Commercial Real Estate, ETFs Could Be the Next Bust
August 26, 2008 – The residential housing market has deteriorated sharply this year, and Wall Street had banked on the commercial real estate loans, investments and exchange traded funds (ETFs) keeping their ground. Recently, bankers have reason to believe that... 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 »

High Foreclosures, Low Home Prices Don’t Detract from ETFs
August 14, 2008 – Stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are up this morning, even though the markets had a slate of bad news with coffee and a side of bacon. Foreclosures in the United States shot up 55% in... Continue Reading »

AIG’s Losses Drag Down Insurance ETFs
August 7, 2008 – American International Group (AIG) notched its third consecutive quarterly loss, which is putting the hurt on financial exchange traded funds (ETFs). The world’s largest insurer lost more than $5.6 billion in credit default swaps - insurance... Continue Reading »

Look At Facts Before Pointing to Homebuilder ETF Rally
August 5, 2008 – Homebuilding exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been seeing a nice rally in the last month, but is it for real? One Merrill Lynch economist says there are a few factors that indicate that it probably isn’t,... Continue Reading »

Dreary Housing Market In Europe Reflects In ETFs
August 4, 2008 – In Ireland, the investors have packed up and are nowhere to be seen, as the credit crunch has halted the housing market, leaving real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) at a standstill. The Belfast region of... Continue Reading »

Real Estate And ETFs In China Are Presenting Real Opportunity
August 1, 2008 – As the U.S. real estate market is in shambles, Chinese real estate may be building up, upgrading exchange traded funds (ETFs) as they go. The Chinese residential market has managed to maintain its strength, and the... Continue Reading »

Bailout Provisions Don’t Have ETFs Whooping and Cheering
July 30, 2008 – The pen might be mightier than the sword, especially if real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) have something to say about it. President Bush signed a major housing bill that is meant to provide mortgage relief... Continue Reading »

Consumers, Real Estate ETFs Looking Up
July 29, 2008 – Home prices are down and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are up. The Case-Shiller index of 20 cities in the United States fell 15.8% in May compared with a year ago, a record decline since its 2000... Continue Reading »

Homebuilder ETFs Trade Nervously Lower Ahead of Earnings News
July 28, 2008 – Meritage Homes Corporation (MTH) is expected to deliver their second-quarter earnings numbers, but investors and exchange traded funds (ETFs) aren’t exuding positivity ahead of the news. Meritage is the 12th-largest homebuilder in the United States. If the... Continue Reading »

Foreclosures Triple, But Real Estate ETFs Don’t Seem Wounded
July 25, 2008 – Foreclosures shot up a whopping 121% in one year, a percentage that could hold back exchange traded funds (ETFs) that focus on the real estate market. About 220,000 homes were repossessed in the second quarter, triple... Continue Reading »

ETFs Help You Act Local And Go Global
July 25, 2008 – Going global with exchange traded funds (ETFs) has never presented a better opportunity than now, and it has become so much easier and cost-efficient with the advent of these funds. MoneyShow.com interviewed us regarding the ETF... Continue Reading »

Existing Home Sales Take Down Real Estate ETFs
July 24, 2008 – Some stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are trading lower today after existing home sales fell in June. The 2.6% drop was more than twice what had been expected, reports Martin Crutsinger for the Associated Press.... Continue Reading »

Homebuilder ETFs Get a Lift From Reports, But the Numbers Are Skewed
July 17, 2008 – Homebuilding exchange traded funds (ETFs) are up sharply in trading this morning after reports that single-family home construction fell while a new law in New York gave a boost to apartments buildings. Single-family homebuilding lost 5.3%... Continue Reading »

ETFs and Markets Go Mixed As Bernanke Testifies
July 15, 2008 – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stood before the Senate Banking Committee today and detailed our economic woes, sending the markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) moving sharply back and forth. Among the “highlights” of his testimony,... Continue Reading »

No Bailout for Fannie and Freddie Leaves Financial ETFs Trying to Stay Afloat
July 11, 2008 – Shares for the ailing Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE) fell even lower earlier this morning after an immediate bailout was ruled out - throwing the housing market into question and related exchange traded... Continue Reading »

Foreclosures and Real Estate ETFs Demonstrate Inverse Relationship
July 10, 2008 – Homebuilder and real estate focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) are feeling down today after the latest round of news about foreclosure filings came in. Filings rose 53% in June from the previous year - just another... 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 »

Emerald Isle’s ETF and Economy Aren’t Seeing Green
July 8, 2008 – Shares for Ireland’s second-largest bank fell by their biggest amount in 19 years after they delivered a dose of news about the economy that could weigh down the country’s newly-minted exchange traded fund (ETF). The Bank... Continue Reading »

Oil and ETFs Losing for Consecutive Days; Home Sales Slide
July 8, 2008 – While one sector and its exchange traded funds (ETFs) continues to see more of the downside, another sector is falling after more than a year of seeing nothing but the upside. Real estate continued to take... Continue Reading »

Job Cuts and Bad News Bring Tear to Some ETFs’ Eyes
July 2, 2008 – A grim employment report showed evidence of pressure being felt across various sectors and their exchange traded funds (ETFs). U.S. private employers cut 79,000 jobs last month, and planned layoffs in the United States were... Continue Reading »

