Following the massive injections into capital markets in recent years, inflation has become a major concern of many investors, and the quest to uncover assets that offer portfolio protection against a potential uptick in the CPI has taken on many forms. While inflation-protected bonds are the instrument of choice for some, others have turned their attention to commodities, hoping that the addition of hard assets to a portfolio will reduce overall volatility and provide a hedge against inflation. [click to continue…]
For most investors, 2009 has been a very good year, with a surge in liquidity leading almost all asset classes to big gains. As many national economies emerged from recession, investors regained their appetite for risk, sending emerging markets funds through the rook (these funds dominated the list of the Top Ten Performing Equity ETFs). But less risky asset classes also jumped in 2009, and the vast majority of exchange-traded products are heading towards the finish line well in the black on the year. [click to continue…]
It’s been an interesting week in the world of ETFs: Greek government debt was downgraded and world leaders continued their climate conference in Copenhagen. Here are the ETF Database staff picks of the week’s most important and interesting stories from around the Web:
As U.S. equity markets have soared in recent months, the dollar has steadily declined against most of its major rivals, recently falling below the key $1.50 level against the euro for the first time since August of last year. This extended fall has investors wondering if the dollar’s decline reflects temporary volatility, or a long-term [...]
Sugar ETFs have continued their “almost vertical trajectory” in recent weeks, soaring higher on news that several major food producers sent a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture exclaiming that the U.S. could “virtually run out of sugar” if import restrictions on the sweetener aren’t lifted. Currently, quotas limit the amount of sugar U.S. companies [...]
