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 »

Ways to Protect Your ETF Portfolio Now
November 19, 2008 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average has tumbled to lows not seen since 2003, and many must be wondering how they can protect their exchange traded fund (ETF) portfolios in times like these. Much of today’s weakness... Continue Reading »

Commodity Indicator, ETN Buck the Downtrend
November 19, 2008 – Commodities are still in a major correction period, so it is especially interesting when there’s any fund, index or indicator that’s not only outperforming, but is up year-to-date by double digits. The S&P Commodity Trends Indicator... 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 »

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 »

Mark Cuban’s All-In-One ETF and Financial Crisis Solution
October 29, 2008 – It’s not “Dancing With the Stars” by any means, but Mark Cuban took a few minutes to answer some questions we had about his idea for an exchange traded fund (ETF). We first heard him discuss... 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 »

Global ETFs Hit Especially Hard In Slowdown - Now What?
October 23, 2008 – Global exchange traded funds (ETFs), for the most part, have been hit harder than any other area. Most are at least 50% off their highs, while some are a full two-thirds or even more. As the... Continue Reading »

ETFs Down and Out? Don’t Count on It
October 15, 2008 – You’ve seen it several times this year: an exchange traded fund (ETF) shutters, and before long, the stories show up. “Are ETFs Dead?” “Was It a Case of Too Much, Too Soon With ETFs?” “Should We Say Bye-Bye... Continue Reading »

It’s Not Time to Celebrate with Stocks, ETFs Just Yet
October 14, 2008 – The markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been on a roller coaster for the last several weeks, and many feel that there’s still more turbulence ahead. “In the last two to three weeks, the credit... Continue Reading »

Survey Shows There’s Room for Growth In ETFs Yet
September 25, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are moving on up. That’s the conclusion of a survey recently conducted by the SEI Knowledge Partnership. The survey sought the views of asset management executives when it came to exchange traded... Continue Reading »

The Past, Present and Future of Financials and ETFs
September 17, 2008 – After months of turmoil in the credit markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs), one can’t help but wonder: what’s next? What’s Happened So Far The markets were mostly down this morning ahead of the anticipated Federal Reserve... Continue Reading »

Global Shipping ETF: Investment in the Global Economic Infrastructure
August 25, 2008 – For investors who have been looking for exposure to the global shipping industry via an exchange traded fund (ETF), the search is over: Claymore launched the Claymore/Delta Global Shipping Index (SEA) this morning. Claymore President Christian... Continue Reading »

Maritime Industry Growth to Ship Out New Indexes, ETFs
August 20, 2008 – One exchange traded fund (ETF) provider is setting its sights on a brand-new benchmark, the Delta Global Shipping Index (DGAGSI). This index has been licensed to Claymore Advisors, who plans on launching a corresponding global shipping... Continue Reading »

A Different Approach To Emerging Markets With ETFs
August 13, 2008 – Not all emerging market exchange traded funds (ETFs) are alike. Several can look at the same region, yet deliver some different results. Last week, we covered two of them that are based on market-cap weightings.... Continue Reading »

When It Comes to ETFs, Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves
August 7, 2008 – When Bev Sutton and her husband were splitting up in the mid-1970s, she did something that some might see as a little unconventional. “I said, ‘I’ll take the stock if you want to keep the house.’... Continue Reading »

Israel’s ETFs Are Along for the Ride
July 23, 2008 – One of the oldest areas of the world has suddenly become the hot new spot for exchange traded fund (ETF) investors. In recent years, Israel has benefited from high global domestic product growth (GDP), a low... 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 »

An ETF Trend-Following Plan For All Seasons
July 9, 2008 – It’s hard to believe that the S&P 500 Index has been flatter than a pancake for the past nine years. It’s had its ups and downs, but when you connect the dots, it went virtually... Continue Reading »

New Up/Down Oil ETFs Open for Business
July 1, 2008 – Just as two exchange traded funds (ETFs) tied to the price movements of oil reached their termination triggers and closed on June 25, two more will be entering the market space to replace them. MacroMarkets... Continue Reading »

