New ETNs Allow You to Buy Volatility: VXX, VXZ
I feel fortunate that representatives from innovative mutual fund companies like Rydex, ProFunds, and Direxion have been visiting my office since they were startups. These regular visits provide insight to their product plans, and allow me a chance to suggest ideas for new funds. Starting about a half-dozen...
First Wave of ETF Closures for 2009
The number of ETF closures for 2008 was a record high 58. In all likelihood, that record will be shattered in 2009. On Tuesday, Northern Trust announced their plan to exit the ETF business and shut down all 17 of their NETS exchange traded funds. The last day of trading for the affected products will...
More New Bond ETFs: BWZ and MBG
This week State Street Global Advisors announced the availability of two new bond ETFs under its SPDR brand. SPDR Barclays Capital Short Term International Treasury Bond ETF (BWZ) is designed to track the price and yield performance of the Barclays Capital 1-3 Year Global Treasury ex-US Capped Index. ...
Know Your ETF Players
Despite the shrinking ETF universe, it can still be hard to keep the different players straight in your mind. In this article, I’ll try to help you understand how it works so you can tell who is who. The first thing to remember is that all ETFs are based on an index of stocks, bonds, commodities...
BLUD on Video – with Frugalpalooza as Special Guest!
Our Pick of the Week at InvestWithAnEdge.com is Immucor (BLUD). Every now and then I like to try out my Logitech camera and scare viewers with my mug shot, as well as my bad hair!:) Immucor looks awfully good on paper, especially with the technicals matching the fundamentals…a rare thing...
Blood in the Street? Go with BLUD
One of the things we like to discuss at Invest With An Edge is how some sectors perform well while others struggle. You can profit by buying into stronger sectors and avoiding weaker ones. We’ve built a successful trading strategy based on that simple concept. You can see this in January,...
Do We Really Need More Bad Banks?
The Obama administration is reportedly considering the establishment of a so-called “Bad Bank” under the management of the FDIC. Other plans are also on the table, and it appears no final decisions have been made. If it happens, the Bad Bank (more polite commentators are calling it the...
ETNs – Riskier Than They Look
Are all of your ETF holdings truly exchange-traded funds? Or, are some of them exchange-traded notes, otherwise known as ETNs? Chances are, you might not even know. However, this knowledge is crucial if you want to get a handle on the risks associated with your holdings. ETNs are unsecured debt...
Bad Year Ahead For Some Companies
Last year was a difficult year for businesses. Most of the news centered around the financial sector. Bankruptcies and bailouts for AIG, Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and more underscored a hard year for financial services. However, banks and related institutions weren’t the only companies in...
New ETF Ready to Take Flight: FAA
Claymore/NYSE Arca Airline ETF (FAA) received clearance for take-off today, but as of this writing, it is still sitting on the runway, awaiting that elusive first trade. This new ETF is based on the NYSE Arca Global Airline Index, ”a modified equal-dollar weighted index designed to measure the...
