Charles Schwab (NYSE: SCHW), the tenth-largest U.S. issuer of exchange traded funds, slightly lowered the expense ratios on two of its ETFs earlier this month.
The Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NYSEArca: SCHE) now charges 0.14% per year, down from 0.15%. That makes SCHE the least expensive emerging markets ETF. In late February, Vanguard, the third-largest U.S. ETF issuer, announced fee reductions on five of its ETFs, including the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEArca: VWO). VWO, the largest emerging markets ETF by assets, charges 0.15% per year. [Vanguard Lowers Fees on Five ETFs]
Schwab also reduced the expense ratio on the Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF (NYSEArca: SCHC) to 0.19% from 0.2%. The fee cuts were announced in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and went into effect on March 5.
The ETF fee war appears to be alive and well. Earlier this year, State Street’s (NYSE: STT) State Street Global Advisors, the second-largest U.S. ETF issuer, announced lower fees on its nine sector SPDR ETFs. Those ETF now charge 0.16% per year, down from 0.18%. [State Street Lowers Fees on Sector SPDRs]
Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF
ETF Trends editorial team contributed to this post.
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