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 »

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 »

Getting Diversity with Hard Asset ETFs
November 17, 2008 – The relatively newly created Market Vectors-RVE Hard Assets Producers (HAP) is an exchange traded fund (ETF) which tracks the price and yield performance of the Rogers-Van Eck Hard Assets Producers Index (RVEI) has raised questions about what... Continue Reading »

Middle East ETFs, Indexes Attract Global Interest
November 17, 2008 – Areas of emerging markets displaying potential for continued rapid growth (at least, after the global economic downturn finally abates) include the Middle East, and Dow Jones Indexes has launched two new indexes for exchange traded... Continue Reading »

RevenueShares Expands ETF Family
November 14, 2008 – RevenueShares has launched its first sector exchange traded fund (ETF), and that’s not all the provider has got in the works. RevenueShares Financial Sector Fund (RWW) began trading this week. Eric Rosenbaum for Index Universe says... Continue Reading »

Economy Coping Strategies With ETFs
November 7, 2008 – In the midst of staggering losses and the downfall of the market, stocks seem relatively cheap and some find relief in buying beaten down index funds as exchange traded funds (ETFs).  As the financial crisis still continues... Continue Reading »

Fundamental Indexes and ETFs Call Attention
November 7, 2008 – Last week, PowerShares cut expenses on its lineup of fundamental index exchange traded funds (ETFs). Murray Coleman for Index Universe interviewed Ed McRedmond, senior vice president, on the latest developments at PowerShares, including the decision to... Continue Reading »

New Dividend Indexes May Raise Interest in ETF
November 2, 2008 – Perhaps an exchange traded fund (ETF) will emerge soon to track the newest entries into Standard & Poor’s stable of dividend-seeking indexes. The indexes cover areas such as Asia, Australia, Europe, Japan and other emerging markets. Index... 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 »

Regional Bank ETF Index Gets Component Change
October 22, 2008 – We might be seeing a rash of financial index component changes down the line that will affect their exchange traded funds (ETFs) as the uncertainty of our banking system continues. For now, the underlying index of... Continue Reading »

ETFs Are Changing the Investment Landscape
October 17, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) first came to the public in 1993 in an effort to transform the typical, everyday monotony of the mutual fund. And the ETF came to us in a perfectly bundled basket of... Continue Reading »

College Students Have a Chance to Win with ETF Portfolios
October 17, 2008 – Do you find yourself designing portfolios of exchange traded funds (ETFs) in your sleep? Now is your chance to try and win a contest for doing so. Clear Indexes is sponsoring a contest for aspiring student... Continue Reading »

iShares Waits for SEC Call on Lehman Index ETFs
October 12, 2008 – The iShares exchange traded fund (ETF) family is now tied to Lehman Brothers indexes, but this could be both a boon and a headache. Fourteen iShares funds track Lehman indexes and these are some of the... Continue Reading »

ETF-Tracking Dow Jones Dividend Index Changes Component
October 2, 2008 – The exchange traded fund (ETF)-tracking index, Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index, has undergone some component changes. Union BanCal Corp. (UB) is deleted from the index and will be replaced by General Electric Co. (GE). UB... Continue Reading »

Good News for Bear Markets, ETFs In Volatility Index
September 30, 2008 – If we’re going solely by indicators to tell us that our exchange traded fund (ETF) and economic troubles are nearing a close, one offers a ray of hope. The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index, otherwise... 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 »

New Index Covers Vietnam; ETF Still In Registration
September 24, 2008 – There’s no Vietnam exchange traded fund (ETF) yet, but there’s already one in registration, and now there’s another index. Standard & Poor’s has launched the first index tracking the largest and most liquid companies in Vietnam.... Continue Reading »

Another ETF Lesson to Know What You Own
September 14, 2008 – Every so often, there comes a reminder to look at the holdings in an exchange traded fund (ETF), along with their weightings. iShares FTSE NAREIT Mortgage REIT (REM) holds a basket of real estate investment trusts... Continue Reading »

Global Currencies and ETFs: They All Tie Together
September 12, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) dealing in currencies have given investors exposure to this area of the market that was previously a challenge to gain access to. Many investors, however, lack familiarity with the mechanics of the... 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 »

As World Cleans Up Its Act, So Could Carbon Trading ETFs
September 5, 2008 – Carbon trading has the potential to become a hot market, making now a good time for the launch of exchange traded funds (ETFs) and indexes that have the potential to give investors access. Sue Asci for... 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 »

