The growth of the ETF industry has spawned numerous tools that bring forth previously difficult-to-reach corners of the market at the fingertips of mainstream investors. The evolution of the exchange-traded product structure has not only become the preferred vehicle for investors looking to achieve cost-efficient diversification, this instrument has also struck a chord with active traders. ETFs are useful as building blocks in long-term portfolios, however they can also serve as incredibly powerful tactical tools for those looking to implement shorter-term trading strategies.
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The innovation in the bond ETF arena just keeps on coming, as evidenced most recently by a trio of first-to-market products launched by iShares. Though there are more than two dozen ETFs in the Corporate Bonds ETFdb Category, until recently the level of granularity available from a sector perspective was rather limited. While investors can [...]
Equity markets ended up in green territory although bumpy trading throughout the week kept investors’ confidence in check. Lingering uncertainties stemming from the debt burdened Euro zone coupled with encouraging economic data releases on the home front paved the way for volatile trading across asset classes. Noteworthy developments included progress in the Greek bailout negotiations [...]
iShares continued to expand its suite of exchange-traded products this week with the debut of seven new bond ETFs. The new offering includes the first products available to U.S. investors that offer sector-specific exposure to the corporate bond market. The new ETFs are: iShares Barclays U.S. Treasury Bond Fund (GOVT) iShares Aaa – A Rated [...]
Last week’s bull-run on Wall Street came to a halt screeching halt on Friday as investors expressed their concerns over the looming, unresolved Euro zone debt crisis. Greek leaders and European policymakers have been battling it out in the negotiations room, although it appears that the drama may be nearing a climax as the debt burdened [...]
It is no secret that the ETF industry is dominated by just a handful of products. The majority of the $1 trillion plus assets are confined to roughly 100 funds, leaving the other 1,300 ETFs in the dust. But as growth in the industry continues to pick up, more and more funds are entering elite [...]
As the calendars prepare to flip forward, it appears as if 2011 will go down as a record-breaking year for the ETF industry on the product development front. More than 300 new ETPs began trading this year, shattering the previous record set in 2010. But despite the record size of the ETF lineup, it appears [...]
This past year was the most active ever for the exchange traded industry in terms of product development; the launch of more than 300 new products shattered the record set in 2010. And innovation continues to run high in the industry; the creativity of issuers is still impressive, as many of the ETFs that have [...]
Equity markets have taken a wild ride this past year as everything from an unimaginable earthquake in Japan to a looming debt crisis in Europe has taken its toll on investors’ confidence. As 2011 draws to a close, many are left scratching their heads in confusion and uncertainty, given the predominantly gloomy economic outlook that [...]
Equity indexes endured another volatile week as persistent Euro zone debt woes paved the way for profit-taking across virtually every segment of the market. Investor worries over the debt crisis brewing overseas overshadowed positive economic data releases on the home front, including better-than-expected retail sales, new home starts, jobless claims, and industrial production. Fundamental investors [...]
Equity markets remain plagued with volatility as Euro zone debt woes weigh down on investors’ confidence. Uncertainty stemming from the debt burdened currency bloc continues to dominate headlines all over the globe as investors anxiously await for EU leaders to bring forth a comprehensive plan that ensures the region won’t succumb to a potentially devastating [...]
