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…]
With some 3,700 companies, the NASDAQ has more trading volume than any other stock exchange in the world. The NASDAQ 100 is one of the world’s most widely-followed indexes, measuring the performance of 100 of the largest domestic and international nonfinancial companies listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market. As the ETF industry has boomed, billions [...]
Following a year that saw some of the worst performances in recent memory, many asset classes have bounced back in 2009. But some have performed better than others, and as the year draws to a close we take a look at some of the best-performing ETFs. The year’s top gainers include a few of the [...]
Research In Motion, the Canadian Maker of the popular BlackBerry smartphone, reported strong third quarter results on Thursday, beating Street expectations by 6 cents a share and sending shares soaring up by more than 7% in early Friday trading. Many analysts had anticipated that increased competition from other device makers would drag down sales, but [...]
Leveraged ETFs were in the headlines a great deal in 2009, but most of the coverage was less than favorable. Misinformation on these products was widespread throughout the year, leading to confusion on many aspects of these products and some unfair generalizations. One of the primary points of discussion was the performance of leveraged ETFs [...]
Boasting competitive cost structures, enhanced tax efficiencies, and improved liquidity features, ETFs have quickly become one of the most popular tools for all types of investors. But despite the rapid rise of the industry over the last five years, there are still countless investors, including many financial advisors, who are completely unaware of exchange-traded funds. [...]
For investors looking to make a play on the technology sector through ETFs, there are a number of options offering varying degrees of exposure. The PowerShares QQQ Trust (QQQQ) tracks the Nasdaq 100 Index, meaning it is tilted heavily towards the technology sector (about 65% of its holdings), but maintains moderate exposure to health care [...]
Just as there are various “celebrity stock tickers” that every investor recognizes instantly (GOOG, MSFT, F, JNJ), there are some ETFs that everyone knows. Generally, these ETFs, such as SPY, GLD, and QQQQ, reflect the most widely-known investment strategies and asset classes. And while the 25 largest funds that account for more than half of [...]
by Jimmy A on September 9, 2009 | Updated September 10, 2009
Earlier today, ETF Database Senior Analyst Michael Johnston appeared on Business News Network’s The Close program to discuss ETF plays on Apple’s news regarding Steve Jobs, the new iPhone OS, the new iTunes, and more. Johnston analyzes IYW, QQQQ, and XLK in the live TV interview from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Watch the full interview [...]
Later today, Apple has an invitation only event scheduled at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco (10 am Pacific time). Apple has confirmed that the meeting will have a music theme, but beyond that it’s anyone’s guess as to what will transpire at the much anticipated event (some believe the [...]
In the summer of 1992, Eugene Fama and Kenneth French published “The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns” in The Journal of Finance, a groundbreaking analysis that prompted financial presses to run headlines declaring “beta is dead.” While the death sentence may have been a bit severe, it struck a significant blow to a widely-accepted and [...]