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 »

Could Fund’s Transformation Lead to An ETF?
August 21, 2008 – Vanguard has transformed their Total International Stock Index Fund (VGTSX) mutual fund and left behind the fund-of-funds idea. Instead, it will invest in individual stocks. Could it possibly lead to an exchange traded fund (ETF)... 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 »

IPO ETF Is Designed To Hold Up In Quiet Times
August 15, 2008 – It’s been pretty quiet on the initial public offering (IPO) front, which leads one to wonder what it could mean for the exchange traded fund (ETF) that contains them. The First Trust IPOX 100 Index (FPX)... 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 »

Rupert Murdoch Linked To An ETF? With New Index, It’s Possible
August 9, 2008 – The Global Dow Index is the brainchild of Rupert Murdoch, and it’s an innovative new index for exchange traded funds (ETFs) to track on a global level. The index’s components will be selected by the... Continue Reading »

So Far, Olympic Success Hasn’t Materialized for ETFs, But There’s Still Time
August 8, 2008 – Let the exchange traded funds (ETFs) begin! Oh, and the Games, too. China has officially kicked off the Beijing Summer Olympics, and investors will soon have their many questions answered: Will the games have any impact... Continue Reading »

Emerging Markets ETFs Locked In a Race
August 6, 2008 – One of the most efficient ways to access emerging market countries is through exchange traded funds (ETFs). The ETF that reigns supreme in assets is iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) which has garnered $20 billion... Continue Reading »

Ireland Gets New Index, Soon to Be Followed By ETF
July 29, 2008 – Ireland is going to have another index and soon, another exchange traded fund (ETF) to back it. Elizabeth Rauber for San Francisco Business Times reports that the Nasdaq OMX Ireland Index will launch on July 28. PowerShares... 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 »

Marketing a Niche ETF Can Involve Lots of Explanation
July 23, 2008 – Have you ever wondered how a firm markets and generates interest in a specific niche exchange traded fund (ETF) that does not associate itself with broad-based indexes? Ed McRedmond, senior vice president of PowerShares, explains that... Continue Reading »

Oil Price Volatility Index Tied to Options On Oil ETF
July 16, 2008 – Oil and related exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been volatile lately, so it stands to reason that there’s now an index that allows investors to track just that: the price volatility. The Chicago Board Options Exchange... Continue Reading »

New PowerShares Wind ETF and FAN - Same Commodity, Different Construction
July 1, 2008 – Just two weeks after the first wind exchange traded fund (ETF) blew into the market, PowerShares now has its own offering. The PowerShares NASDAQ OMX Clean Edge Global Wind Energy Index (PWND) is a fund... Continue Reading »

New Index Rates Better Than OK, With An ETF To Track It
June 29, 2008 – SPADE Indexes has published the SPADE Oklahoma Index, which will serve as the basis of the upcoming Oklahoma exchange traded fund (ETF). The index is designed to track companies that have corporate headquarters within the... Continue Reading »

S&P Jumps On The Asian Bandwagon
June 19, 2008 – Asia has been one of the most popular areas for exchange traded fund (ETF) investors to gain some international exposure. So, why not provide indexes that focus on specific portions of the region? Standard &... Continue Reading »

When Outperformance Isn’t Enough, The 130/30 ETN Can Take You Beyond
June 19, 2008 – A strategy that’s popular with hedge fund investors is now being applied to an exchange traded note (ETN). JP Morgan Chase & Co. ETN 130/30 (JFT) tracks the First Trust Enhanced 130/30 Large Cap Index and... Continue Reading »

Not All ETFs Are Created Equally
June 17, 2008 – Opportunity is knocking on investors’ doors in the form of exchange traded funds (ETFs). They are becoming increasingly popular with both investors and advisors and they’re bringing more technique and innovation to the table... Continue Reading »

Quant ETFs Take You Outside The Box
June 14, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) that employ non-traditional strategies are capturing investors’ imaginations. By straying from tradition, the rules-based quant strategy ETF promises pumped up returns by hedging a portfolio or taking a directional bet on... Continue Reading »

Single-Country ETFs: Will Different Construction Show Different Performance?
June 13, 2008 – Northern Trust has taken a different tack when it comes to exchange traded funds (ETFs) that focus on single countries. A new family of ETFs lets investors buy into 14 nation-based portfolios. This area of the... Continue Reading »

