So far in 2011 more than 200 new exchange-traded products have debuted, taking the ETF lineup close to the 1,300 mark. Over the past several years, the exposure accessible through ETFs has become increasingly granular; while some of the new products debuting are “plain vanilla” funds linked to well known indexes (such as the recent debut of SCHZ), the vast majority of new additions offer targeted exposure to specific markets or sectors or somewhat complex investment strategies involving multiple asset classes or sub-classes. [click to continue…]
While reports of jobless rates in the U.S. or the pace of inflation in China occasionally pop to the top of the headlines, the last several months have seen the spotlight focused on European markets as the continent continues to battle a debt crisis that has threatened to derail a fragile economic recovery. While the [...]
Last weeks developments in the Middle East once again captured the attention of investors, as escalations of protests and violence in Libya sent oil on a wild ride over the course of several days. The impact of the geopolitical tensions seem unlikely to ease at any point in the near future; while the unrest is [...]
With the end of the year rapidly approaching, 2010 has been anything but kind to the euro zone. The currency bloc has experienced its worst financial crisis since the adoption of the euro, at one point teetering on the brink of a widespread crisis and perhaps even complete collapse. Across the continent heavily indebted nations [...]
These days the only green in Ireland seems to be in the rolling country hillsides. The Emerald Isle has become the latest trouble zone in the euro zone’s ongoing fiscal nightmare, as problems at one of the country’s largest banks threaten to reignite concerns over the financial stability of the entire region. After meeting with [...]
For much of 2010 the euro zone has taken center stage, giving directions to equity markets around the world as the debt-laden continent did its best to stave off a potentially devastating fiscal crisis. In recent weeks, a number of positive indications have emerged, giving investors hope of a rally not only in Europe but [...]
Among the hardest hit nations by the recent financial crisis was Ireland, which saw its economy crumble as financial markets fell apart in late 2008. The country was the first in the EU to officially enter a recession and has been battling debt troubles, high unemployment, and GDP contraction ever since. However, Ireland was quick [...]
One of the stories to dominate the financial headlines in recent months has been the euro’s sharp decline against rival currencies, most notably the U.S. dollar. As worries about the ability of cash-strapped governments to draft and implement harsh austerity measures have intensified, investors have fled euro-denominated assets and sought out markets deemed to be [...]
Late last week iShares completed the latest addition to its ETF product line, launching three new funds. While each of the new products is unique in some way, the one that likely caught the eye of most investors was the MSCI Ireland Investable Market Index Fund (EIRL). This ETF is the second attempt to offer [...]
The latest ETF figures show that iShares still has a solid grip on the top spot on the totem pole, but that hasn’t stopped the industry leader from rolling out new products in an attempt to increase its market share. The latest additions to the iShares product line were rolled out on Friday, including a [...]
