UBS, the issuer behind one of the broadest lineups of ETNs available to U.S. investors, continued the aggressive expansion of its product lineup this week with the introduction of two unique offerings. The company rolled out a pair of blunt instruments designed to be used in high level “risk on / risk off” trades, a term that has become popular in recent months as risky assets have exhibited strong correlations with one another and so-called “safe havens” have thrived whenever uncertainty pops up. The new ETRACS Fisher Gartman Risk On On ETN (ONN) will seek to replicate the Fisher-Gartman Risk Index, a benchmark that includes long positions in various risky asset classes such as stocks and commodities and short positions in traditional safe haven investments such as sovereign bonds. The index consists of 150% long positions combined with 50% short exposure, resulting in a net 100% long portfolio: [click to continue…]
Wall Street continued its wild ride last week as equity indexes sank lower after a discouraging downgrade of Ireland to junk status and ongoing worries about the debt ceiling on the home front. Alcoa started the week with upbeat results and Google left investors smiling on Friday as shares soared upwards of 10% after the [...]
No matter where investors look in the developed world, the picture isn’t pretty. In the U.S. unemployment remains intolerably high, and uncertainty over the latest round of QE will continue to hang over stock markets. In Europe efforts to control surging deficits have been met with protests and public outrage, complicating the process of reeling [...]
As the American economy continues to grow at a painfully slow pace, investors have begun to lose confidence in the once rock solid greenback. This has pushed many investors into the relative safety of gold and other precious metals, many of which are now breaking through or approaching all-time highs. Even the much maligned euro–despite [...]
Brazil has become one of the most popular investment destinations in recent years, as U.S. investors have begun to question their “home country bias” and tilt portfolios more heavily towards the fast-growing emerging markets. Once upon a time, options for exposure to Brazil were somewhat limited; most mutual funds and some of the first ETFs [...]
When the global economy transitioned into “recovery mode” following the latest recession, the emerging markets of the world jumped into the lead and quickly left their developed counterparts in the dust. Although advanced economies have resumed expansion, growth rates in the U.S. and Western Europe lag far behind the impressive figures being put up by [...]
The first half of 2010 was a very interesting period for currency ETFs, which look to remain in focus as the second half of the year gets underway and attention turns to central bank rate hikes. One of the biggest news stories from the first half of the year in the world of finance was [...]
In recent weeks markets have encountered turmoil with prospects for growth around the world being slashed as debt issues in Europe weigh on investors. As investors continue to flee the euro, many are flocking towards the relative safety of the U.S. dollar, further driving up the greenback and dragging down commodity prices. In addition to [...]
As ETFs have transitioned from a closet industry to a mainstream investment vehicle, a growing number of investors has become familiar with the exchange-traded structure and the nuances of of the industry. Most advisors now recognize the “super tickers”–SPY, GLD, EEM, etc.–and have a good feel for the size and scope of the industry. But [...]
As global economies grapple with the challenge of unwinding massive stimulus plans in an orderly manner, central bank meetings have taken on a new importance. Following a relatively uneventful meeting of the Federal Reserve, Brazil’s central bank took center stage this week, deciding to keep rates steady at a record low of 8.75%. Some investors [...]
Federal Reserve meetings are always among the most anticipated and closely scrutinized events in the investment community, as specific decisions on key interest rates and more general observations on the state of the economy have the power to set off waves of either buying or selling on Wall Street and around the globe. Central bank [...]
