The rapid rise of the ETF industry has caused the expanded the investment arsenal of millions significantly, bringing asset classes previously reserved for only the largest and most sophisticated investors within reach. This development is perhaps best demonstrated by the surge in popularity of exchange-traded commodity products. According to data from the National Stock Exchange, commodity ETFs took in more than $30 billion in 2009, an amount that is even more remarkable considering that domestic equity funds saw outflows of over $8 billion. [click to continue…]
Oil prices have nearly doubled from January 2009 levels, and many investors are once again looking towards energy ETFs as potential beneficiaries of a prolonged jump in prices. But unlike previous oil rallies, the domestic energy sector has delivered a muted performance in the wake of the most recent run-up. The industry followed “black gold’s” [...]
In a year that has delivered solid returns for most commodities investors, natural gas has been the glaring exception. For most of 2009, weak fundamentals and return-eroding contango have hammered the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG), sending the ETF down more than 60%. But the year that most investors in natural gas would like [...]
Last month, Geary Advisors made its entrance into the ETF industry with the launch of the Oklahoma Exchange-Traded Fund (OOK), the first state-specific ETF available to U.S. investors. While the unique investment strategy of this ETF may have caught investors’ eyes initially, the truly interesting part of OOK is its risk and return profile. With [...]
It’s been an interesting week in the world of ETFs: major indexes trended higher despite an increase in the trade deficit and a lower number for the Consumer Sentiment Index. Here are the ETF Database staff picks of the week’s most important and interesting stories from around the Web:
When most ETF investors think of natural gas, they invariably think of the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG), perhaps the exchange-traded product subject to the most regulatory scrutiny over the last two years. But while UNG is the $4 billion elephant in the room, it isn’t the only option for investors looking to gain [...]
Last month we reported that several well-known financial institutions, including investment bank Jefferies and Manulife Financial, were planning to enter the ever-expanding ETF industry. Jefferies has now taken the next step towards joining the fray, releasing details on its first two proposed funds.
