In much the same way that the rise of the Internet has changed the world over the past two decades, nanotechnology may shape the way we live over the next twenty years. Nanotechnology, technically speaking, is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale, the study of matter that is roughly 100 nanometers or smaller (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). With countless possible applications in other words, nanotechnology has the potential to drive tremendous technological innovation in coming decades. The question is not if nanotechnology will change our lives but by how much and, perhaps more importantly, how soon. [click to continue…]
For investors looking to make a play on the technology sector through ETFs, there are a number of options offering varying degrees of exposure. The PowerShares QQQ Trust (QQQQ) tracks the Nasdaq 100 Index, meaning it is tilted heavily towards the technology sector (about 65% of its holdings), but maintains moderate exposure to health care and consumer discretionary companies as well. For investors looking to make a pure play on technology, there are several broad-based technology funds, such as XLK and IYW, that invest in various technology-related companies. But there are also technology ETFs offering far more specialization, including funds focusing on software (IGV and PSJ), internet architecture (IAH), nanotechnology (PXN), and several other. [click to continue…]
Research in Motion (RIMM), the Canadian maker of the popular Blackberry device, is taking a beating today, with its shares down more than 15% in early trading. The company reported weaker than expected revenue for the quarter ended in August and gave disappointing earnings guidance for the upcoming third. The news sparked a host of [...]
