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 largest and most-heavily traded funds, but the majority of those that made the list are lesser known ETFs likely off the radar of many ETF investors. [click to continue…]
One of the major stories in recent weeks has been the resurgence of the U.S. dollar against many of its major rivals, as the greenback has reclaimed much of the ground lost in recent months against the yen, pound, and Australian dollar. But the dollar’s biggest surge has come against the euro, which has been battered by troubling events in two euro zone countries. [click to continue…]
Thanks to strong economic recoveries in Germany and France, the 16-country euro zone has now officially exited its worst recession in a half century. According to data released on Friday, the euro zone grew by 0.4% in the third quarter, compared with a 0.2% decline in the second quarter. Although the news strengthened hopes of [...]
Over the weekend in Germany, an alliance between the conservative Christian Democratic Union and the pro-business Free Democratic Party claimed a majority in Germany’s lower house of Parliament that could set the stage for slashes to government spending and income taxes. German Chancellor Angela Merkel now has a partner who supports implementing tax cuts, not [...]
Over the past several months, concerns over the fallout from the massive stimulus plans, rising unemployment, and continued weakness in corporate earnings have left many investors rethinking their allocations to U.S. equities. Once considered an essential element of any portfolio, American stocks have fallen out of favor with some investors who have shifted assets towards [...]
