The expansion of the ETF industry over the last several years has been truly impressive, as the product lineup has grown to more than 1,200 exchange-traded products and assets have passed the $1 trillion mark. But May marked a small step backwards, as ETF assets dipped slightly as a result of both weak equity market performance and net outflows. According to the latest data from the National Stock Exchange, ETF assets stood at $1.11 trillion at the end of May, down about 2% from the April total. [click to continue…]
PowerShares rolled out the latest additions to its ETF lineup on Thursday, commencing trading on two ETFs that offer exposure to specific subsets of the S&P 500 Index. The two new ETFs are:
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 [...]
U.S.-listed ETP assets grew to $1.078 trillion at the end of March according to the latest data from the National Stock Exchange, putting the cap on another solid quarter of growth for the industry. Cash inflows in March totaled $11.2 billion, a material increase from $7.4 billion the month before. That figure could have been [...]
Now available from ETF Database is the free Head-To-Head ETF Comparison Tool, an analytical resource that allows investors to quickly and easily compare two ETFs side by side and analyze how potential investments stack up in terms of holdings, performance, technical strength, and other descriptive metrics. The new comparison tool joins a number of free [...]
As the ETF industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, advisors are finding themselves with more options than ever before. While choices for achieving certain types of exposure are limited–VNM, for example, is the only pure play Vietnam ETF on the market–most asset classes present investors with various options. In many cases, [...]
Last week we highlighted several often-overlooked nuances of popular exchange-traded products, detailing the surprisingly large impact that seemingly minor distinctions can have on a portfolio’s risk/return profile. From the weighting methodology employed by the underlying index to the choice between large caps and small caps for international equity exposure, many details that are often the [...]
It may be premature to hit the print button for the death certificate of active management, but changes to the investing landscape over the last several years have forced a reassessment of the value proposition this strategy offers. Research suggesting that active managers fail to add value is, of course, nothing new. Over the last [...]
Last week was a roller coaster ride for equities, as markets began the week by plunging, then surged based on strong U.S. data. The week closed out with markets straddling the gain/loss line as U.S. unemployment saw an unexpected jump from 9.6% to 9.8% on Friday. Europe was one of the the main focuses of [...]
The S&P 500 Index is perhaps the world’s best known benchmark. First published in 1957, the cap-weighted index consists of 500 large cap U.S. stocks listed on either the NYSE or NASDAQ and has become a widely-followed barometer measuring the performance of the U.S. economy. The S&P 500 is a common benchmark for active managers [...]
As the ETF world continues to grow, the competitive landscape continues to evolve. In recent years, a growing number of firms have attempted to differentiate themselves by offering unique exposure to asset classes and strategies not previously available–such as funds tracking the Philippine stock market or ETNs linked to the price of industrial metals such [...]
