Oil has not been the talk of markets since pre-recessionary time when sky high prices, above $140 per barrel to be exact, were acting as an anchor on various aspects of our economy. That period in time saw numerous businesses struggle with soaring crude prices, a good example being U.S. airline Skybus, who was forced to go out of business due to profits being severely pinched by jumps in crude. Then tragedy struck as markets took a nose dive, bringing oil prices back down to earth, where they remained, until recently.
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As we enter year three of record low interest rates, many investors continue to face significant challenges in constructing a portfolio that delivers attractive current income without taking on considerable risks. With interest rates on investment grade fixed income securities pushed down, investors who require a constant stream of payments from their portfolios have been [...]
As the ETF world continues to expand at an impressive pace, a number of companies have sought to bring their own lineup of funds to the market in order to grab a piece of this rapidly-increasing pie. However, some have taken a different approach to gaining an ETF foothold, preferring to buy up existing issuers [...]
The first half of 2010 has not been particularly kind to U.S. equity markets, but some corners of the economy have had a tougher road than others. The domestic energy sector has been battered and bruised by the first six months of the year; nearly all of the funds in the Energy Equities ETFdb Category [...]
Volatility is nothing new for the energy sector. Recent years have seen the price of crude oil skyrocket to $150 before plummeting to $30, taking the profitability and outlook for an entire industry along for the ride. Outrage at elevated gas prices has sparked intense scrutiny in the past, and clashes between Big Oil and [...]
With IRA contribution deadlines right around the corner, many investors are scrambling to decide how best to allocate their money. ETFs are a relatively new vehicle for many investors, but they are becoming increasingly common choices for IRA accounts. Admittedly, some of the benefits traditionally associated with ETFs don’t translate completely to an IRA. Tax-efficient [...]
With Treasuries and corporate bonds offering record low yields and perhaps relatively high risk, many investors have begun looking elsewhere for opportunities to provide reliable income to their portfolios. Dividend-paying ETFs are one interesting option, but some investors are hesitant to swing big portions of their fixed income allocation into equities.
Oil prices have nearly doubled from January 2009 levels, and many investors are once again looking towards energy ETFs as potential beneficiaries of a prolonged jump in prices. But unlike previous oil rallies, the domestic energy sector has delivered a muted performance in the wake of the most recent run-up. The industry followed “black gold’s” [...]
While international ETF investing has proliferated over the past few years, many investors have focused on far-away economies, forgetting markets much closer to home that can offer compelling returns. Canada likely doesn’t come to mind when most investors are looking to achieve geographic diversification, but ‘The Great White North’ has one of the most diversified [...]