Construction Spending Slips in May, Lands on Homebuilder ETFs
July 1, 2008 – Homebuilder exchange traded funds (ETFs) were deflated at the news about a further slump in construction spending as the housing crisis deepened. For the month of May, it was down 0.4%, making it the 11th... Continue Reading »

Homebuilder, Financial Losses Give ETFs Mixed Results
June 27, 2008 – The woes for the financial and homebuilding sectors continued today, while related exchange traded funds (ETFs) differed in their reactions. Bank of America (BAC) announced job cuts of 7,500 upon closing its acquisition of Countrywide... Continue Reading »

International Real Estate ETFs Can Be Like Apples and Oranges
June 25, 2008 – Two exchange traded funds (ETFs) can sound alike, but pulling back the curtain can often reveal big differences, such as those between two international real estate funds. The PowerShares FTSE/RAFI International Real Estate Portfolio (PRY)... Continue Reading »

Homes Sales and Prices Fall, Real Estate ETFs Head Up
June 25, 2008 – Bargain hunters once again are emerging, seeking out real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) after more bad news from the sector was released this morning. New home sales fell for the sixth time in seven... 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 »

Housing and Inflation Take Down Consumer Confidence and ETFs
June 24, 2008 – If you were waiting for some good news to indicate that the housing market has made a turnaround and the related exchange traded funds (ETFs) would soon be ripe for the picking, you’ll have... Continue Reading »

Can the Housing Slump and ETFs Rebound Like Rodman?
June 23, 2008 – A study by some at Harvard University showing that the United States has challenges when it comes to trying to reverse the housing slump is challenging exchange traded funds (ETFs) as well. The record number... Continue Reading »

Real Estate ETFs Can Forget The Granite! (And The Crown Moulding)
June 23, 2008 – Bargain hunters waiting for the bottom of the real estate market to drop out shouldn’t hold their breath, as an inventory glut, price-cutting standoffs and economic conditions continue to weigh down homeowners and exchange... Continue Reading »

Let’s All Raise a Guinness for the New Irish ETF
June 19, 2008 – The long-awaited Irish exchange traded fund (ETF) is here, just in time for the routing of the L.A. Lakers by the mighty Boston Celtics for the NBA Championship. The NETS ISEX 20 Index Fund (IQE)... Continue Reading »

All-In-One Funds: It’s An ETF and a Dessert Topping!
June 18, 2008 – To all things in life, there has to be a balance for it to maintain health and longevity, and this applies to exchange traded funds (ETFs) as well. As an all-in-one investment, a globally... Continue Reading »

In Slicing Up the Dow’s ETF Sectors, a Picture Emerges
June 17, 2008 – The past few weeks have been hard on investors and their sector-focused exchange traded funds (ETFs). But not all sectors are suffering equally. A glance at the Diamonds Trust (DIA), which tracks the Dow Jones industrial... Continue Reading »

MacroShares ETFs Dip Into Housing Market
June 13, 2008 – MacroShares is taking another swing at the up/down market movement, this time with exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track the upward and inverse movement of U.S. home prices. MacroShares Major Metro Housing Up (UMM)... Continue Reading »

The ABCs of REIT ETFs
June 11, 2008 – The four major asset classes for exchange traded fund (ETF) and other investing are: stocks, bonds, cash and real estate. You can get direct exposure to real estate by actually owning it. The second... Continue Reading »

Survey Has Surprises On How ETFs Are Used In Europe
June 10, 2008 – A recent survey has found that exchange traded funds (ETFs) aren’t being used to their full potential. Of course, the survey was of more than 110 European institutional investors, but we still wonder if... Continue Reading »

Pending Home Sales Spike, Real Estate ETFs Consider It
June 9, 2008 – Real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) held steady this morning as numbers about pending home sales shot unexpectedly higher. Pending home sales for April were up 6.3% from March, but sales were still down 13.1%... Continue Reading »

Homebuilding, Mobile Phone Sectors Weigh Down Brazil Markets and ETF
June 3, 2008 – Brazil’s stocks fell to their lowest point in three weeks, taking its exchange traded fund (ETF) down with them. A larger-than-expected jump in industrial output had some people speculating whether the central bank would raise... Continue Reading »

Home Construction Falls Off and Pulls Down Related ETFs
June 2, 2008 – Homebuilder exchange traded funds (ETFs) found themselves scurrying from the wrecking ball in early trading when the construction spending numbers came out. The Commerce Department said that construction activity fell 0.4% in April, continuing a... Continue Reading »

Real Estate ETFs Digest Home Price and Sales Reports
May 27, 2008 – Some real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) were up slightly on the news that home prices sank while sales rose. For the first quarter, the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index showed that home prices fell 14.1%... Continue Reading »

Backlog of Unsold Homes Rises, Homebuilder ETFs Fall
May 23, 2008 – Real estate and homebuilder exchange traded funds (ETFs) are down sharply midday after reports that there are more unsold homes in the United States than there have been for 23 years. The National Association of... Continue Reading »

ETFs Standing Still As Home Prices Post Record Quarterly Drop
May 22, 2008 – Some real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) are down slightly in early trading after the latest round of bad news from the sector. Home prices in the United States posted their sharpest first-quarter drop since... Continue Reading »

In Mexico, Foreign Investment Falls But ETF Could Get Help From Housing Boom
May 22, 2008 – Could a falloff in direct foreign investment to Mexico hurt the country’s exchange traded fund (ETF)? The country’s economy ministry said that such investment fell 36% in the first quarter of this year, owing much to... Continue Reading »