New ETF Ventures Into New Frontiers
June 12, 2008 – Investors have been salivating for an exchange traded fund (ETF) that gives some exposure to frontier markets. Finally, it’s here. Claymore this morning is expected to launch the Claymore BNY/Mellon Frontier Markets ETF (FRN), the first fund... Continue Reading »

Fundamental Indexing vs. Fundamental Indexing: Which ETFs Win?
June 1, 2008 – New exchange traded fund (ETF) launches are increasingly featuring underlying indexes that have been fundamentally weighted. Two industry heavyweights in particular are big fans of the method, but they part ways on which way... 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 »

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 »

Taking the Okie out of Oklahoma With An ETF
May 21, 2008 – When you think of Oklahoma, does your mind conjure images of farmland and dust as far as the eye can see, or large companies with great market capitalizations and potential for a winning exchange traded... 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 »

Happy 5th Anniversary To The Equally-Weighted ETF
May 7, 2008 – Happy Anniversary to the equal-weight exchange traded fund (ETF) strategy, which marked the beginning five years ago. The Rydex S&P Equal Weight (RSP) started the trend on May 2, 2003, and has since opened the... Continue Reading »

Study: When Value Is Ahead, Equal Weight ETFs Do Better
May 5, 2008 – A white paper from Standard & Poor’s could have an effect on exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track equal-weighted indexes. In markets where small-cap value is favored over large-cap growth, equal-weighted indexes outdo traditional cap-weighting, reports... Continue Reading »

Fundamentally Weighted Bond ETF Index In The Works
April 28, 2008 – Fundamental indexes tracked by exchange traded funds (ETFs) are nothing new under the sun. Now the father of fundamental weighting is looking to do the same thing for bonds. Robb Arnott, chairman of Research Affiliates, says... Continue Reading »

Nasdaq, Dow and ETFs Close at Three-Month Highs
April 25, 2008 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) that tracks the Nasdaq 100 hit a three-month high in trading yesterday after its 10 most-heavily weighted components moved higher. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to stick if... 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 »

The Dow Theory Does Good For Modern Day ETF Investors
April 10, 2008 – The Dow Theory is one of the most respected trend systems in the investment world, leading exchange traded fund (ETF) investors and others in their market-related decisions. Charles Dow, founder of the industrial average... 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 »

India ETFs Might Focus on the Same Country, But That’s Where Similarity Ends
March 13, 2008 – Two new exchange traded funds (ETFs) finally give investors the passage to India they had been looking for. The country has been in the spotlight lately, with its 9% annual GDP growth and strong... 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 »

Three’s Company With India ETFs
March 10, 2008 – First, WisdomTree and PowerShares launched their India exchange traded funds (ETFs). Now iShares wants to join in the party, too. It filed a registration form with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last week.... Continue Reading »

Market Volatility Has Unearthed Some ETF Buying Opportunities
March 10, 2008 – Research firm MarketGrader compiles the indexes that underly the Spa Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). MarketGrader’s latest fundamental research indicates that the U.S. market is largely oversold in the wake of volatility, reports ETF Express. Buy opportunities... 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 »

Fundamentally Indexed ETFs Need More Assets
March 5, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) based on fundamental indexes are proliferating, but they are having a difficult time garnering assets. Assets among 69 ETFs based on fundamental indexes totaled just over $7 billion at the... 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 »

All Eyes on Two New India ETFs
February 22, 2008 – Two India-focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been locked in a fierce race to the starting line, and one of them finally reached it today. The WisdomTree India Earnings Fund (EPI) began trading on the NYSE... Continue Reading »

Investors Growing and Evolving Along With ETF Industry
February 22, 2008 – State Street Global Advisors‘ Tony Rochte is the head of the firm’s exchange traded fund (ETF) distribution. He’s got a few thoughts on the current state of the ETF industry. As ETFs make gains... Continue Reading »

Is The Dow ETF A Diamond In The Rough?
February 21, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) tracking the Dow Jones industrial average will experience a sector shift along with lesser valuation. The coming changes to the index will make it even more attractive to bullish analysts... Continue Reading »

Sector Rotation In A Global ETF Portfolio
February 15, 2008 –   Adapting your investment strategy with exchange traded funds (ETFs) is important when economies around the world are becoming more interrelated. Doing so will add value and increase the chance of outperforming benchmarks, reports  Carl... 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 »

