Over the last several years ETFs have become popular tools for active investors seeking to take advantage of short-term mispricings in the market; the average daily trading volumes on many of the most popular-exchange-traded products clearly indicates that ETFs are widely used by day traders who measure their holding periods in minutes rather than years. Of course, ETFs also continue to be tremendously powerful tools for the set of the market for which they were originally designed: long-term, buy-and-hold investors. For those in it for the long haul, ETFs can represent a way to tap into a compelling investment thesis that is expected to play out over the course of several years or even decades, without conducting company-specific research or taking on considerable company-specific risk [see also 12 High-Yielding Commodities For 2012]. [click to continue…]
With ETF product development off to a robust start in 2012, issuers are continuing to fill the pipeline with new ideas. Industry veteran PowerShares filed with the SEC to bring to market tw0 active ETFs while First Trust has laid the groundwork to beef up its AlphaDEX lineup. Relative newcomer FlexShares made plans for a [...]
The tug of war between the bulls and bears continues on Wall Street as investors digested yet another plateful of mixed earnings results coupled with encouraging economic data. The Nasdaq remains at the front of the pack for the week, gaining 0.67% on the day, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged behind, clinching gains [...]
Tuesday was filled with all sorts of good, bad, and ugly news. At home, investors digested a solid earnings report from Wells Fargo, although Citigroup’s quarterly performance came in below expectations, painting a gloomier outlook for the financials sector as a whole. News from overseas was mixed as well; China posted better-than-expected GDP results while [...]
The bullish stampede on Wall Street came to a halt today as investors were torn between upbeat economic conditions at home and looming debt woes in the Euro zone. On the home front, the Nasdaq led the way higher with gains of 0.31% on the day, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped into negative [...]
Earnings season is officially underway and U.S. stocks have started off the ceremonies on a fairly strong note. Equity indexes broadly climbed higher as investors rejoiced over better-than-expected earnings results from Alcoa; the Nasdaq led the way higher on the home front, clinching gains of 0.97%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged behind, gaining [...]
The ETF industry finished 2011 with assets of about $1.06 trillion according to data recently released by the ETF Industry Association. Total assets grew by about 5% over the previous year, when the industry stood at $1.01 trillion. Net cash inflows for the year totaled about $117.6 billion, a slight decrease from 2010 when the [...]
Investors rang in the new year with plenty of activity in just the first week of trading in 2012. Markets welcomed better than expected U.S. employment data, which showed that job growth accelerated and the unemployment rate dropped lower in the month of December. The positive report helped boost hope for a strengthening labor market [...]
The year 2011 is without a doubt going down in the books as one of the most tumultuous periods in recent financial history, with everything from natural disasters to looming debt drama sparking waves of uncertainty throughout the year. Despite its safe haven reputation, even gold fell victim to volatile trading; the precious metal has [...]
Thursday was a mixed day for the markets as bearish pressures in the morning were overturned thanks to positive employment data on the home front. The Nasdaq led the way higher, clinching gains of 0.81% on the day, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged behind in red territory, shedding 0.02%. Gold continued its ascent [...]
Equity markets endured a rocky day of trading as mixed economic data paved the way for profit-taking and relatively light-volume price action. The Dow Jones Industrial Average proved most resilient, gaining 0.17% on the day, while the Nasdaq lagged behind, slipping into negative territory and closing down 0.01%. Conglomerates and industrial goods stocks led the [...]
