For the most part, ETFs are pretty similar regardless of which issuer is behind the fund. But as many investors know, there’s one notable exception to this rule. The HOLDRS products from Merrill Lynch are similar to traditional ETFs in many ways, but also feature some nuances that make them very different in others. HOLDRS stands for Holding Company Depository Receipts, and are securities that represent an investor’s ownership in the common stock or ADRs of specified companies in a particular industry. HOLDRS are designed to offer investors a way to achieve exposure to a basket of stocks in a cost-efficient manner while preserving ownership benefits related to the underlying stocks.
Below, we profile five facts about HOLDRS every investor should know before making an investment (fore more ETF tips and education, sign up for our free ETF newsletter): [click to continue…]
March 9, 2009 is a date etched into the memories of many investors. After months of unprecedented volatility, depressing statistical releases, and countless false bottoms, that’s the day most equity markets finally hit their lows. It also marked the beginning of an impressive rally that saw most major indexes climb steadily for the remainder of the year, reclaiming big chunks of the ground lost during the downturn. While the “great rally of ‘09″ boosted most asset classes (and their related ETFs), some performed far better than others. [click to continue…]
Late Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Treasury Department released the much-awaited results of the government’s “stress tests” on 19 of the nation’s largest banks. Among the big names instructed to raise capital: Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), and GMAC. In all, the government’s results indicate that 10 of the banks tested need to raise [...]