Prices Vex Economy and Help ETFs; Forecasts Are That Next Year May Be Better
May 19, 2008 – Another week, another round of rising prices that may affect exchange traded funds (ETFs) across the board. It’s the same-old, same-old with oil and gas prices: high, higher and highest. Americans are now paying an average... Continue Reading »

Sector ETFs Gain Financial Advisors’ Preference
May 19, 2008 – Statistics reveal that financial advisors are starting to prefer sector-focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) over individual stocks. Broad-based ETF assets are down lately due to the state of the market, reports Jesse Emspak for... Continue Reading »

Some Good News For Housing and ETFs, But It’s Still Mostly Bad
May 16, 2008 – The housing sector finally delivered some good news, but so far in trading today the exchange traded funds (ETFs) related to the sector aren’t having it. Home construction saw its biggest increase in more than... 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 »

Home Foreclosures and Food Prices Up and ETFs Are Mixed
May 14, 2008 – Real estate and home builder exchange traded funds (ETFs) are mostly higher this morning, even after foreclosures shot higher in April. The number of U.S. homeowners falling behind on their mortgage payments rose 65% last... Continue Reading »

Home Sales and Retail Numbers Drop, But ETFs Trying to Keep Status Quo
May 13, 2008 – The markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) appear to be mostly chewing on the news about retail and housing before they make any rash moves. The price of a single-family home dropped 7.7% in the first... Continue Reading »

New ETF Provider Comes Bearing International Real Estate Fund
May 9, 2008 – A new global real estate exchange traded fund (ETF) is in town, along with a new ETF provider. The Cohen & Steers Global Global Realty Majors (GRI) from ALPS Advisors provides exposure to the global... Continue Reading »

Homebuilders ETFs Don’t Seem to Be Reaping Rewards of Rate Cuts
May 8, 2008 – Homebuilders stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are going to need more than the total of 3.25% interest rate cuts if they are going to be helped. That’s according to Nicholas Yulico for The... Continue Reading »

Real Estate, Homebuilder ETFs Fall With Pending Home Sales Numbers
May 7, 2008 – Homebuilding and real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) reeled from the news that pending home sales hit a new low in March. It was the second consecutive months in which a new low was hit,... Continue Reading »

Disappointing Homebuilding Earnings Drags ETFs
May 6, 2008 – The homebuilding industry announced disappointing first-quarter earnings, dragging down related exchange traded funds (ETFs). The markets were feeling optimistic in the last few weeks because of positive earnings numbers from industries that don’t count themselves... Continue Reading »

Is Three Times Performance Going to Be a Charm for New ETFs?
May 2, 2008 – A firm better known for its leveraged index mutual funds has filed for 36 exchange traded funds (ETFs) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that raise the stakes. The ETFs from Direxion Funds would... Continue Reading »

Real Estate ETFs Fall After Two Left Hooks
April 29, 2008 – Yesterday, they moved higher, but in midday trading so far today, real estate-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) are down what they gained and in some cases, more. Blame the one-two punch of bad housing... Continue Reading »

ETFs Shrug at Record Vacant Home Highs
April 28, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) seemed to sigh "Ho-hum" at the news that the percentage of vacant homes in the United States has reached a record high. The Census Bureau says that 2.9% of U.S. homes... Continue Reading »

Real Estate ETFs Spike Higher After Dismal Home Numbers
April 24, 2008 – Homebuilding and real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) were up by as much as 2.5% or more in midday trading, despite a dismal report saying that new home sales were perched at their lowest level... Continue Reading »

REIT ETFs Looking Up, But Not Out of the Woods Yet
April 24, 2008 – Is it time to say "right on" for REIT exchange traded funds (ETFs) yet? After a bumpy ride in 2007, the REIT ETFs are showing signs of life this spring, reports Billy Fisher for... Continue Reading »

Existing Home Sales Numbers Put Damper On Housing ETFs
April 22, 2008 – The housing slump continued through March, and home-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) reflected this morning’s latest numbers. The National Association of Realtors said sales of existing single-family homes and condominiums fell by 2% in March.... Continue Reading »

Home Construction Falls Off, ETFs Shoot Up
April 16, 2008 – Are investors finding bargain opportunities with home construction exchange traded funds (ETFs)? The Commerce Department reported today that home construction dropped in March to a 17-year low, by 11.9%, reports Martin Crutsinger for the Associated... Continue Reading »

International Markets, ETFs Catching U.S. Housing Disease
April 15, 2008 – The U.S. housing crisis is taking its toll on other countries, and it could hit their exchange traded funds (ETFs) if it persists for long. Real estate prices are plummeting in the Irish countryside, the... Continue Reading »

UltraShort Real Estate ETF Could Be Haven From Commercial Contraction
April 15, 2008 – Inverse or leveraged exchange traded funds (ETFs) are on investors’ radar these days and real estate is no exception. UltraShort Real Estate ProShares (SRS) is an ETF that tracks twice (2x) the inverse of... Continue Reading »

Pending Home Sales Hit Low; ETFs Aren’t Out of the Woods Yet
April 8, 2008 – Homebuilder and real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) may have been showing strong performance over the last month, but that doesn’t mean our housing problem is over. In February, pending home sales hit a new... Continue Reading »

