When it comes to transportation stocks in the iShares DJ Transportation Fund (IYT), some wonder whether the third time will or will not be a charm. The unnerving reality is that a number of broader market barometers have hit ”higher highs” in September, October and November. Yet IYT has failed to reach new intra-day highs first notched back in mid-September. This may be [...] Continue Reading...
The holiday season is a time for shopping, family get-togethers and… travel. In fact, the busiest travel days of the year occur around Thanksgiving and Christmas. It follows that investors may need to better understand Transportation ETFs. The effect that many of these companies have on the economy, both at the product creation level and at the [...] Continue Reading...
Meredith Whitney may be more bearish than she’s been in a year. Yet, stock investors keep pushing all major sectors and all key market barometers upward. Sure, there are a number of noteworthy areas of trepidation. Financial stocks have NOT hit new 52-week highs in more than a month. Small-caps have been underachieving. And Market Vectors Vietnam (VNM) has corrected 11% [...] Continue Reading...
Is the Australian dollar still a good value? Consider the CurrencyShares Australia Trust (FXA). What about going for the Gold ETF (GLD). With the spot price up at $1145 per ounce, is it a “buy” or is it a “sell?” Of course, there are quite a few folks who favor the junior gold miners to get their [...] Continue Reading...
The current cyclical bull market has been led by technology and materials. Granted, the turnaround in financial stocks and a weak U.S. dollar fanned the flames. Yet it was genuine value in prominent tech companies as well as China’s government-stimulated pursuit of resources that fired up the global economy. Although there have been a few hiccups in the [...] Continue Reading...
There are times when the investment world has thrown Warren Buffett out the Bill Gates window. ”Yesterday’s thinker,” people scoffed during the tech boom in the late 90s. And in 2008, with Berkshire Hathaway losing more than 50% of its value, calls for Buffett’s head were commonplace. Yet, somehow, “The Oracle of Omaha” never seems to disappear entirely. And that’s because… well… [...] Continue Reading...
Since the U.S. dollar is experiencing an intermediate-term downtrend, one that may certainly last another 6-9 months, one is likely to profit from emerging market ETF exposure. In particular, country ETFs like Brazil (EWZ) and Russia (RSX) have benefited enormously from strength in their respective currencies — the “real” and the “ruble.” To continue industrializing, growing and [...] Continue Reading...
When Meredity Whitney spoke on CNBC yesterday, her bearish tone on financials caused stock indexes to sell off by 50 basis points or more. Her comment? “I haven’t been this bearish in a year.” But what if Ms. Whitney is wrong? Some ETF traders see more opportunity than ever. Moreover, if you think it’s challenging to find low correlating assets, you’re [...] Continue Reading...
The iShares DJ Telecom Fund (IYZ) has been one of the weaker performers over the last 6 months. Indeed, it’s been a bit of an underachiever throughout 2009 with a 14.3% total return. Vanguard Telecom (VOX) has been a little stronger with a total YTD return of 18.4%. In any other year, one might be thrilled [...] Continue Reading...
Adam Smith would be happy to see capitalism at work in the ETF marketplace. With the entry of Schwab ETFs, and with Vanguard already firmly established as a low-cost ETF provider, investors are seeing a wider variety of inexpensive opportunities. But, does cheaper necessarily mean better? Consider reading up on ETF expense ratios as well as inflation ETF investing here on November [...] Continue Reading...