Indexing and ETFs Get a Fresh Perspective in Outsider’s Report
February 8, 2008 – The indexing and exchange traded fund (ETF) industry recently was privy to the observations of an outside observer. Adam Sussman, a senior analyst for the TABB Group, wrote an exhaustive report titled "Performance Anxiety: A... Continue Reading »

Two New India ETFs Should Hit This Month
February 4, 2008 – The challenge for PowerShares will be getting around India’s rules about foreign stock ownership with its new India-focused exchange traded fund (ETF). Instead of traditional ETFs, which use derivatives and/or notes that provide indirect exposure,... Continue Reading »

MSCI Growth Driven By ETFs
February 4, 2008 – The Morgan Stanley indexing company provides a range of tools and services for investments such as exchange traded funds (ETFs). The New York-based company publishes more than 100,000 indexes for its namesake international equity benchmarks,... Continue Reading »

Will This Be the Year for Designer ETFs?
January 29, 2008 – Last year might be known as one long coming out party for exchange traded funds (ETFs). And if that’s the case, says Murray Coleman for Index Universe, then 2008 is shaping up to be the... Continue Reading »

Amex Lists Commodity Index With ETFs To Follow
January 25, 2008 – The American Stock Exchange announced they have launched trading in the Greenhaven Continuous Commodity Index Fund (GCC), as the company enters into the exchange traded fund (ETF) community. GCC tracks the performance of the Continuous... Continue Reading »

Investing in Dharma With ETFs
January 18, 2008 – Dow Jones Indexes, together with Dharma Investments have launched the Dow Jones Dharma Indexes to underlie exchange traded funds (ETFs). They will measure the performance of selected companies according to value systems and principles... Continue Reading »

New S&P Inverse Index Could Trigger New ETFs
January 15, 2008 – This month, Standard & Poor’s introduced the S&P 500 Inverse Index - does this mean exchange traded funds (ETFs) will follow? The index provides the inverse performance of the widely used stock benchmark, reports... 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 »

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 »

Mutual Fund Companies Diverge on ETFs
January 3, 2008 – As the mutual fund industry faces a fork in the road — continue as they have been, or start giving serious consideration to exchange traded funds (ETFs) — they really only need to look... Continue Reading »

There’s More to Timber ETF Than Meets the Eye
December 12, 2007 – Andrew Corn, in his own words, is known as “a bleeding heart, tree-hugging person in real life.” So, the founder and CEO of Clear Asset Management was a bit taken aback when a friend... Continue Reading »

Fundamentally Indexed ETFs Get Tested
December 9, 2007 – The debate about fundamental or market-cap weighted indexes and exchange traded funds (ETFs) continues. Roger Nusbaum for TheStreet.com takes a look at two of WisdomTree’s ETFs, which are fundamentally weighted either by earnings or... Continue Reading »

S&P 500 Marks Its Golden Anniversary
December 5, 2007 – This year marked the anniversary of the index on which the first exchange traded fund (ETF) was based: the S&P 500. In March 1957, the index that would become the most widely used U.S.-linked index... Continue Reading »

Check Out the Big Brain on These ETFs
December 5, 2007 – As exchange traded funds (ETFs) become more commonplace around the world — the number available globally has surpassed 1,000 — they need to do more and more to distinguish themselves from the herd. PowerShares... Continue Reading »

Using ETFs to Track IPOs
December 4, 2007 – Getting in on an initial public offering (IPO) can be a hit-or-miss proposition — how do you know what’s going to take off and stay taken off vs. what’s going to peter out after... Continue Reading »

Contango Challenges ETFs, But These Indexes Have Their Dukes Up
November 25, 2007 – Challenges abound with the onslaught of commodity exchange traded funds (ETFs) and exchange traded notes (ETNs). The contango war will rage more fiercely than ever because JP Morgan and BNP Paribas have launched two... Continue Reading »

Long-Term Commodity ETF Indexes
November 19, 2007 – JP Morgan and BNP Paribas are launching two new indexes that will allow investors to invest long-term in commodities, so perhaps more exchange traded funds (ETFs) will be in the pipeline. This is the... Continue Reading »

FTSE Terror-Free Indexes - ETF to Follow?
November 17, 2007 – Would you invest in an exchange traded fund (ETF) that focused on the "Axis of Evil" terror sponsors? Sudan, Syria, Iran and North Korea have been identified by the U.S. government as sponsors of... Continue Reading »