Home Construction ETFs Appear to Be Making Amends for Last Year
April 3, 2008 – It’s down slightly today, but the home construction exchange traded fund (ETF) has been posting stellar gains so far this year. Yesterday, the iShares U.S. Home Construction (ITB) came within touching distance of its 200-day... Continue Reading »

New Quarter, New Start for Some ETFs
April 1, 2008 – Financial, homebuilder and retail exchange traded funds (ETFs) were among the biggest winners on a day when the Dow Jones industrial average rose nearly 400 points. Although Swiss bank UBS (UBS) and Deutsche Bank (DB) announced... Continue Reading »

Homebuilding ETFs Take a Jab, But Keep On Plugging
April 1, 2008 – The Institute for Supply Management came out with February numbers that homebuilders exchange traded funds (ETFs) aren’t going to enjoy. Manufacturing contracted and construction spending fell again in February, and homebuilding fell for a... Continue Reading »

New Home Sales Report Leaves Real Estate ETFs Glum
March 26, 2008 – Real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) took a hit today on the news that new home sales fell for the fourth consecutive month. The Commerce Department says that sales were down 1.8%, the slowest pace in... Continue Reading »

Financial and Real Estate Numbers Keep Markets, ETFs Busy
March 25, 2008 – A flurry of activity and reports on Wall Street today sent exchange traded funds (ETFs) moving in every direction. Financials took a hit on the news that Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. (MER) had its... Continue Reading »

Homebuilders ETFs Stage a Turnaround
March 24, 2008 – Two exchange traded funds (ETFs) in one of last year’s weakest sectors, home construction, are beginning to show renewed vigor. In the last two weeks, both SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB) and iShares Dow Jones... Continue Reading »

Prices Up, Home Construction Down, But ETFs Don’t Get the Memo
March 18, 2008 – If you were just going by the performance of certain exchange traded funds (ETFs) in intraday trading, you wouldn’t think some bad news about the housing and retail sectors had just come out. First, wholesale... Continue Reading »

Homebuilders Shares And ETFs Rally Off Fed’s New Plan
March 14, 2008 – Shares of homebuilders and related exchange traded funds (ETFs) rose on news of the government’s new plan to stop the significant mortgage foreclosures. iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction (ITB) jumped up 7% yesterday, while... Continue Reading »

Not All the Good Ideas Are Taken With ETFs
March 13, 2008 – W.P. Thatcher for Stocks For All Seasons has 10 exchange traded funds (ETFs) in mind that he’d like to see come to market. Long gone are the days of only the plain vanilla fund,... Continue Reading »

Which ETFs Are On First Today?
March 11, 2008 – After a big day for the markets, you can’t help but wonder which exchange traded funds (ETFs) stood out head and shoulders above the rest. If you scroll through ETF Screen’s breakdown of fund performance,... Continue Reading »

Stocks and ETFs Suffer as Indexes Hit 52-Week Lows
March 7, 2008 – The traumatic credit market and increase in home foreclosures are touching down on all areas of the market, including exchange traded funds (ETFs). Joe Bel Bruno for Associated Press reports that the Dow Jones... Continue Reading »

Housing and Financial ETFs Take Their Lumps
March 6, 2008 – Financial stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) declined after shares of Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. (MER) fell to their lowest level in four-and-a-half years. The drop came after the bank said it was getting... Continue Reading »

Taiwan and ETF Are Going Through a Growth Spurt; Will It Keep It Up?
March 5, 2008 – The iShares MSCI Taiwan Index (EWT) exchange traded fund (ETF) is up 3.8% year-to-date, leaving us wondering what is happening over there? The greater Taipei region’s real estate market beat the odds of a normally... Continue Reading »

Mortgage Crisis Goes On, Dragging Home and Financial ETFs
March 4, 2008 – Financial and real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) headed south after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the mortgage crisis was going to continue. With that, he urged lenders to lower their loan amounts and... Continue Reading »

Construction, Manufacturing Numbers and ETFs Head Lower
March 3, 2008 – Manufacturing and construction numbers came in, giving related exchange traded funds (ETFs) a punch to the gut in intraday trading. U.S. manufacturing activity dropped in February to its lowest point in nearly five years, reports Madlen... Continue Reading »

Housing and Big Ticket Item Sales Drop, Taking ETFs With Them
February 27, 2008 – More housing and consumer numbers came in today, affected real estate and retail exchange traded funds (ETFs). The Commerce Department reported that new home sales fell in January by 2.8%. It’s the slowest pace in... Continue Reading »

Financial News Has Domino Effect on Markets and ETFs
February 27, 2008 – Wall Street hardly waited for its coffee to kick in before a slew of news began sending stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) this way and that in a series of chain reactions. The dollar... Continue Reading »

Housing and Consumer Reports Are Good News for Investors Who Love Bad News
February 26, 2008 – Bad news about the economy continues to flow in from all corners, but it doesn’t seem to be dragging certain exchange traded funds (ETFs) down with it at the moment. The Consumer Confidence Index fell to... Continue Reading »

If the Bottom Is In Sight, Is It Time to Snap Up ETF Bargains?
February 25, 2008 – New existing home sales numbers are in, and home construction and real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) went higher on investors’ hopes that the slump is approaching the bottom. Martin Crutsinger for the Associated Press... Continue Reading »

