In a period of economic instability, like we have seen for the majority of this year, consumer spending is usually low. The low buying power that consumers hold during uncertain times wreaks havoc on a slew of companies whose profit relies the consumer’s willingness to buy. So it came as a bit of a surprise last quarter when Intel reported stellar earnings, sending semiconductor funds soaring. Amid what appeared to be low spending habits, Intel generated a healthy profit. It seemed that the tech industry was on the road to recovery, but that may have just been the eye of the storm, as new information from Intel points to a foggy future for the semiconductor industry [see also ETFs To Play A U.S. Export Boom].
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The Semiconductor Industry Association recently reported a major increase in the sales of computer processing chips for the month of May, giving investors reason to optimistic on a sector that has been battered by recent market turmoil. Chip sales rose 4.5% from the previous month, and were up nearly 50% from the same month in [...]
With investors looking for confirmation that improved economic indicators are translating to healthier bottom lines for domestic and global companies, another highly anticipated and critical earnings season kicked off this week. Things got off to a rocky start when aluminum giant Alcoa posted disappointing sales and earnings figures. That shortfall increased investor anxiety as chip [...]
Direxion, a pioneer in the 3x leveraged ETF space, announced Thursday the launch of six new funds, bringing the firm’s total product offerings to 34, and represent firsts for both the company and the ETF industry. The leveraged ETFs beginning trading on Thursday include:
As recession gripped the global economy in 2008, nearly all sectors and regions took a hit. But as is usually the case, not all areas were impacted equally, as certain corners of the market delivered much worse results than others. Now, those industries that were hit the hardest on the way down have become the [...]
Following a year that saw some of the worst performances in recent memory, many asset classes have bounced back in 2009. But some have performed better than others, and as the year draws to a close we take a look at some of the best-performing ETFs. The year’s top gainers include a few of the [...]
Leveraged ETFs were in the headlines a great deal in 2009, but most of the coverage was less than favorable. Misinformation on these products was widespread throughout the year, leading to confusion on many aspects of these products and some unfair generalizations. One of the primary points of discussion was the performance of leveraged ETFs [...]
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 [...]
Technology ETFs have hit a wall in recent days, slumping on news of an analyst downgrade to Research in Motion, slashes in projected semiconductor demand, and weak earnings reports from several internet companies. With an uncertain holiday shopping season ahead, the fate of the technology sector is very much up in the air, and technology [...]
