ETF Database » ERO

Top Three Currency ETFs Of 2011

Jared Cummans — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:00:43 +0000

This past year has been marked by uncertainty and instability; what started off as a strong 2011, quickly turned into a wild ride for investors. As equities have been tossed back in forth in recent weeks, investors have their eyes fixed on major indexes and other indicators to judge the overall health of our economy. Needless to say, with all of the turmoil, a number of asset classes have flown relatively under the radar, including currencies. The greenback is always an area of concern, since virtually every major commodity is quoted in dollars and fluctuations in the currency can have an impact on geopolitical events as well. However, these concerns have slipped by the wayside in recent months as investors have instead focused in on rocky stock markets and the possibility of more accommodating policies by the Federal Reserve. Nonetheless, for 2011, the dollar has been nothing short of disappointing, as the former safe haven slowly crumbled, [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Ten Worst Performing ETFs Of 2010

Michael Johnston — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:00:54 +0000

In general, 2010 has been a pretty solid year for most portfolios. Despite lingering concerns about unemployment and mounting debt burdens, most global equity markets have moved higher on the year. Commodity markets have been red hot, with prices of many natural resources climbing to new highs thanks to strong demand from emerging markets and a shaky dollar. And while bonds have shown exceptional volatility during the last 12 months, many fixed income securities have managed to deliver at least modest gains as well. But there have, of course, been some disappointments this year as well. Below, we offer up some potential inspiration for contrarian investors: a list of ten of the worst performing ETFs of 2010. Performance data is as of December 21, and this list excludes all leveraged and inverse funds, as well as any ETFs that began trading during the year: 10. iPath EUR/USD Exchange Rate ETN [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Which Euro ETF Is Right For You?

Michael Johnston — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:44:02 +0000

One of the major stories of 2010 has been turmoil in the euro zone, as crumbling public finances in Greece have stoked fears of a “contagion effect” sweeping throughout the region. The prolonged economic downturn has left Greece with a massive budget deficit, and with $28 billion in debt due in April and May, fears of a default have soared in recent weeks. The government’s plans to rein in the deficit–including pay cuts, bonus freezes, and some hefty tax hikes–have met stiff resistance, as evidenced by the recent strikes from civil servants. Reflecting the extent to which global financial markets are now interconnected, Greece’s financial mess has weighed on stocks around the world, primarily on worries that a default there would be the first domino to fall. Several other European economies, including the much larger Spain and Portugal, have been tagged as potential threats as well, as skyrocketing unemployment has [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Euro ETFs Under Fire

Michael Johnston — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:28:08 +0000

As the U.S. dollar slid in recent months, one of the primary beneficiaries has been the euro, which had surged to the key $1.50 level relative to the dollar as worries about prolonged periods of low interest rates in the U.S. and the greenback’s future as the default reserve currency created a perfect storm around the greenback. But now the tables have turned, and the euro has been hit by a succession of negative developments that have erased months of gains in a few sessions. Last week’s downgrade of sovereign Greek debt by Fitch Ratings has started to weigh on the euro zone currency. Citing fiscal deterioration in one of the most debt-laden European states, Fitch became the first agency to drop Greece’s rating below “A” in more than ten years. The development hammered Greek stocks and bonds, and sent the euro lower as well. “The downgrade reflects concerns over [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Half Year In Review: Six ETF Stories From The First Six Months of ’09

Michael Johnston — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:05:58 +0000

With a roller coaster six months behind us that saw no shortage of interesting twists and turns and unsuspected headlines, we’ve finally reached the midway point of 2009. Ahead of us is the highly anticipated “second half of 2009,” which for months we’ve heard will hold returns to growth, a recovering economy, and enough green shoots feed a revolution (possibly the one taking shape in the streets of Iran?). When looking graphically at the market’s performance over the last two quarters, I felt like I was going through a sloppy to-do list. Everything looks like a squiggly checkmark, with a sharp decline in the beginning of the year followed by a longer upslope, bringing us right about back to where we started. But not all ETFs followed this pattern. Here’s a look at six groups of ETFs that distinguished themselves in the first half of 2009: 1. It’s G-O-O-D to be [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Basics of ETN Investing

Michael Johnston — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:00:29 +0000

Perhaps you’ve noticed that many of the investment vehicles in the ETF industry are technically referred to as exchange-traded notes, or ETNs. While ETNs are similar to ETFs in many ways, there are also some key differences that should be considered before investing. More Alike Than Different ETNs share many of the same advantages of ETFs compared to traditional actively-managed mutual funds. ETNs track the performance of an index (or individual asset). They also maintain relatively low expense ratios, may offer some unique tax advantages (more on this below), and feature lower minimum investment levels and greater transparency. So in many important respects, ETNs are similar to their ETF cousins. Underlying Assets Whereas ETFs typically offer investors exposure to various equity markets, many ETNs seek to mimic the return of certain commodity and currency markets (there are, however, several ETNs that offer exposure to various equity markets). The chart below lists several ETNs, along with [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

ETF Database » ERO

Top Three Currency ETFs Of 2011

Related Posts:

Ten Worst Performing ETFs Of 2010

Related Posts:

Which Euro ETF Is Right For You?

Related Posts:

Euro ETFs Under Fire

Related Posts:

Half Year In Review: Six ETF Stories From The First Six Months of ’09

Related Posts:

Basics of ETN Investing

Related Posts: