ETFs started February on a down note, with most equities slumping to finish the week. The euro sank to a new eight-month low against the dollar as sovereign debt concerns, specifically from Greece, continue to hang over the economic bloc. Meanwhile in the U.S., the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 9.7% despite losing 20,000 jobs in January. Below, we offer our picks for the week’s most important and interesting ETF stories from around the Web: [click to continue…]
With the highly-anticipated Copenhagen conference now in the books, many are cheering steps towards drastic cuts and a coordinated response to global climate change. Some emerging markets are calling on rich countries to cut their emissions by 40% compared to 1990 levels, as well as making a personal call to President Obama to have the U.S. join the Kyoto Protocol.
All of these developments and calls for reform are sure to impact countries across the globe, but it will perhaps have the greatest impact on the carbon market in the EU, the only region with a developed carbon credit trading system. The market allows companies to buy credits in order to pay for carbon emissions that their firms produce. This money is then used to pay for more sustainable initiatives in clean power and industrial efficiency programs in order to limit greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and efficiently as possible. [click to continue…]
For most investors, 2009 has been a very good year, with a surge in liquidity leading almost all asset classes to big gains. As many national economies emerged from recession, investors regained their appetite for risk, sending emerging markets funds through the rook (these funds dominated the list of the Top Ten Performing Equity ETFs). [...]
XShares has announced that it will liquidate its AirShares EU Carbon Allowances Fund (ASO) effective to July 31, 2009, and subsequently dissolve the fund. XShares cited the fund’s small size, inability to attract significant market interest since its inception, and the prospects for growth in the fund’s assets in the foreseeable future in its decision [...]