My ETF Index Is Better Than Yours
November 14, 2007 – Is it possible to build a better exchange traded fund (ETF) with indexes? WisdomTree is working to do just that, with their ETF family based upon fundamental indexes rather than the traditional market cap-weighted... Continue Reading »

New S&P Select Frontier Index Could Pave the Way for More ETFs
October 26, 2007 – More exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be on the way now that the S&P has launched its new Select Frontier Index. The new index includes 30 of the largest and most liquid components from... Continue Reading »

Equally Weighted ETFs
October 12, 2007 – Some exchange traded funds (ETFs) are being rolled out based upon equal weight rather than market capitalization. XShares Advisors recently launched a set of REIT ETFs that are equal weighted, and Rydex also has... Continue Reading »

Is a Cubes Jr. ETF on the Way?
October 11, 2007 – Is a "Cubes Jr." exchange traded fund (ETF) in the making? The Nasdaq Stock Market started a new index yesterday, the Nasdaq Q-50, which is made up of companies poised to enter into the... Continue Reading »

Stay Tuned for an ETF Based on the CRB Commodity Index
October 9, 2007 – The oldest commodity index in the world will be paired with the popular exchange traded fund (ETF) soon. Greenhaven Commodity Services has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch an ETF... Continue Reading »

Subtle Differences Between Emerging-market ETFs and Their Index
October 2, 2007 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) were designed to shadow the performance of the index they track. However, some do a better job of this than others. As an illustration, let’s look at two different ETFs... Continue Reading »

Indexing Goes Green for ETFs
September 27, 2007 – HSBC Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets, released the HSBC Global Climate Change Benchmark Index earlier this week, which means exchange traded funds (ETFs) to track it could soon follow. The index will cover the... Continue Reading »

Nasdaq’s Neuro-focused Index for ETFs?
September 21, 2007 – The Nasdaq Stock Market is preparing to launch an index made up of companies that focus on neurological disorders, following the flurry of exchange traded funds (ETFs) that have launched in the health sector.... Continue Reading »

Why Debate Indexing? It All Boils Down to ETF Performance
September 21, 2007 – As the ETF industry has evolved, so has the indexing industry. It used to be that all indexes weighted their companies, or holdings, by market capitalization. Then, new indexes were created once people like... Continue Reading »

Is the EAFE ETF Index Phasing Out?
September 19, 2007 – In the early years of international exchange traded funds (ETFs), the EAFE (Europe, Asia and Far East) Index used to be the benchmark to follow. However, with so much new competition, maybe EAFE isn’t... Continue Reading »

New Index Family Could Equal New ETFs
September 19, 2007 – A new index family that combines long and short futures and cash is available for exchange traded funds (ETFs) to follow. Morningstar has created a group of five commodity-futures indexes that are designed for... Continue Reading »

ETF Enhancement
September 17, 2007 – A London provider of exchange traded funds (ETFs), SPA ETF Plc, listed the first U.S. equities-focused, enhanced ETFs on the London Stock Exchange. These ETFs are based on fundamental indexes created by U.S. research... Continue Reading »

A Closer Look at Quantitative-based ETFs
September 10, 2007 – Quantitative strategies pertaining to exchange traded fund (ETF) investing are one of the newest approaches available. Also known as a fundamental approach to ETF investing, this strategy weighs holdings in ETFs by various factors... Continue Reading »

Fueling the Fire: ETF Indexing Debate Gets Hot
September 7, 2007 – People seem to love a good debate, especially when it comes to indexing strategies that exchange traded funds (ETFs) follow. The hot argument lately has been over whether market-cap weightings or fundamentally-based weightings are... Continue Reading »

New Barron’s 400 Index Likely to Prompt More ETFs
September 4, 2007 – More exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be on the way based on the announcement today that Dow Jones Indexes and Barron’s will collaborate to launch the Barron’s 400 Index. The index will track the... Continue Reading »

Prestbo’s Insights on the ETF World
September 2, 2007 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) and the indexing industry has come a long way since the days of the first four indexes: the S&P, Russell, FTSE and MSCI. ETFs have helped the recent Dow Jones... Continue Reading »

5 ETF Areas to Follow Closely
August 31, 2007 – The exchange traded fund (ETF) industry has seen a lot of major developments since July 12. ETFs are on the move, and if investors aren’t paying attention, they could miss some opportunities. Jim Wiandt... Continue Reading »

