Just a few years ago there were only a handful of bond ETFs available to U.S. investors, and almost all of them focused on securities from U.S. issuers denominated in U.S. dollars. One of the most noteworthy innovations to shape the ETF industry over the last several years has been a significant growth in international bond products; as issuers have worked around concentration-related issues and other hurdles, the universe of bond ETPs targeting markets beyond U.S. borders has grown tremendously.
The current economic environment has no doubt contributed to the growth of international bond ETFs; paltry yields on U.S. debt and concerns over the long-term outlook for the euro have understandable sparked interest in ex-U.S. bonds as a way to both boost yields and diversify away some risk [see Better-Than-AGG Total Bond Market ETFdb Portfolio]. [click to continue…]
The curtain is about to drop on 2011, a year that will go down as a record-breaking period for the rapidly-expanding ETF industry. More than 300 exchange-traded products began trading this year, with dozens of issuers rolling out new products. While some of the new additions bear a striking resemblance to more established products on [...]
2011 has been arguably one the busiest ever for the ETF industry, as we are on pace to break through 300 new launches for the year. As we rapidly approach 1,400 total funds in the space, it can be a daunting task to try and keep up with the tidal wave of new products that [...]
by Jared Cummans on November 22, 2011 | Updated November 21, 2012
Interest in achieving fixed income exposure through exchange-traded funds has been a hot topic in recent years, with some advisors expressing serious concerns over the potential shortcomings in bond ETFs while others have fully embraced the efficiencies of the exchange-traded structure [see Are Bond ETFs Broken?].
Since the ETF industry was conceived close to two decades ago, innovation has been a hallmark of this rapidly-expanding corner of the investing landscape. Thanks to a unique structure that allows for liquidity, transparency, and tax efficiency, ETFs have quickly and consistently taken market share from other types of securities, bringing newfound flexibility to all [...]
The third quarter got off to a sizzling start in the ETF industry; a surge in asset prices boosted asset levels significantly after two months of freefalls, and the product development activity remained strong after a busy month of September. Close to 30 new products began trading last month, including many first-to-market ideas that have [...]
Innovation has become standard in the ETF industry in recent years, as dozens of issuers have continued to roll out exciting new products offering exposure to new asset classes and investment strategies. The climb to 1,300 funds–more than doubling the size of the ETF lineup in just a few years–has been driven primarily by innovation, [...]
WisdomTree, the issuer behind a number of popular international debt ETFs, followed through today on the previously announced conversion of its Dreyfus New Zealand Dollar Fund (previously traded under the ticker BNZ) to the Australian & New Zealand Debt Fund (AUNZ). The revised fund will continue to be actively managed, with the investment objective changing [...]
Wall Street started and ended last week on a positive note. Investors came back to the equity markets on Monday after French and German policymakers voiced their support to come up with a viable plan for restoring stability in the Euro zone by November. Meanwhile, on the home front, domestic equity indexes extended gains throughout [...]
Van Eck beefed up its lineup of international bond ETFs today, rolling out a product focused on Chinese debt traded in the “Dim Sum” bond market in Hong Kong. The new Market Vectors Renminbi Bond ETF (CHLC) will seek to replicate an index comprised of investment grade debt that is denominated in renminbi and available [...]
The reasons for the rise of the ETF industry are numerous: intraday liquidity, (potentially) superior tax efficiency, and enhanced transparency relative to traditional actively-managed mutual funds have all contributed to the billions of dollars of inflows that these funds have seen in recent years. But the real attraction for most ETF investors is the reduced [...]
