Cloud Computing: The Next Big Thing In Technology?
One of the best reasons to invest in the technology sector is the evolutionary nature of tech companies. The truly successful ones don’t rest on their laurels after introducing an important product. They’re constantly looking for something else to spur sales and profits. A recent addition...
Schwab Adds To ETF Lineup with SCHC and SCHE
Charles Schwab continued its aggressive entry into the ETF business with two additions to the lineup yesterday (1/14/10). Schwab International Small-Cap Equity (SCHC) and Schwab Emerging Markets Equity (SCHE) began trading yesterday, with more volume in the first hour than some ETFs show in a month. Like...
CHIM: The Global X China Sector Suite Now Complete
Global X Management Company introduced Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) today (1/14/2010), completing its rollout of six China sector ETFs. The first two, Consumer (CHIQ) and Industrial (CHII), were launched in early December, while Technology (CHIB) , Financial (CHIX), and Energy (CHIE) hit the...
IYT: Transport Provides Clues to Recovery
Investors typically favor stocks and sectors that they view as somehow glamorous or sexy. This could mean high-flying tech stocks like Apple (AAPL) or Google (GOOG) or high-beta commodities and materials stocks like Freeport-McMoRan (FCX). Such an approach can be rewarding, but if you’re looking...
ETF Deathwatch – January 2010
There are 118 ETFs and ETNs on Deathwatch as the new year begins. Last decade we witnessed phenomenal growth in exchange-traded products (ETPs). There were just 32 at the start of the 2000s and 925 at the end, for an annualized growth rate of 40%. The number would have been even higher if not for...
Unemployment and the Investor
Investors received the latest jobs data from the Labor Department on Friday. December’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 10%. Employers cut 85,000 positions from their payrolls and dashed hopes that jobs would be added at the end of 2009. Last month’s cuts added to the over seven million lost...
iShares Launches Planned End-Date Muni ETF Series
Last Friday (January 8, 2010), a new series of municipal bond ETFs with planned end-dates began trading. The iShares S&P AMT-Free Municipal Series are a suite of six distinct funds, each ranging in maturity from 2012 to 2017. Each of the funds in the series is structured as an open-end fund holding...
PPLT and PALL: Platinum and Palladium ETFs Now Trading
For the first two new ETFs of 2010, the names pretty much say it all: ETFS Physical Platinum Shares (PPLT) and ETFS Physical Palladium Shares (PALL). The new funds started trading today (1/8/10) and come from ETF Securities Ltd (ETFS), one of the world’s leading providers of Exchange Traded Products...
5 Reasons to Ignore ETF Filings
Quite a few analysts seem to get excited when they learn about new ETF filings. Personally, I think it is a waste of time to give much attention to these events. Reason #1: Less than 10% of ETF filings made it to market in 2009. A year ago, at the end of 2008, there were 525 active filings for...
Complete List of New ETFs for 2009
As mentioned in the latest ETF statistics report, 136 new US-listed exchange-traded products launched in 2009: 127 ETFs and nine ETNs. The 56 closures produced a net increase of 80 for the year. The table below lists all 136 sorted by the first day the product was listed and available for purchase. ...