ETF Indexing Options Grow
August 21, 2007 – Investing in exchange traded funds (ETFs) used to be simple. Investors picked one that mimicked the S&P 500 and received a fund that often beat most actively-managed funds. However, as more ETFs and indexes... Continue Reading »

Dividend ETF with Fundamental Indexing
August 16, 2007 – Dividend exchange traded funds (ETFs) offer the perk of extra income to shareholders. What would happen if a dividend ETF used a fundamental indexing approach to investing? ETF provider WisdomTree took this approach when... Continue Reading »

ETF Indexing Debate Continues
August 16, 2007 – In the investment world, there are two sides to indexing, and lately the influx of exchange traded funds (ETFs) has spurred this controversy further. Traditionalists are long-time supporters of the market-cap weighted index, where... Continue Reading »

ETF Index Provider IPO Ignites Controversy
August 15, 2007 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) investors are concerned that Morgan Stanley’s plans to take the MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) Indexes public could create conflicts of interest. What would happen when an index company must answer to... Continue Reading »

International ETF Indexes Need More Exposure
July 25, 2007 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) investors might wonder why Katie Couric doesn’t include the EAFE Index when she reports on the major U.S. indexes. Shouldn’t we be watching a major global index as well? It’s... Continue Reading »

Bond ETFs - Insight Through Indexes
July 24, 2007 – Baby boomers are approaching retirement and many are looking into the bond market and bond exchange traded funds (ETFs). The fixed-income market has been hard to dissect and fund strategies are complex, yet the... Continue Reading »

Is the RAFI Index a Better Benchmark for ETFs?
July 20, 2007 – New fundamentally-weighted indexes have become more popular within the exchange traded fund (ETF) industry. One such index is the Research Affiliates Fundamental Index (RAFI), which is tracked by the PowerShares FTSE RAFI US 1000... Continue Reading »

Why Not ETF Company-based Indexing?
July 19, 2007 – For exchange traded funds (ETFs) that contain securities based in multiple countries that are at different stages in their economic growth, it can be difficult to accurately label the ETF. The result is an... Continue Reading »

The Dow Rides Record Highs; its ETF Follows
July 18, 2007 – Lately the Dow Jones industrial average index has reached record highs. It even passed 14,000 (in intra-day trading) for the first time, and its exchange traded fund (ETF) counterpart, the DIAMONDS Trust, Series 1... Continue Reading »

Global ETF Performance: A Case for Fundamental Indexing?
July 18, 2007 – Global exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been top performers over domestic ETFs for the past few years.  A year ago, a new global ETF came out, the WisdomTree DEFA Fund (DWM), which rivals one... Continue Reading »

Aw, Shucks, Opponents of ETF Indexing Strategies Share a Virtual Hug
July 11, 2007 – Schwab Institutional hosted a webinar yesterday that addressed what seemed to be a hot debate on exchange traded fund (ETF) indexing strategies. It attempted to answer which indexing method is better: the new fundamental... Continue Reading »

Blur Between Indexing and Active Management Causes Concern for ETFs
July 9, 2007 – Recently Chester Spatt, chief economist at the SEC, stated his support for indexing, which is the tracking strategy that exchange traded funds (ETFs) follow. While Spatt’s support is definitely encouraging news, Jim Wiandt of... Continue Reading »

Indexed ETFs Are Actively Managed
July 7, 2007 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) follow an index, and although there have been several filings with the SEC to launch actively managed ETFs, none have been approved yet. What is the difference between following an... Continue Reading »

Indexes: ETFs’ Heroes
July 7, 2007 – If you invest in exchange traded funds (ETFs), it’s in your best interest to know about indexes. Indexes are like big brothers or sisters to ETFs. ETFs track their every move, trying to outperform... Continue Reading »

Mid-Cap ETFs: A Fair Comparison?
July 5, 2007 – Within mid-cap exchange traded funds (ETFs) you can find core, growth, value, leveraged, market-cap and fundamentally weighted. But how do they compare against one another? Investor’s Business Daily reports that in comparing 25 mid-cap ETFs,... Continue Reading »

ETFs-An Evolution Of Mutual Funds
July 5, 2007 –   Exchange traded funds (ETFs) continue to spark a hot debate. John Bogle, Vanguard Group index founder, is crusading again. This time he is defending traditional index funds that are based on market-capitalization. On... Continue Reading »