ETN Gives First Exposure to Carbon Credits Market
June 27, 2008 – iPath this week launched an array of exchange traded notes (ETNs), and one of the most interesting is the first such note linked to carbon credits. The iPath Global Carbon (GRN) is designed to provide investors with exposure... Continue Reading »

ETFs and Sectors to Watch In the Second Half of 2008
June 24, 2008 – Those who prefer investing with exchange traded funds (ETFs) may have bountiful choices to pick from, as there are several areas worth watching for the latter half of 2008. Can you believe we’re already just about halfway through... Continue Reading »

17 Commodity ETFs to Help Hedge Your Portfolio
May 28, 2008 – Americans are being hit by rising inflation and the subsequent explosion in commodity prices where it hurts most—at gas stations and grocery stores. Right alongside this growth have been the opportunities available to investors... Continue Reading »

Bond Indexes Are Broke, and He Says His ETFs Can Fix It
May 15, 2008 – Ron Ryan says there’s a problem with bond indexes that are tracked by exchange traded funds (ETFs). In fact, the CEO of Ryan ALM says that there are several problems and he’s out to... Continue Reading »

Northern Trust Enters ETF Arena With First ETFs To Track Major Foreign Market Indexes
May 5, 2008 – With its new line of exchange traded funds (ETFs), Northern Trust opted to stay true to their principles while traveling around the world. Is it a sign that ETFs are slowly entering the mainstream... Continue Reading »

ETF Holdings’ Fundamentals Go Under the Microscope
May 1, 2008 – Michael Krause has ESP for ETFs (exchange traded funds). Instead of using a crystal ball, though, the president of AltaVista Independent Research looks at the fundamentals of every one of an ETF’s constituents. (more…) Continue Reading »

Energy-Focused ETFs Capitalize on a Booming Sector
April 30, 2008 – Commodity exchange traded funds (ETFs) and exchange traded notes (ETNs) have come a long way since Nov. 18, 2004. That’s when the first single-commodity ETF - streetTRACKS Gold Shares (GLD) - was launched. (more…) Continue Reading »

Investor Surveys Find ETF Users Are Wealthier, Smarter and Trust ETFs More Than Conventional Mutual Funds
April 23, 2008 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) provider iShares recently conducted a survey of affluent investors and found that, overall, they’re none too pleased with the fund industry. That’s lead to low levels of trust. But ETFs come... Continue Reading »

The Long and Short of Long and Short ETFs
April 18, 2008 – Everyone knows about short and leveraged exchange traded funds (ETFs), but some might be wondering "How do they do that?" Michael Sapir, CEO of ProFunds, gave us a call and explained it. "The best way... Continue Reading »

Just In Time for Warm Weather, Claymore Launches Solar ETF
April 15, 2008 – While there are several clean energy exchange traded funds (ETFs) out there, none of them have focused solely on one aspect of the sector until now. Claymore this morning launched the Claymore/MAC Global Solar Energy... Continue Reading »

It’s Bond ETF Time - Munis Are Yielding More Than Treasuries
April 11, 2008 – It’s an event like Halley’s Comet, although with a little more frequency: municipal bond yields are higher than those of treasury bonds. For that reason, it makes more sense than ever to grab exchange... Continue Reading »

ETF Tracking Error Is Sometimes a Necessary Evil
March 26, 2008 – Logically, exchange traded funds (ETFs) should have minimal tracking error. That’s because they track an index, and in theory, if the index zigs, so does the ETF - and vice versa. It’s not always... Continue Reading »

New ETF Committee Hopes to Bridge the Gap
March 13, 2008 – One year ago, there were no major committees to explore and address the unique issues of the rapidly growing exchange traded fund (ETF) market. Now there are two. The Security Traders Association of New York (STANY)... Continue Reading »

Even In These Markets, You Can Still Find ETF Movers and Shakers
March 12, 2008 – Yesterday, the markets delivered outstanding performance and some exchange traded funds (ETFs) finished up in the double digits. But one good day doesn’t mean we’re out of the slump yet. It’s still time to take... Continue Reading »

ETF Investors Dig for Platinum, Gold and Silver
March 5, 2008 – Yes, investors are flocking to gold exchange traded funds (ETFs) as the dollar weakens. Case in point is streetTRACKS Gold Shares (GLD): after gold surged to a record $992 an ounce earlier this week, the... Continue Reading »

