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As some financial advisors are now well aware, the term “ETF” is often used rather liberally to refer to a variety of different exchange-traded products that generally function in the same manner from the perspective of an investor. More accurately, ETFs can be described as a type of exchange-traded product, or ETP, an umbrella that also covers exchange-traded commodities, exchange-traded notes, and unit investment trusts (UITs). The nuances of these various structures might not make for the most lively discussion, but it is a worthwhile task for anyone who manages money for a living, as the seemingly minor differences between these types of products can often have a meaningful impact on risk taken on and bottom line returns realized [see 25 Things Every Financial Advisor Should Know About ETFs].

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Commodity ETF Investing: Five Factors To Consider

by Michael Johnston on June 13, 2011

Commodity ETPs can be extremely powerful tools for tapping into an asset class capable of providing both return enhancement and diversification benefits. With dozens of products available–there are more than 120 U.S.-listed commodity ETFs according to the ETF screener–picking the right fund for your investment objectives and risk tolerances can be challenging. Beyond the type of commodity included, there can be several attributes of commodity ETPs that shape the risk/return profile; below, we look at five factors to consider when trying to narrow down the universe and find the right commodity ETF (or ETN): [click to continue…]

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How Balanced Is Your Commodity ETF?

by Michael Johnston on May 16, 2011

As natural resource prices have climbed skyward, interest in exchange-traded products that offer exposure to commodities has accelerated as well. While some investors prefer to achieve targeted access through resource-specific funds–such as those focusing on corn (CORN), sugar (SGG), or copper (JJC)–the most popular commodity ETPs are those that include a variety of types of [...]

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Definitive Guide To Coffee ETFs: Coffee ETF Investing 101

by Michael Johnston on December 8, 2009

The rise of the ETF industry has made commodity investing readily available to millions of investors whose options for exposure to this “fourth asset class” were previously limited. Most of the money in commodity exchange-traded products is in diversified funds offering exposure to more than a dozen natural resources through a single security (see a [...]

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ETF Plays For A Falling U.S. Dollar

by Michael Johnston on November 2, 2009

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 [...]

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UBS Launches New Commodity ETN

by Eric Dutram on October 29, 2009

UBS, under its E-TRACS brand, launched a new exchange-traded note (ETN) yesterday that offers exposure to the DJ-UBS Commodity Index Total Return. This benchmark is designed to provide diversified commodity exposure based on the economic significance of each commodity. The index measures the collateralized returns on a basket of 19 commodity futures contracts representing energy, [...]

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