The last two weeks have seen two separate announcements of ETF closures, with Claymore and Grail both making plans to shutter funds that have failed to catch on with investors. Claymore will close four equity funds that maintained aggregate assets of about $35 million (IRO, CRO, EXB, and ROB) while Grail is closing the doors on two actively-managed funds that each maintained about $3 million in assets. So far in 2010, about 30 ETFs have been closed; WisdomTree gave 10 funds the ax in February and Rydex pulled the plug on most of its leveraged ETF lineup in April. [click to continue…]
Another eventful week has passed us by, leaving investors with plenty to chew on as they try and figure out hectic markets. The week started off with the closing of four ETFs, as Claymore‘s said goodbye to IRO, CRO, EXB, and ROB as the four failed to attract any meaningful amount of assets [see Four [...]
Claymore, the ETF issuer known for its suite of targeted sector funds and China ETFs, has announced that September 10 will be the last day of trading for four of its exchange-traded funds. The ETFs to be shuttered include:
If the economic recovery effort can be thought of as a relay race, the governments of the world are nearing the end of their leg. After propping up the economy with massive stimulus programs and unprecedented injections of liquidity into global financial markets, cash-strapped government leaders are now looking to pass the baton to consumers, [...]
So far in 2010, most European stock markets have plunged as traders grew increasingly wary over the health of the euro zone and the future of the common currency. In addition to declining stock market prospects, some countries such as Spain and Portugal have been hurt by the decline in the euro; because these nations [...]
ETFs were originally embraced by buy-and-hold investors as an optimal, low-cost vehicle for inclusion in a long-term retirement portfolio. But in recent years they have become popular among more active traders who value their liquidity and efficiency in providing exposure to various asset classes. Once used primarily by beta grazers, ETFs have become a favorite [...]
With continued worries over budget crises in the “PIIGS” (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain) and their rapidly deteriorating fiscal conditions, the future of the euro zone’s common currency has been called into question. Most of attention has focused on Greece, where double digit budget deficits threaten to grind the government to a halt and [...]
Through the eyes of an investors, the consumer sector of the global economy is generally split into two segments: consumer staples and consumer discretionaries. Consumer staples stocks generally include those that manufacture and sell goods that are vital components of most household budgets, such as food and non-durable household goods. Companies producing goods that are [...]
ETFs have come along way in their relatively short existence, evolving from plain vanilla funds tracking major equity benchmarks to include more exotic products such as ETFs with triple leverage, and ETFs that employ long/short strategies, hedge fund tracking ETFs, and actively-managed funds. While some investors point to the several dozen funds that have struggled [...]
In yet another sign that China has become one of the most powerful global economic forces, Daimler AG announced on Monday that sales at its Mercedes-Benz car division rose 16% in November, due in large part to strong growth in demand from the emerging Asian economy. “A total of 8,700… cars were delivered in China [...]
The day after Thanksgiving traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping season, one of the most important times of the year for consumers and investors alike. While promotional campaigns and receipt tallies from “Black Friday” are always closely monitored, this year the day comes with added importance. As the U.S. economy heads towards the finish line [...]
