“[Millennials] are really leaning in,” Fischer said. “So the numbers overall are strong, but they are powerfully strong with millennials.”
Among the various strategies attracting greater attention, smart beta ETFs have hit the scene running, and interest for the alternative index-based strategies is only expanding.
“Five, six years ago, the question was, ‘Do these strategies work?'” Tony Davidow, Vice President of Alternative Beta & Asset Allocation Strategists at Charles Schwab, said at the conference. “Now the question is, ‘How do I use them? How do I distinguish between the array of strategies that held on the marketplace and then, more specifically, how do I use them to build better portfolios?'”
As the industry expands and more investment strategies are brought to market, ETF providers have done an excellent job in educating potential investors. However, the investment community still has a ways to go as many still don’t fully understand the relatively new investment vehicle, so education will remain a longstanding issue within the industry.
“Frankly, there’s a lot more that needs to be done,” Davidow added.
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