Consumer, Housing Numbers Roll In, But Will ETFs Feel It?
February 20, 2008 – Worries continue to plague both the retail and housing sectors and exchange traded funds (ETFs) as more numbers are released today that show signs of creeping inflation. The Labor Department reported today that the consumer price... Continue Reading »

Bernanke’s Comments Weigh On Homebuilders And ETFs
February 19, 2008 – Ben Bernanke’s sentiment and comments toward the homebuilder sector is continuing to echo through related stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Shares of homebuilders were trading even lower Friday for the second session as... Continue Reading »

Denial May Make Real Estate And ETFs Miserable Longer
February 14, 2008 – It appears De Nile is not just a river in Egypt, as homeowners will not accept that their home has lost value over the past year, evidenced by the state of the market and... Continue Reading »

Bernanke Plays Role Of Heartbreaker for Markets and Some ETFs
February 14, 2008 – It’s Valentine’s Day, but the economy and exchange traded funds (ETFs) aren’t feeling much love from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Bernanke told Congress today that the country’s economic outlook has deteriorated. But, perhaps as... Continue Reading »

Some ETFs Experience a Reversal of Fortune
February 12, 2008 –   It isn’t all doom and gloom: some exchange traded funds(ETFs) are experiencing a reversal of fortune during these trying economic times. The performance for the past month of these lucky ETFs are listed: ProShares UltraShort... Continue Reading »

Some Sector ETFs’ Performance Signals Optimism
February 9, 2008 – The bear is storming through technology exchange traded funds (ETFs), a result of spillover from the subprime, financial and real estate crises. It’s not as ugly as the 2000-20002 meltdown, says Gary Gordon for ETF... Continue Reading »

Could Pending Home Sales Report Dampen Real Estate ETFs?
February 7, 2008 – Pending U.S. home sales fell 1.5% in December, proof that the housing market is even more sour than anticipated, but what could it mean for real estate-related exchange traded funds (ETFs)? The funds have... 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 »

ETFs Prove Women Are Not Shopping ‘Til They Drop
February 5, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) and stocks are reflecting that women’s retailers could be nearing an inflection point, with trends at negative-to-flattish for 10 months. Brigid Gaffikin for Thomson Financial reports that women’s specialty comps... Continue Reading »

Analysts Cozy Up to Financial and Homebuilder ETFs
February 4, 2008 – Some analysts are liking the looks of financial and homebuilder focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) these days. While the financial industry in particular continues to get negative press, advisors and analysts are saying that the two... Continue Reading »

ETF Bargain Hunters Start Searching
February 4, 2008 – Bargain shoppers may have their time cut out for them, as many exchange traded funds (ETFs) are touting low price-to-earnings ratios (P/E Ratios). The P/E Ratio is a valuation of a company’s current share price... 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 »

Advisors See the Glass Half Empty, According to ETF Provider Survey
February 1, 2008 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) provider Rydex has released the latest numbers regarding advisor confidence, and it doesn’t look good. The Advisor Confidence Index (ACI) is a benchmark that gauges advisor’s views on the U.S. economy... Continue Reading »

The ETF Gold Rush Of 2008
January 31, 2008 – Yee-haw! There is a new gold rush occurring right now as investors are running to gold-focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) and gold shares. E.S. Browning for The Wall Street Journal reports that since mid-August,... Continue Reading »

Homebuilder ETFs - More Bad News Coming or Is It Time To Bottom Fish?
January 28, 2008 – A handful of exchange traded funds (ETFs) that have been under the spotlight lately have been the real estate and homebuilder ETFs. For the past year, investors have seen the value of these ETFs... Continue Reading »

Could More Bad Housing News Carry Over to ETFs?
January 24, 2008 – Despite the fact that homebuilder and real estate-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been posting decent numbers over the last few days, you can’t help but wonder if the latest round of bad news... Continue Reading »

Don’t Call It a Comeback for ETFs and the Markets Yet, but It Was a Good Day
January 23, 2008 – It was like the semi-annual running of the brides at Filene’s Basement in Boston: bargain hunters entered the markets today looking for a deal, sending stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) hopping. The Dow Jones... Continue Reading »

Retail, Homebuilders ETFs See The Light
January 23, 2008 – SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB) and Retail HOLDRs (RTH) are two of the few exchange traded funds (ETFs) seeing positive numbers these days. Yesterday, XHB was up 8.5% and is up over 4% at the... Continue Reading »

British ETF Overcast With Economy
January 22, 2008 – The British economy isn’t looking so cheeky right now, as the economy is mirroring that of the United States’, and its exchange traded fund (ETF) is bearing the brunt of it. iShares MSCI United... Continue Reading »

Is China’s Real Estate Market and ETF Primed for a Boom?
January 21, 2008 – Although U.S. real estate-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) are frozen right now, China is undergoing a vast migration to the cities, which could be priming the country for a real estate boom. Tony Sagami for... Continue Reading »

Which Way Will Japan’s ETFs Swing?
January 18, 2008 – Japan’s exchange traded funds (ETF) have been having a time of it lately. In 2007, bankruptcies rose to a 4-year high and the country was gripped by a housing slump. Corporate bankruptcies rose for the second... Continue Reading »

Another Rough Day; Save Your Portfolio By Having an ETF Sell Strategy
January 17, 2008 – The markets wrapped up another ugly day for stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) this afternoon. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 2%, says Tim Paradis of the Associated Press, and it was... Continue Reading »

