Trading Volume of Financial ETFs Surges
November 24, 2008 – It has a been a wild roller coaster ride for exchange traded funds (ETFs) focused on the financial sector, with fluctuations in asset value and trading volume. The effect has resulted in winners and losers. Since... Continue Reading »

Financial ETFs, Stocks Walloped, and It Could Get Worse
November 20, 2008 – Citigroup’s (C) descent to 13-year lows has only contributed to the woes that financial exchange trade funds (ETFs) have seen all year. The banking giant’s stock is now trading around $5, and it may only be... Continue Reading »

Big Banks in ETFs Say Bailout Won’t Go to Salaries
November 13, 2008 – As major components of financial exchange traded funds (ETFs), there was a lot of concern in the investment community and the country at large about how banks would be using their bailout funds. Executives for some... Continue Reading »

Financial ETFs Wilt As Bailout Costs Racked Up
November 12, 2008 – The cost of bailing out the auto industry and our financial institutions, many of which are major components in exchange traded funds (ETFs), is nearing $3.5 trillion. And that’s just the beginning. Although Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and... Continue Reading »

Unlike ETFs, Bailout Plan Sorely Lacks Transparency
November 11, 2008 – The financial landscape is shifting and changing, and the truth is, no one knows where it or the related exchange traded funds (ETFs) are going to wind up when all is said and done. As efforts... Continue Reading »

Mixed Blessing for Financial ETFs
November 6, 2008 – Finance and financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) can feel the impact of bank-to-bank lending rate cuts. But the impact may not be all that helpful. The London interbank offered rate (Libor) fell to 2.51% from 4.82%... Continue Reading »

ETFs For After The Rate Cut
October 29, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) across several sectors will feel the impact of the Federal Reserve’s decision today to cut rates by 0.5% in an effort to revive the economy and get the credit markets flowing... Continue Reading »

Let’s Get Ready to Rebound
October 28, 2008 – As the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared today to a nearly 900-point gain, the largest financial exchange traded fund (ETF) rode the top of the wave. The Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) gained a one-day trading... Continue Reading »

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

As Banks See Shift, So Could Financial ETFs
October 21, 2008 – The financial exchange traded fund (ETF) landscape has already changed significantly this year in the wake of bank mergers, takeovers and bankruptcies. But if the Treasury Department has its way, there could still be plenty... Continue Reading »

Regional Banks ETF Stays Afloat
October 21, 2008 – Where logic takes over, it would be reasonable to assume that the entire banking and financial sector, and related shares and exchange traded funds (ETFs), would be battered alike. The majority of the banking beating took... Continue Reading »

Cash Infusion for Banks Could Put ETFs On Right Foot
October 14, 2008 – The government is making $250 billion available to banks in an effort to help them recapitalize, in what could perhaps be the first steps toward an exchange traded fund (ETF) and market recovery. The proposal follows... Continue Reading »

Federal Reserve Takes First Steps to Revive Markets, ETFs
October 7, 2008 – A plan to address the many issues our economy is having right now is taking shape, much to the liking of the markets and exchange traded funds (ETFs). The Federal Reserve has announced a plan to... Continue Reading »

As Bailout Deal Is Hashed Out, Markets, ETFs Wait
September 30, 2008 – After yesterday’s stunning plunge that left stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) nursing some heavy wounds, U.S. and global leaders pulled together to plead with lawmakers to pass a $700 billion bailout plan to save... Continue Reading »

Federal Rescue Is Just the Beginning for Financial ETFs
September 29, 2008 – The bailout that many hope will be the salve to soothe volatile markets and hurting exchange traded funds (ETFs) cleared a hurdle this weekend. Lawmakers agreed to the deal, and now the vote is being put... Continue Reading »

Goldman, Buffett Deal Could Help Financials, ETFs
September 24, 2008 – Could the financial companies and exchange traded funds (ETFs) get a boost of confidence after a deal between two big Wall Street names? Here’s hoping. Gouldman Sachs (GS) said that it has received $5 billion in... Continue Reading »

Government Plan So Far Not Bailing Out Financial ETFs
September 22, 2008 – Financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) and the broader markets so far today don’t seem to be lifted by the government’s bailout plan. Wall Street is following up two days of huge gains with a drop of... Continue Reading »

Sticking to a Strategy With ETFs Is Also a ‘Safe Haven’
September 19, 2008 – After a week like this, in which many financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) have rapidly gained, then just as rapidly plummeted and so on, it’s worth taking a look at the assets. Although today was a... Continue Reading »

