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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Today was another dismal trading day with markets selling off viciously as the session came to a close. The Dow lobbed off 156 points and the S&P 500 sank by about 1.5%. That marks 11 losing days out of the last 12 for the Dow. Benchmarks were extremely skittish today as it seems more and [...]
At times, it seems as if the number of ETFs available to U.S. investors will soon exceed the number of stars in the sky. That might be overstating things a bit, but the pace of expansion in the ETF industry has truly been impressive over the last several years. With multiple products seemingly debuting every [...]
In recent years, gold has become arguably the most popular commodity from an investing perspective, and with good reason. Gold and the funds that track it have provided some massive returns for traders and investors all around the globe. But that popularity got especially heated in 2010 and the first half of 2011, as gold [...]
The ETF industry has been routinely praised for its innovation over the last several years, which is no doubt a contributing factor to the surge in interest and assets. Generally, reference to such innovation relates to the growth in the product lineup, as issuers of all sizes have launched a number of creative, first-to-market products [...]
Income investing has become particularly popular in recent years, as near-zero interest rates have left many starved for attractive yields. As such, many investors turned to equity ETFs paying out high dividends to find a stable source of income. But looking through past distributions and current yield metrics is not always the most accurate method [...]
Another week in the books, and more uncertainty over the future of stocks. Investors were relieved to finally see some strong trading sessions midway through the five day stretch, but most are still cautious of the future. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke made no indication of a third round of quantitative easing this week, though his [...]
Equity markets turned higher on Thursday as an upbeat housing report helped to restore investors’ confidence and continue the bull-run from earlier in the week. Major equity indexes finished in green territory, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average leading the way, as investors digested better-than-expected pending home sales data; the figure came in at 4.1% [...]
Corporate earnings season is upon us once again and many investors are likely looking for ways to favorably position themselves in anticipation of volatility. With major equity indexes sitting on hefty gains since the October 4th, 2011 lows, some are getting worried that any disappointment arising from corporate performance results could make way for profit taking pressures [...]
Improving growth expectations and renewed optimism have been dominant themes so far in 2012. Economic data releases on Wall Street have been bolstering equity markets higher since the start of the year, marking an impressive comeback from the dismal days of 2011. Ongoing bullish price action coupled with a growing sense of confidence surrounding the [...]
The evolution of the ETF industry has brought forth a host of strategies previously out of reach for mainstream investors. With over 1,400 products to choose from, investors can tap into an array of asset classes while enjoying the full benefits of the exchange-traded product structure such as ease of use, transparency, and enhanced tax [...]
