The ETF industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last five years and innovation across products has brought forth a multitude of previously inaccessible investment strategies to mainstream investors. Aside from the vast expansion in the exchange-traded product universe, the last five years have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Global financial markets witnessed an unprecedented economic downturn after the collapse of the U.S. housing market, only to stage a truly remarkable recovery in the years following.
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Equities across the globe rose higher for the most part last week, with Portugal’s bond sale easing debt worries, and upbeat earnings reports sending the S&P 500 to new multi-month highs. Meanwhile, gold took a tumble as the conservative safe-haven lost its luster despite continued weakness in the dollar. Treasurys marched upwards on Friday, after [...]
As we kick of earnings season yet again, investors are anxious to see whether or not individual reports will match the impressive performance recently seen in the broad markets. After the Dow gained roughly 7.7% in September alone, many began to see a light at the end of the tunnel, as the recovery seemed to [...]
The first week of earnings season brought mixed results from many bellwethers and did not help to give the market any direction heading into the third quarter. The financials sector took a hit with Citigroup and Bank of America both reporting weak revenues numbers while Internet and consumer sectors also slumped on the back of poor outlooks [...]
Financial stocks will be in focus in coming days, as investors digest financial reforms agreed upon by lawmakers in a bill known as the Dodd/Frank Act. These reforms were passed on early Friday in what many are calling the most sweeping regulatory overhaul on the American financial system since the 1933 and 1934 Security Exchange [...]
Last weekend, shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway descended on the Qwest center in Omaha, Nebraska to hear a few words of wisdom from the legendary investor and CEO of the company, Warren Buffett. For this annual shareholder meeting, over 35,000 people packed into the arena for what has become popularly known as the “Woodstock for capitalists,” [...]
The much maligned financial industry has definitely seen its share of ups and downs over the past two years, as a mortgage meltdown, bailouts, Congressional hearings, and rage from Main Street have battered an industry that once seemed indestructible. Despite the ill will towards Goldman Sachs, many financial firms have put this dark period behind [...]
After generally impressive earnings reports sent markets higher for much of the last week, Friday’s shocking allegations against Goldman Sachs ensured that the week ended on a down note. The SEC filed fraud charges against the Wall Street giant on Friday, alleging that the firm failed to make important disclosures surrounding a subprime mortgage product [...]
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 [...]
Over the past year, the financial sector has been a favorite target of criticisms, frequently accused of outrageous greed that sparked the mortgage meltdown in the U.S., eventually spreading to nearly all corners of the global economy. Moreover, the volatility of financial companies has skyrocketed, perhaps best evidenced by the fact that Direxion’s 3x leveraged Daily [...]
