Can Retail ETFs Dodge Holiday Carnage?
December 4, 2008 – Retail sales in November hobbled alongside the sector’s related exchange traded funds (ETFs). Only Wal-Mart (WMT) seems to have been spared the carnage. November was the weakest retail month since at least 1969, and contributed to... Continue Reading »

Lack of Gift Card Enthusiasm Could Spread to ETFs
November 12, 2008 – Retail exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be hurting for the holidays, and gift cards might be the victim. As more retailers go bankrupt, many consumers could be left holding the bag in the form of unspent... Continue Reading »

Retailer, ETF Optimism Might Not Shrug Off Holiday Blahs
November 7, 2008 – While retailers in general are anticipating flagging sales reports, online shopping is expected to grow, up to a 15% increase from last year, giving relief to certain retail exchange traded funds (ETFs). However, the number... Continue Reading »

American Consumer Slowdown Impedes Retail ETFs
October 31, 2008 – Spender’s remorse has set in and retail-related exchange traded funds (ETFs) are showing the aftermath of a less enthusiastic buyer. The most recent figures show that the American economy has shrunk by an annualized rate 0.3%... Continue Reading »

Retail ETFs Might Suffer From Inventory Declines
October 20, 2008 – It’s a vicious circle that might have retail exchange traded funds (ETFs) squarely in the center: retailers are scaling back inventory because the shoppers aren’t there, but the shoppers can’t find what they need, so... Continue Reading »

Consumers’ Mood, Homebuilder ETFs Continue to Suffer
October 17, 2008 – Home construction exchange traded funds (ETFs) are down this morning after a report showed the production is at its slowest pace in 17 years. The 6.3% plunge was much larger than expected, reports Martin Crutsinger for... Continue Reading »

Retail Sales Leave ETFs With an Empty Cart
October 15, 2008 – Retail sales in September continued to show that consumers aren’t ready to splurge, and related exchange traded funds (ETFs) aren’t ready to perform. The 1.2% drop in sales was even worse than expected, and was the... Continue Reading »

Retail Sales Point to Slow ETFs and Holiday Sales
October 8, 2008 – The sharp slowdown in retail sales don’t bode well for this holiday season or related exchange traded funds (ETFs). The September numbers are in, and few companies are immune from the slowdown - including bargain retailers.... Continue Reading »

Consumer, Real Estate News Affects ETFs Differently
September 30, 2008 – Retail and real estate-focused exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be affected by the latest round of good news/bad news from their respective sectors. Consumer confidence in September actually made some slight gains to hit their highest... Continue Reading »

Consumer ETFs Stalwarts Amid Financial Crisis
September 16, 2008 – Consumer prices fell in August after months of rampant inflation, which in turn benefited retail exchange traded funds (ETFs). The Consumer Price Index fell 0.1% from last month, preceded by two months of increases: 0.8% in... Continue Reading »

Consumer Mood Lifts ETFs, Retail Numbers Take Them Lower
September 12, 2008 – The mood of consumers has risen to an eight-month high this month, and the performance of retail exchange traded funds (ETFs) are reflecting the lighter mood. The jump in the confidence index was unexpected, and it... Continue Reading »

There Are ETFs You Can Use to Hide From the Bear
September 11, 2008 – The markets are ugly, and many exchange traded funds (ETFs) are reflecting that. But as we always say, even as some areas are down, there are other areas that are performing well. You just have... Continue Reading »

School Not Off to a Peachy Start for Retailers, ETFs
September 4, 2008 – Glum economic news sent the markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs) lower in trading, especially in the retail sector. It’s the time of year for back-to-school shopping, but retailers’ numbers seemed to show that many kids... Continue Reading »

ETFs Could Deck the Halls With Strong Retail Numbers for Discounters
September 3, 2008 – Is the Ghost of Christmas Future trying to tell us that exchange traded funds (ETFs) could benefit from bargain-hunting this holiday season? The economy is not out of the doldrums yet, to be sure. While prices... Continue Reading »

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

Consumer ETFs Watch Personal Income Data
August 29, 2008 – A drop in personal incomes has investors wondering about consumers and the impact on exchange traded funds (ETFs). Personal incomes fell by 0.7% in July, the largest amount in nearly three years, reports Tim Paradis for the Associated... Continue Reading »

Falling Gas Prices Make Consumers and Retail ETFs Happy
August 26, 2008 – What do you know? Falling gas prices this month lifted the collective mood of consumers and exchange traded funds (ETFs). It’s had quite an effect, too: the increase in confidence is the biggest in two years,... Continue Reading »

Inflation, Housing Numbers Show ETFs, Markets Still In the Thick Of It
August 19, 2008 – Life is getting more expensive these days, and exchange traded funds (ETFs) could reflect it. Wholesale prices are shooting up at their fastest clip since 1981. Inflation surged 1.2% in July, more than twice what had... Continue Reading »

Weak Auto Sales Weigh Down Retail Sector and ETFs
August 13, 2008 – The retail sector and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are a little down in the dumps today after reports show that consumers are still getting squeezed by high fuel prices. Sales fell in July, and it was... Continue Reading »

Are Certain ETFs Overlooked for Good Reasons?
August 13, 2008 – As the global economy experiences worldwide economic slowdown, different exchange traded funds (ETFs) do not seem to be drawing to much attention to themselves. Gary Gordon of ETF Expert points out that certain ETFs that are... Continue Reading »

Lackluster Start to Back-To-School Season Hits Retail ETFs
August 7, 2008 – Those rebate checks are drying up, and the short-term boost retail exchange traded funds (ETFs) saw in the last month could be nearing its end as retailers report mixed results. The overall outlook for the back-to-school... Continue Reading »

Oil Prices Put Pinch on Consumers, ETFs in June
August 4, 2008 – Rising prices in June smacked down consumer spending and related exchange traded funds (ETFs). Spending, after adjusted for inflation, fell as shoppers were hit by the biggest price increases in nearly three decades. Those prices are... 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 »

Will Back-to-School ETFs Be As Great As Gatsby This Season?
July 25, 2008 – The ads are already infiltrating the newspapers and television commercials, and like Rodney Dangerfield, many U.S. families are gearing up to go back to school. Are retail exchange traded funds (ETFs) ready? Retailers are awaiting a... Continue Reading »

Retail ETFs Might Be About to Rock On Gas, Food Strength
July 15, 2008 – Retail sales and related exchange traded funds (ETFs) took a hit today as the June numbers came in. The 0.1% increase was weaker than analysts had expected, mostly because auto sales have plunged, reports Martin Crutsinger... Continue Reading »

Retail Sales Lift ETFs In June, But It’s Not Frivolous Spending
July 10, 2008 – If you took that rebate check and went shopping, give yourself a hearty pat on the back, because you just might have helped some retail exchange traded funds (ETFs) in June. Retail sales overall rose 4.3%,... Continue Reading »