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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Historically, Van Eck has been known in the ETF space for its hard assets expertise and suite of targeted emerging markets funds. But recently the New York-based firm has also taken steps to develop other corners of its ETP lineup, including the introduction of the first investment grade floating rate debt fund (FLTR) earlier this [...]
UBS has made another addition to its fast-growing ETN lineup, rolling out a product linked to an index consisting of U.S.-listed business development companies (“BDCs”). Th E-Tracks Linked to the Wells Fargo Business Development Company Index (BDCS) is an exchange-traded note due in April 2041. The underlying index currently consists of about 26 BDCs, including [...]
Last week saw the end of a year that was relatively kind to investor portfolios, as most major asset classes managed to post strong results in 2010. As the calendars flip to 2011, the outlook remains uncertain; lingering obstacles in the form of high unemployment and bloated debt loads certainly pose problems, but rapidly-expanding emerging [...]
Most financials have been under the microscope in recent weeks, with poor reports coming out of both Bank of America and Citigroup and Washington pushing through a plan to overhaul the existing regulatory system. These events have caused many investors to wonder about the prospects of growth at big Wall Street banks; some are now [...]
Wall Street bonuses on par with the glory days of the early 2000s have convinced many investors (and politicians) that the financial sectors is back on steady ground, churning out record profits and once again rolling the dice on risky financial instruments. But according to a recent study, private equity firms face one of the [...]
Many investors will be sorry to see 2009 end. Following one of the most disruptive years in recent memory in 2008, almost every asset class participated in a stellar recovery this year. At the depth of the recession, fear trumped reason, and irrational anxieties pushed many assets, including ETFs, well below their intrinsic value. Much [...]
October was another busy month for the ETF industry, with the launch of several new funds, including a handful that will compete directly with well-established ETFs and some that seek to address potential regulatory issues facing traditional commodity products. Highlights from the month included:
Chicago-based Invesco PowerShares announced yesterday that its Listed Private Equity Portfolio (PSP) will broaden its scope and begin tracking the Global Listed Private Equity Index, a benchmark composed of publicly-listed private equity firms around the world. Previously, PSP had tracked the Red Rocks Capital Listed Private Equity Index, a domestic benchmark.