Bernanke’s Testimony To Give Wall Street, Stocks, ETFs and Economy Signs Of Life
January 17, 2008 – Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said the risks of an economic downturn are more enhanced, comments which in turn caused stocks and related exchange traded funds (ETFs) to fall on Thursday. A Philadelphia Federal Reserve... Continue Reading »

Hedging the Tumbling Housing Market with ETFs
January 17, 2008 – Very few exchange traded funds (ETFs) could get a lift from the housing report issued this morning. Martin Crutsinger for the Associated Press reports that the housing slump has hit new lows. The Commerce Department... Continue Reading »

Fed May Be Sharpening Its Knife Again - Could It Lift Some Dulled ETFs?
January 10, 2008 – Efforts to stop the bleeding in our economy are still on track, and perhaps exchange traded funds (ETFs) that follow slumping sectors will be reinvigorated if the measures work. The latest news is that Fed Chairman... Continue Reading »

New PowerShares International Real Estate ETF
January 8, 2008 – PowerShares Capital Management has added another fundamentals-based exchange traded fund (ETF) to its expanding family. The fund tracks the FTSE RAFI global index, and will cover international real estate outside the US. PowerShares FTSE... Continue Reading »

Market Madness a Boon for Short ETFs
January 8, 2008 – It was rough going all over the first week of the new year, but not for short exchange traded funds (ETFs). Short ETFs are the contrarians of the markets, designed to do the opposite... Continue Reading »

Homebuilders ETFs Gets a Lift From Report
December 31, 2007 – Home construction exchange traded funds (ETFs), which have been kicked around for much of the year, had a little more bounce in their step today after some good news. According to a report on CNNMoney,... Continue Reading »

Foreign Buyers Could Give a Lift to Real Estate ETFs
December 27, 2007 – A boost to the real estate market and its exchange traded funds (ETFs) might be coming from a place we wouldn’t have necessarily expected: overseas. Increasingly, foreign buyers are turning to the U.S. for second... Continue Reading »

China’s Land Ownership Laws Could Effect Real Estate ETF
December 26, 2007 – While China’s population and economy are booming and migration to the cities is increasing, its status as a Communist country might impact its real estate exchange traded fund (ETF) in ways that remain to... 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 »

New International Real Estate ETF Anticipated
December 26, 2007 – PowerShares announced they are expanding their global series exchange traded funds (ETFs) with a newly anticipated listing. The ETF is based on the FTSE-RAFI with the new portfolio covering international real estate companies, ex-U.S.PowerShares... 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 »

New Chinese Real Estate ETF Beckons
December 20, 2007 – This week, the first U.S.-listed China Real Estate exchange traded fund (ETF) hit the market. The Claymore/AlphaShares China Real Estate ETF (TAO) began trading on the New York Stock Exchange Arca. It is the... Continue Reading »

Foreclosures Up, Homebuilding and Related ETFs Down
December 19, 2007 – In the face of bad housing news that could continue to effect exchange traded funds (ETFs), a few people are still managing to see the silver lining. First, Alex Veiga at the Associated Press reports... Continue Reading »

A Walk Down Misery Lane for Homebuilders ETFs
December 19, 2007 – The December reading of U.S. homebuilders’ sentiment stayed at a record low for the third consecutive month, meaning bad news for related investment vehicles, such as exchange traded funds (ETFs). The National Association of... Continue Reading »

REIT ETFs: In or Out?
December 18, 2007 – After all the hype subsides and an investment has lost its veil of popularity, investors will take the time to look for hidden bargains, particularly in exchange traded funds (ETFs). Real Estate Investment Funds... Continue Reading »

Bush’s Rate Freeze Plan and What It Means for ETFs and Beyond
December 11, 2007 – While some, such as homeowners facing foreclosure, members of the financial sector and those who have invested in real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs), may be greeting President Bush’s interest rate freeze with cheers... Continue Reading »

The Housing Plan 101-Where Do ETF Investors Fit In?
December 10, 2007 – The so-called "Paulson Plan" is the federal government’s proposal to ease the pain of the mortgage meltdown, so how do exchange traded fund (ETF) investors come out ahead in this?  Mike Larson for Money... Continue Reading »

Quick-Fix Rate Freeze Could Be a Shot in the Arm for Financial ETFs
December 6, 2007 – President Bush outlined his plan today to freeze interest rates for five years for homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages; could this help financial exchange traded funds (ETFs)? The plan is aimed primarily at borrowers... Continue Reading »

Rising Foreclosures Are Dismal for Related ETFs
December 6, 2007 – The mortgage meltdown is in full swing, and home foreclosures hit a record high in the third quarter, causing a dismal outlook for financial services and related exchange traded funds (ETFs). The Mortgage Bankers... Continue Reading »

Bailout Attempts To Help Homebuyers And Related ETFs
December 4, 2007 – Housing and finance-related stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are downright depressing, and the talk of the "teaser freezer" isn’t shedding much light on the situation. The emerging Bush-administration-backed plan is in the works,... Continue Reading »

Homebuilder ETFs Make Gains After the Fed Makes Hints
December 3, 2007 – Homebuilder exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be getting a little lift from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s hints that another rate cut could be nigh. Trang Ho of Investor’s Business Daily reports that since the... 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 Skinny on REIT ETFs
November 27, 2007 – More information is coming out about the new iShares real estate ETFs and how they operate.  Roger Nusbaum for TheStreet.com gives the scoop. All four of the funds are heavily allocated in Australia. The... Continue Reading »

