For most investors, 2011 was a frustrating year; after some strong early gains seemingly pointed to a continuation of the recovery that took root in 2010, the appearance of some major obstacles sent many major indexes back towards negative territory. The impressive late December rally closed the year on a high note, but there is no doubt room for improvement in 2012 as many attempt to return their portfolios to pre-recession valuations.
The continued innovation and growth in the ETF industry in 2011 has given investors more tools in the toolkit than ever before, and it has made easier to maintain portfolios of all degrees of sophistication using only exchange-traded products. For those looking to take more control over their portfolios in the new year, we highlight ten tips that can enhance your ETF experience and help you get the most out of the robust lineup of exchange-traded products [sign up for a free 7-day trial of ETFdb Pro to get access to more than 30 all-ETF model portfolios]: [click to continue…]
Europe has been in the spotlight throughout the last several months as the continent has fought an increasingly desperate battle to ward off a wave of sovereign debt defaults that could ultimately lead to the end of the euro. While much of the attention–particularly from international investors–has focused on tumbling stocks, bond markets across the [...]
This past week was one of the worst the markets have seen since the crash in 2008. Lawmakers in Washington came to a consensus regarding the debt-ceiling, voting to raise the limit on our nation’s already towering deficit. Investor sentiment was pessimistic nonetheless and equity markets sold off even after the debt-drama appeared to be [...]
Monday was yet another down day for Wall Street as stocks started the week in red territory given the anticipation surrounding the debt-ceiling negotiations. Even after lawmakers in Washington passed the debt-deal on Tuesday, equities still tanked in afternoon trading as investors went into a selling-frenzy. Persistent uncertainty and broad-based weakness continue to pave the [...]
Investors went along for a downhill ride last week as debt woes plagued Wall Street, sending the S&P 500 lower by nearly 4% for the week. Corporate earnings were mostly surprises to the upside, but equities failed to stage a meaningful comeback since investors were more concerned with the debt ceiling drama at home. As [...]
The ETF industry continues to expand at an impressive rate, with dozens of new products debuting every month and the size of the lineup quickly approaching the 1,300 mark. While each new month generally brings a number of new product launches, it also beings some important milestones for ETFs that have debuted in the past. [...]
The fixed income corner of the ETF industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, as investors have become increasingly comfortable with achieving bond exposure through the exchange-traded structure. In 2010 more than $26 billion flowed into bond ETFs, following a year that saw more than $42 billion in net inflows. During the first six [...]
U.S. stocks tumbled to close out the Holiday-shortened week as nonfarm payrolls rose by an abysmal 54k, well short of analyst estimates, pushing the unemployment rate up to 9.1%. The Dow tumbled by 97 points on the session while the S&P 500 fell by roughly 1% and the Nasdaq led all three on the downside, losing close [...]
The past week has seen the continuation of brisk expansion in the ETF industry, with more than a dozen new products debuting. The product pipeline continues to fill as well, with the most noteworthy addition being PIMCO’s proposed Total Return ETF. Many of the other recent filings haven’t brought nearly the level of attention paid [...]
Japan’s economy has been in the spotlight for the last several weeks, as investors have attempted to determine the long-term impact of the recent natural disaster and ongoing nuclear crisis. Although the horrific disaster rocked the Japanese economy and brought up a fresh crop of issues for the nation, some are beginning to look beyond [...]
The attention of investors shifted from the Middle East to Japan late last week, as the natural devastation caused by a massive earthquake trumped the manmade chaos that has been playing out in Libya, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the oil-rich region. With rescue efforts intensifying in the north of Japan after a magnitude 8.9 [...]