The Worst Is Over for Financial ETFs, Or It Isn’t
September 19, 2008 – The government has announced that it’s hatching a plan to save our financial system - time to get back into financial exchange traded funds (ETFs), right? Well, not so fast. The government’s plan isn’t fully fleshed... Continue Reading »

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

Financial ETFs Picking Up the Pieces
September 16, 2008 – So far this morning, Wall Street is holding steady and financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) appear to be in recovery mode as traders, investors and pundits survey the wreckage that was Monday. The Federal Reserve meeting,... Continue Reading »

Major Institutions’ Woes Drag Down Financials ETFs
September 15, 2008 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average and a whole slew of exchange traded funds (ETFs) are trading sharply lower this morning as a tsunami of trouble hit several large financial firms. Lehman Brothers Holdings (LEH) filed for... Continue Reading »

For Financial ETFs, This Week Could Have Been Worse
September 12, 2008 – Given the troubles with Lehman Brothers (LEH), Washington Mutual (WM), Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE) this week, things could have been a whole lot uglier than they actually have been for financial exchange... Continue Reading »

ETFs Are Becoming the ‘Go-To’ Security of Choice
September 12, 2008 – Exchange traded funds (ETFs) might finally have reached the big time. Matthew Hougan for Index Universe points out that not only was Monday a big day for ETFs, as they were the three top traded securities... Continue Reading »

Trouble In Financial World Weighs on ETFs, Global Markets
September 10, 2008 – Financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) are smack in the middle of a rough week. Lehman Brothers Holdings (LEH) said it plans to sell a majority stake in its investment management unit and spin off commercial real... Continue Reading »

Financial ETFs Wait On Fannie And Freddie To Get Well Soon
September 9, 2008 – The recent bailout of mortgage powerhouses Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have many exchange traded fund (ETF) investors wondering if this could be the recovery the financial sector needed. Although last week the financial sector was... Continue Reading »

ETF Investors Wonder: Is Bailout a Band-Aid or a Real Solution?
September 8, 2008 – Financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) received an early-morning jump from the plan for the U.S. government to bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In fact, this intraday chart showing the Financial Select Sector... Continue Reading »

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

Gustav Gives Relief to Oil and ETFs
September 2, 2008 – Hurricane Gustav spared oil facilities in the Gulf Coast this weekend, easing investor concerns, sending oil prices lower and exchange traded funds (ETFs) higher.  Crude oil fell to $108.77 a barrel in mid-day trading today, reports... 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 »

Bernanke and Buffett Speak, Markets and Financial ETFs Smile
August 22, 2008 – Stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) rose this morning after some hopeful words from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. He said that while the inflation outlook is uncertain, the recent decline in commodity prices and the... Continue Reading »

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

Financial ETFs Reacting Well to Sector’s News
August 8, 2008 – The financial sector and exchange traded funds (ETFs) have seen some rough times this year. But coming off news of July’s rebound is a round of news this morning that seems to have things picking up... Continue Reading »

Probe of Citigroup and Others Could Hit Financial ETFs
August 1, 2008 – Citigroup’s (C) imminent charges could wind up packing a wallop for financial exchange traded funds (ETFs). New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has said he plans to charge the bank with fraudulently marketing and selling auction-rate... Continue Reading »

Water, Singapore Are ETFs to Watch
August 1, 2008 – Although trading volume in some exchange traded funds (ETFs) has spiked rapidly recently, one fund manager is skeptical of some of the movements. Anthony Welch, the Sarasota Capital Strategies manager, is not buying the recent... Continue Reading »

Is It Time To Get Back Into Financial ETFs?
August 1, 2008 – For more than a year now, the financial sector has taken a beating and financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) have since been bruised and battered. However, such stocks as Wachovia Corp. (WB), have been selling at... 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 »

Financial ETFs Trip Early, Then Dust Themselves Off
July 22, 2008 – Beginning late last week, financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) had a nice ride. This morning, it appeared the good times were about to stop, but after Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pushed Congress to quickly approve... Continue Reading »

Bank of America Delivers Goods to Financial ETFs
July 21, 2008 – Financial exchange traded funds (ETFs) are getting off to a solid start this morning after Bank of America announced earnings that were better than expected. The news raised hopes that the wounds of the credit crisis... 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 »