Falling Dollars And ETF Investors
November 26, 2007 – Here’s a word for the wise: Don’t let the weak dollar dictate your investment strategy or your exchange traded fund (ETF) confidence. Individual investors can take advantage of the weakening dollar, and ETFs  make... Continue Reading »

Construction News No Help for Homebuilders ETFs
November 21, 2007 – It may seem that way, but homebuilders exchange traded funds (ETFs) and related stocks haven’t hit bottom yet, with some analysts projecting that it will be the middle of next year before the market... 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 »

Tom Lydon on CNBC This Morning Discussing Currency and Short/Inverse ETFs
November 20, 2007 – I did a quick ETF segment on CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning. Carl Quintanilla and I talked about: The growth in popularity of ETFs, how many ETFs there are and what the current assets look... Continue Reading »

Housing ETFs Poised For News This Week
November 19, 2007 – The days before Thanksgiving generally bring good tidings for the stock market and exchange traded funds (ETFs), and Wall Street is awaiting the upcoming housing market reports, says Madlen Read for the Associated Press.... Continue Reading »

More Bad News For Housing and Financial ETFs
November 15, 2007 – The housing market decline hasn’t quite finished and could continue to affect housing and financial exchange traded funds (ETFs).  The Wells Fargo (WFC) CEO reported that this housing market downturn is the worst decline... Continue Reading »

Homebuilder ETFs Hit Hard
November 7, 2007 – The U.S. housing market bubble has been fizzling out, and it’s taking related exchange traded funds (ETFs) down with it. For much of 2007, the industry has been in crisis mode. Mortgage defaults are... Continue Reading »

Homebuilder ETFs Building From the Ground Up
November 2, 2007 – It is no secret the homebuilder exchange traded funds (ETFs) and the sector have been battered. Could it be time for a re-model? The housing focused ETFs and REITs have had a bad year,... Continue Reading »

Property Values Could Pull Down REIT ETFs
October 27, 2007 – U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs) could be experiencing their biggest decline in almost a decade, which could be affecting REIT-related exchange traded funds (ETFs). One of the main culprits behind the potential drop... Continue Reading »

5 ETFs with Winning Streaks
October 26, 2007 – Now that the five-year bull market is showing signs of distress, investors might be curious about some exchange traded funds (ETFs) that are on a winning streak. Richard Widows for TheStreet.com reports that none... Continue Reading »

Financial Related ETFs Hope For Rate Cut
October 26, 2007 – Many financial sector exchange traded funds (ETFs) and Wall Street want the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates again. Learning Merrill Lynch (MER) had to write off $7.9 billion in losses tied to mortgage-related... Continue Reading »

Consider Global REIT ETFs for More Diversification
October 24, 2007 – With the U.S. real estate market in sad shape these days, investors might want to consider the appeals of global REIT (real estate investment trusts) exchange traded funds (ETFs). Global REIT ETFs offer more... Continue Reading »

Is It Time to Start Bottom Fishing the Homebuilders ETF?
October 24, 2007 – The homebuilders sector and its corresponding exchange traded fund (ETF) SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB) have been the worst performers so far this year, and it hasn’t even been close. Still, many speculators are sticking... Continue Reading »

ETF Investors Likely to Be Strapped for Cash
October 18, 2007 – As houses are going down in value and unemployment is rising, exchange traded fund (ETF) investors have less money to spend in other areas. In fact, unemployment stats show it has risen from 4.5%... Continue Reading »

Will Real Estate ETFs’ Rally Last?
October 11, 2007 – We have to remember that all real estate investing is not tied to the housing market. The real estate (REIT) exchange traded funds (ETFs) were among the ETFs hit the hardest this summer from... Continue Reading »

XShares Advisors New Life-cycle and Real Estate ETFs
October 2, 2007 – Exchange traded fund (ETF) provider XShares Advisors recently introduced 12 new ETFs on the NYSE Arca. Five of the ETFs are "target date" or "lifestyle funds" that range in maturities from 2010 to 2040, ETFGuide... Continue Reading »

Bears Roared, but ETFs Keep You Safe
September 28, 2007 – Throughout the latest market turmoil, diversification helped exchange traded fund (ETF) investors avoid the worst. When the broader market dropped in late July and August, investors in ETFs ducked a lot of the blows... Continue Reading »

REIT ETFs Tumble on News of Real Estate Losses
September 26, 2007 – A disappointing consumer confidence report and negative housing data caused real estate investment trusts (REITs) to drop, bringing REIT exchange traded funds (ETFs) down with them. Earlier this week, the index that measures consumer... Continue Reading »

Are Real Estate ETFs and the Sector Doomed?
September 24, 2007 – For those exchange traded fund (ETF) investors invested in real estate, the forecast for the sector, according to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), is bleak. Earlier this week, the CME extended the futures market... Continue Reading »

Will the Rate Cut Help Real Estate ETFs?
September 20, 2007 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) invested in the real estate sector took a hard, fast ride down over the last few months thanks to the subprime problems and credit tightening. The housing market suffered so... Continue Reading »

ETF Downswings Aren’t Always Doom and Gloom
September 15, 2007 – Is there opportunity in housing exchange traded funds (ETFs) in the current market?  After reading our post in August about housing ETFs falling on home sales news, Selena Maranjian for The Motley Fool went... Continue Reading »