SEC’s Proposed Rule Changes Could Lead to More ETFs, More Innovation
February 29, 2008 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) approval process could become streamlined, thanks to moves by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caught up with John McGuire, partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, and he... Continue Reading »

Now That Active ETFs Are Here, It’s Up to Investors to Bite
February 28, 2008 – Actively managed exchange traded funds (ETFs) are just about here, as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) granted exemptive relief to PowerShares, the first fund provider to receive it. And PowerShares President Bruce Bonds believes... Continue Reading »

Five ETF Sectors To Recession-Proof Your Portfolio
February 14, 2008 – The signs are all there that we’re in a recession: many exchange traded fund (ETF) sectors have taken a hit, Congress is calling hearings, the Federal Reserve is talking about more rate cuts, housing, retail... Continue Reading »

New Claymore ETFs Almost Have It All - Literally
February 12, 2008 – If you were looking for a one-stop shop to get access to the U.S. capital markets via exchange traded funds (ETFs), it’s here. Today, Claymore launched a group of Capital Markets ETFs on the American Stock... Continue Reading »

High Yield Bond ETFs Inviting During Dicey Market
February 7, 2008 – In troubled times, investors are on the hunt for safe havens, and one of those is bond exchange traded funds (ETFs). There is always the concern about interest rate risk, but with the possibility of... Continue Reading »

ICI’s New ETF Committee Under the Microscope
January 30, 2008 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) industry is finally getting more attention from the Investment Company Institute (ICI) - something it has been wanting for some time. But it has some in the industry wondering... Continue Reading »

Coal ETF Mines the Opportunities
January 24, 2008 – Last week, a new exchange traded fund (ETF) covering a commodity that had many asking, "Wait, wasn’t there one for that already?" began trading on the American Stock Exchange. Market Vectors Coal (KOL), as you... Continue Reading »

Play the Oil Non-ETF Market Both Ways
January 9, 2008 – MacroShares Oil Up (UCR) and MacroShares Oil Down (DCR) are "paired" exchange traded securities - not exchange traded funds (ETFs). They don’t hold commodities or futures and they don’t track an index. But what... Continue Reading »

Our 2008 ETF Predictions
December 27, 2007 – It was a busy, exciting year in the world of exchange traded funds (ETFs) in 2007. But it’s not time to rest on our laurels just yet, because all indications are that 2008 is... Continue Reading »

Our 2007 ETF Predictions: How Did We Do?
December 18, 2007 – Early this year, we boldly stepped forward and made our predictions for what we foresaw as the top exchange traded fund (ETF) trends of 2007. So, how did we do? (more…) Continue Reading »

The Latest 2007 ETF Conferences Attract Top Industry Experts
July 22, 2007 – With the exchange traded funds (ETFs) business booming, ETF education is more important than ever. Here are the ETF conferences scheduled for the remainder of 2007: The 5th Annual Art of Indexing Summit will be... Continue Reading »

How We Invest In ETFs For Our Clients
May 1, 2007 – We get many inquires about how we manage our client portfolios using exchange traded funds (ETFs).  Recently we wrote a piece for Index Universe describing our process.  With the growing list of available ETFs... Continue Reading »

Five ETFs To Watch As The Stock Market Rebounds
March 26, 2007 – Stocks have launched an impressive recovery in the past few weeks and some exchange traded funds (ETFs) have led the pack. There isn’t a lack for choice, as over 400 ETFs are available representing all... Continue Reading »

Comprehensive List of 2007 ETF Conferences Offer Great Opportunities
February 16, 2007 – The marketplace continues to witness an increase in the number of investors who rely on exchange traded funds (ETFs) to capture equity returns. Individual investors, financial advisors and institutional investors alike have all discovered... Continue Reading »

10 New ETF Trends for 2007
January 5, 2007 – As the champagne corks ushered in 2007, investors celebrated more next generation exchange traded funds (ETFs) that promise an exciting variety of targeted new offerings. All grown-up, with everywhere to go, new ETFs continue to... Continue Reading »