far this year... Continue Reading »

Spa Market Grader ETFs Going International
January 15, 2008 – Spa MarketGrader’s exchange traded funds (ETFs) are now ready to take on Italy, months after launching their funds on the American Stock Exchange. Their six U.S. equity-focused Market-Grader ETFs will appear on Milan’s Borsa Italiana stock... Continue Reading »

Fund’s Performance May Be a Harbinger of Tough Times for Small Cap ETFs
January 10, 2008 – While two exchange traded funds (ETFs) might follow the same underlying index, discrepancies are still possible. A case in point is the SPDRs (SPY) vs. the Rydex S&P Equal Weight (RSP). Each fund has the... Continue Reading »

And the Clear Indexes ETF Creation Winner Is….
January 9, 2008 – Clear Indexes LLC announced the winner of its exchange traded fund (ETF) competition, which took place from October 12-November 26, 2007. James Baker, 18, an NYU freshman, won the Clear Next Generation ETF Competition. His idea was selected... Continue Reading »

Europe Gives ETFs Air Kisses As They Gain In Popularity
January 9, 2008 – The next big market for exchange traded funds (ETFs) is shaping up to be Europe. In fact, reports Vito J. Racanelli of Barron’s, Europe is showing the strongest growth in the popularity of ETFs.... Continue Reading »

Vanguard Plays With Mega-Cap ETFs
January 4, 2008 – You’ve heard that timing is everything, and if mega-cap stocks continue to perform, Vanguard’s three new mega-cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be a case of the right ETF at the right time. The... Continue Reading »

Proprietary Index ETFs vs. the Traditional ETFs
January 4, 2008 – In the battle between exchange traded funds (ETFs) based on proprietary index methodology and those based on traditional indexing, the clear winner is… No one, really. Andy Mayo of Seeking Alpha breaks it down by taking... Continue Reading »

Regional Bank ETFs Take a Fall
January 3, 2008 – The bad news continues for financial-related exchange traded funds (ETFs). The Regional Bank HOLDRs (RKH) hit its lowest point in more than two years on this week, reports Thomson Financial. The drop came after National... Continue Reading »

ETFs Becoming a Household Name
December 31, 2007 – Actor Sam Waterston of "Law and Order", the television show on which he plays a district  attorney, is making a case for exchange traded funds (ETFs) on ads for online broker TD Ameritrade. This... Continue Reading »

ETFs Offer Diversification In Many Forms
December 26, 2007 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) market is flooded with hundreds of choices, around 600, so it is time to take a look at what you are investing in. The latest market volatility means watching... Continue Reading »

Cubes ETF Rebalances, Fund Holders Win
December 26, 2007 – If you’ve got a piece of the cubes exchange traded funds (ETF), you should be sitting pretty right now. The fund, also known as the PowerShares Nasdaq 100 Trust (QQQQ), has climbed upward since... Continue Reading »

New Vanguard Mega Cap ETFs Launch
December 24, 2007 – Vanguard launched three new exchange traded funds (ETFs) on the NYSE Arca. They seek to track three MSCI Indexes and each fund has an expense ratio of 0.13%, reports Aaron Seigel for InvestmentNews. Vanguard Mega... Continue Reading »

Digging Deeper Into International Small Cap ETFs
December 21, 2007 – International small-cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) are the latest frontier that providers have captured. There are now five choices in this space and ETFs that have the same asset class are not always the... Continue Reading »

Japan’s Economy Could Grow - Will The ETFs Follow?
December 19, 2007 – It hasn’t been the easiest year for Japan and its exchange traded funds (ETFs). Its largest ETF by trading volume is the iShares MSCI Japan Index (EWJ), and it’s down 6.8% year to date.... Continue Reading »

Bargain Basement ETFs
December 19, 2007 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are popular because they offer diversification, tax efficiency, lower costs and lower expense ratios than most investment tools. ETFs trade on an exchange like a single stock, but beware that too... Continue Reading »

ETF Asset Class Reveiw for 2007
December 14, 2007 – Which asset classes and similar exchange traded funds (ETFs) fared well for 2007? Matthew D. McCall for Seeking Alpha gives us his take based on the nine categories of market capitalization and growth versus... Continue Reading »

3 New Global iShares Debut
December 13, 2007 – Three new iShares exchange traded funds (ETFs) began trading this week on NYSE Arca. The three new funds from Barclays offer exposure to the developing global marketplace, including places such as Japan, Germany, Greece,... Continue Reading »

ETFs Could Get Their 130/30 Fund Entry Via ProShares
December 13, 2007 – One of the fastest-growing segments of the financial market now has an exchange traded fund (ETF) entry. According to Matthew Hougan at IndexUniverse, ProShares has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a... Continue Reading »

ETFs in Market Segments
December 11, 2007 – Asset classes are important to most investors and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are helping progress within specific market segments. Matthew Hougan for Seeking Alpha reports that there are some areas of the market that... Continue Reading »

Foreign Small-Cap ETFs Helpful to Avoid Mortgage Mess
December 10, 2007 – Foreign small cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) and stocks are offering investors an option to try and avoid the U.S. mortgage meltdown. Financials represent the largest sector in most small-cap value indexes. The average... Continue Reading »

Market and ETF Facts to Consider
November 30, 2007 – There’s a lot going on in the markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs).  Matt Hougan for Index Universe looks at 10 interesting market facts and we’ve added some ETF related information. The U.S. stock market... Continue Reading »

The Forgotten “Mid-Cap Category” ETF
November 27, 2007 – Mid-cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) seem to get lost somewhere in between small and large-caps. Mid-cap companies have market caps of $2 billion to $10 billion, and are typically less volatile than small-caps, yet... Continue Reading »

Nasdaq ETF Market Is Grabbing More Attention
November 21, 2007 – Nasdaq stock exchange has listed five new exchange traded funds (ETFs) from Barclays Global Advisors. Although it was initially known as the stock exchange for high-tech companies, Nasdaq is the most liquid U.S. market... Continue Reading »