ETFs Want to Know: Who Gets the Blame for the Suprime Fiasco?
September 8, 2007 – As many exchange traded funds (ETFs) have suffered from the subprime mortgage meltdown, investors are looking for whom to blame. In this case, there is no one entity; Central banks, homeowners, lenders, credit-rating agencies,... Continue Reading »

Homebuilders ETF Is in the Gutters
September 6, 2007 – It seems the SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB) exchange traded fund (ETF) cannot catch a break. It’s still a staggering 47.4% off its high. Every day it seems there’s a new story on the doom... Continue Reading »

ETF August Activity
September 5, 2007 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) experienced a lot of activity in August. ETF Insider’s ETF 50 Index, which represents the asset-weighted price performance of the 50 largest ETFs, accounted for 80.7% of total ETF assets,... Continue Reading »

Prepare for the Giant Wave of ETFs
August 31, 2007 – With almost 400 exchange traded funds (ETFs) in registration, it’s easy to see why it can be difficult to keep up with this rapidly growing industry. Matt Hougan for Index Universe did an excellent... Continue Reading »

First Trust to Launch New International ETFs
August 28, 2007 – First Trust is coming out with two new exchange traded funds (ETFs) that are scheduled to launch Aug. 30th: the First Trust DJ STOXX Select Dividend 30 Index Fund (FDD) and the First Trust... Continue Reading »

Housing and Financial ETFs Could See Another Blow
August 27, 2007 – The markets and many exchange traded funds (ETFs) declined today partially in response to the news that the sales of existing homes fell in July for the fifth consecutive month. Sales of existing homes... Continue Reading »

Hardest Hit ETFs Sometimes Have the Best Rebounds
August 22, 2007 – There might be some hope for exchange traded funds (ETFs) that have been kicked around by market volatility the last few weeks. The sectors and stocks that pulled back first and fell the hardest... Continue Reading »

High Foreclosures Hurt Financial and Home-related ETFs
August 21, 2007 – As record home foreclosures occur around the country, it’s no wonder financial and home-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) are suffering. Foreclosure filings rose 9% from June to July and surged 93% from the same... Continue Reading »

Interest in International REIT ETFs Increases as U.S. REITs Decline
August 20, 2007 – Now that U.S. real estate exchange traded funds (ETFs) dropped sharply as mortgage problems spread, investors are closely watching international real estate ETFs. With U.S. REITs such as the Dow Jones Wilshire REIT ETF... Continue Reading »

ETFs Put to the Test
August 20, 2007 – The recent turbulent markets have given many new exchange traded funds (ETFs) their first performance test. ETFs that track broad stock-market indexes performed as expected. Narrowly-focused ETFs and ETFs that use complex strategies to... Continue Reading »

ETF Diversification = Risk Control
August 18, 2007 – During a tumultuous time in the market, diversification helps keep the market and exchange traded funds (ETFs) working for investors instead of against them. What happens on Wall Street doesn’t necessasrily stay there in... Continue Reading »

10 ETFs That Have Dropped During the Recent Market Decline
August 17, 2007 – As of market close yesterday, the S&P was 9.1% off its recent high, but some exchange traded funds (ETFs) have given back two or three times as much. Having an exit strategy helps protect... Continue Reading »

XHB Homebuilders ETF Plummets
August 15, 2007 – The SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB) exchange traded fund (ETF) declined sharply on the news that sales of existing homes dropped in 41 states during April and June. It ended the day down 4.1%. In... Continue Reading »

REIT ETF Slammed by Mortgage Crisis
August 14, 2007 – Unfortunate timing has hit the exchange traded fund (ETF) iShares FTSE NAREIT Mortgage REITs (REM) hard. This ETF was designed to track REITs that specialize in residential and commercial loans and was launched by... Continue Reading »

Keeping an Eye on REIT ETFs
August 10, 2007 – As the market plunged yesterday and today, some exchange traded funds (ETFs) have managed to tread water, including a few surprises such as REITs. Since the market lows last Friday, REITs have held up... Continue Reading »

Financial ETFs Need Help
August 9, 2007 – Financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) have been up this week possibly because of rumors that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might purchase more home mortgages. If the government-sponsored companies were permitted to do this,... Continue Reading »

Homebuilding ETFs Go from Losers to Winners Overnight
August 8, 2007 – We mentioned yesterday what a coincidence it was that the exchange traded fund (ETF) iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction (ITB) went up about 5% the same day the Federal Reserve report was released.... Continue Reading »

Fed Report Leaves Interest Rates: Gives “V” to ETFs
August 7, 2007 – It’s been a "V" kind of day for Wall Street and exchange traded funds (ETFs). The eagerly anticipated Federal Reserve report came today saying the government will leave interest rates at 5.25%, despite acknowledged... Continue Reading »

International REIT ETF Hits the Market
August 7, 2007 – As domestic real estate investment trust (REIT) indexes decline steadily, the new international real estate-based exchange traded fund (ETF) might be the sector’s savior. Barclays Global Investors launched the iShares S&P World ex-U.S. Property... Continue Reading »

Risky Housing Markets Affect Financial ETFs
July 31, 2007 – Financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) continue to get hit hard as the housing market becomes riskier nationwide. Banks that make up the top holdings in financial ETFs are hesitant to lend money with the... Continue Reading »

REIT ETFs React