Wall Street bonuses on par with the glory days of the early 2000s have convinced many investors (and politicians) that the financial sectors is back on steady ground, churning out record profits and once again rolling the dice on risky financial instruments. But according to a recent study, private equity firms face one of the toughest operating environments in decades, and a wave of mergers and closures is expected to wash over the industry in coming months. [click to continue…]
Many investors will be sorry to see 2009 end. Following one of the most disruptive years in recent memory in 2008, almost every asset class participated in a stellar recovery this year. At the depth of the recession, fear trumped reason, and irrational anxieties pushed many assets, including ETFs, well below their intrinsic value. Much of the final three quarters of the year was spent recouping these losses, much to the delight to those who had the wisdom to identify an exaggerated downward correction and the stomach to stay all in as prices bottomed out.
Now, with 2010 just around the corner, the hard work begins. The low-hanging fruit has been collected, and the road ahead is littered with daunting obstacles, ranging from still-rising unemployment to inflation concerns to international debt crises. That’s not to say that 2010 won’t be another stellar year, just that more concrete evidence of a progressing recovery will be needed to push prices higher. “Less bad” news can only be dressed up as signs of improvement for so long.
As we look ahead to 2010, there are a number of bright spots in the ETF industry. Below is a look at ten funds we think present compelling cases for investment in the new year: [click to continue…]
October was another busy month for the ETF industry, with the launch of several new funds, including a handful that will compete directly with well-established ETFs and some that seek to address potential regulatory issues facing traditional commodity products. Highlights from the month included:
Chicago-based Invesco PowerShares announced yesterday that its Listed Private Equity Portfolio (PSP) will broaden its scope and begin tracking the Global Listed Private Equity Index, a benchmark composed of publicly-listed private equity firms around the world. Previously, PSP had tracked the Red Rocks Capital Listed Private Equity Index, a domestic benchmark.
