Commodity ETPs can be extremely powerful tools for tapping into an asset class capable of providing both return enhancement and diversification benefits. With dozens of products available–there are more than 120 U.S.-listed commodity ETFs according to the ETF screener–picking the right fund for your investment objectives and risk tolerances can be challenging. Beyond the type of commodity included, there can be several attributes of commodity ETPs that shape the risk/return profile; below, we look at five factors to consider when trying to narrow down the universe and find the right commodity ETF (or ETN): [click to continue…]
Although American equities got off to a rough start, markets soon rebounded and finished Monday trading on a much higher note. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the big three, gaining 0.6% on the day while the S&P 500 rose by 0.5% and the Dow added 0.4%. These gains were largely fueled by solid performances out of [...]
American equity markets tumbled across the board in Thursday trading as a surprisingly high reading from U.S. jobless claims sent markets into a tailspin. The Dow finished the day down 140 points, or 1.1%, while the S&P 500 finished lower by 0.9%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq, however, managed to finish the day down by just 0.5% [...]
Online broker Firstrade has become the latest firm to roll out a commission-free trading platform in an effort to lure ETF investors. The firm announced this week that ten ETFs would be available commission-free on its platform, including funds covering a number of asset classes and strategies. The commission-free ETFs include six Vanguard ETFs, three [...]
Saving for one’s retirement can certainly be a daunting task. After the crash of the markets in 2008, many everyday investors saw a large chunk of their retirement savings go down the drain in just a matter of months, leaving some in a deep hole. While those close to retirement have been hit but the [...]
Thanks to high oil prices and fears over a government shutdown, investors sold off U.S. equities across the board to close out the week. The Dow finished down by 0.2% while the broader indexes posted more significant losses of 0.6% for the Nasdaq and 0.4% for the S&P 500. Commodity markets, on the other hand, [...]
U.S. equity markets continued their recent slide as higher oil prices and tensions in Libya continued to weigh on stocks. The Dow fell by more than 100 points on the day while the S&P 500 slid by 0.6% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq slumped by 1.2% in the session as strong performances in a number of [...]
U.S. equity markets tumbled to start Monday’s session, but picked up steam in the final hours of trading to moderate losses. The Dow tumbled by 0.3% in Monday trading while the S&P 500 fell by just 0.1%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq managed to recoup its earlier losses and finished the day ahead by 0.2%. Commodities managed [...]
With 2011 just around the corner, tis the season for pledges to better everything from health to wealth to happiness in the coming year. Below, we offer up ten New Years’ Resolutions for ETF investors looking to cut expenses, round out their portfolios, and maximize returns in 2011 [for more ETF insights, sign up for [...]
With the finish line in sight, 2010 has been a generally solid year for commodities as an asset class; strong demand from emerging markets, a shaky dollar, fears about inflation, and a number of supply issues have conspired to send prices of everything from corn to gold to sugar skyward [see Top Five Commodity ETFs [...]
As the ETF industry has grown and evolved, the product lineup has become increasingly sophisticated. Many of the products now hitting the market are designed to address issues posed by earlier indexed products, as issuers strive to devise new strategies for accessing both traditional and exotic asset classes. A number of issuers, led by Schwab [...]
