Archive | November, 2011

November 6, 2011 – ETF Expert Radio Podcast

Master Limited Partnership ETFs, MLP ETFs, Drug ETFs, Pharmaceutical ETFS, Emerging Market Infrastructure ETFs Click here to listen to the show: 11-6-2011 Continue Reading...

What Your ETF Does NOT Own Critical To Portfolio Success

At the time of this commentary, the S&P 500 is down -1% in 2011. The SPDR S&P 500 Trust (SPY), however, reinvests its dividends. It follows that SPY is actually up a “skohsh” with a 0.3% gain. Is it possible that you could have been more successful? Many would say, “Sure… as long as you know [...] Continue Reading...

Commodity ETFs: When Will Investors Buy “Stuff” Again?

Greece might not take the bailout money? Okay… sell everything you’ve got, including that low-risk Vanguard Utilities Fund (VPU). Greece is back on board? Very good… then buy Small Cap Australia (KROO) to profit from the “dollar carry trade.” Investors of all sizes — individual, advisers, money managers, hedge funds – view risk differently in 2011. There’s less focus on tolerable loss through diversification [...] Continue Reading...

Huge Dividend Payouts From Sector ETFs and Country ETFs

There is an erroenous assumption that some investors make about Dividend ETFs. For one thing, many mistakenly believe that a fund needs to be labeled as a dividend exchange-traded product to provide a high level of income. For another, many fail to look overseas. Granted, Vanguard Dividend Growth (VIG) is a fine example of capturing long-term [...] Continue Reading...

7-ETF Portfolio For The “It’s Not Going To Get Better” Crowd

The Greek referendum notwithstanding, most economists and Federal Reserve members have taken note of modest economic improvements. And while the slow-growth, limited-job environ is far from ideal, it should be enough to foster the well-being of many ETF assets. Not convinced? Erratic price swings have shaken the olive out of your martini glass? Then opt for a simpler [...] Continue Reading...

What Platinum ETFs Can Do That Gold ETFs Won’t

On average in history, platinum has traded 2/3 higher than gold. And with at least one good reason… platinum is 30x more rare. At the moment, though, gold is roughly $1750 per ounce versus platinum’s $1650. If the ratios were representing history, platinum would be 70% higher in price… circa $2,800 an ounce. What if gold really were in a bubble? What [...] Continue Reading...

The Great Stimulus: China ETFs Getting Closer to Lift-Off

The willingness of Greek leadership to throw salt into the wounds of the global financial system is the only thing on Mr. Market’s mind. It follows that the ongoing European debt crisis continues to steal all of the headline space. Yet there are a number of economic data points that investors should not gloss over. For [...] Continue Reading...

New Vanguard ETFs Offer Different Aspects of The Global Bond Pie

Vanguard aims to take market share away from the debt “dominators” at State Street and PowerShares (Invesco). Specifically, State Street has had SPDR Barclays International Treasury Fund (BWX) available to ETF enthusiasts for quite some time, whereas PowerShares Sovereign Emerging Market Debt (PCY) has also been a staple of the ETF bond fund world. Naturally, Vanguard aims to [...] Continue Reading...

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