iShares Target Date Series Extended to 2050
BlackRock extended its target-date series of ETFs with the recent (8/18/11) introduction of iShares S&P Target Date 2045 Index Fund (TZW) and iShares S&P Target Date 2050 Index Fund (TZY). The lineup now includes ETFs from 2010 – 2050, in five-year increments, plus the iShares S&P Target...
iShares Joins Emerging Markets Small Cap ETF Party
BlackRock’s new iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index Fund (EEMS), introduced on August 19, has already gathered assets of more than $66 million. As its name describes, the new ETF targets small cap stocks from emerging markets. “Small cap” is defined as the companies representing...
Ben Graham ELEMENTS ETNs Closing Today
With little warning, the three ELEMENTS Ben Graham ETNs have been called for immediate redemption. Today (8/25/11) is the last day of trading, although their redemption values have already been defined. The NYSE was notified just yesterday (8/24/11) that the exchange-traded notes, issued by Deutsche...
XVZ: A Dynamic Volatility Strategy ETN
Barclays introduced the iPath S&P 500 Dynamic VIX ETN (XVZ) on August 18, 2011, providing investors with exposure to a strategy that dynamically allocates between short-term and mid-term VIX futures contracts. The new exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”) will track the S&P 500 Dynamic VIX Futures...
Latching On to a Double-Digit Yield with MORT
Van Eck Global yesterday (8/17/11) introduced the Market Vectors Mortgage REIT Income ETF (MORT), a new ETF offering pure play exposure to mortgage REITs. The initial yield is expected to be in the double digits, but with mortgage rates near historical lows, it’s not at all clear how long MORT can...
INCO: India Consumer ETF Begins Trading
Emerging Global Advisors rolled out the first in a planned series of India sector ETFs on August 10, 2011. EGShares India Consumer ETF (INCO) tries to replicate the INDXX India Consumer Index, a 30-stock free float adjusted market capitalization index targeting India’s consumer sector. The underlying...
EWMD, EWSM: New Equal-Weight ETFs from Rydex
RydexShares rolled out two additions to its menu of equal weight ETFs on August 4. Rydex S&P MidCap 400 Equal Weight ETF (EWMD) and Rydex S&P SmallCap 600 Equal Weight ETF (EWSM) join the very popular large cap Rydex S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) to give investors access to a combined...
Emerging Markets+High Income+Low Beta=HILO
Note: This fund was renamed EGShares Low Volatility Emerging Markets Dividend ETF (HILO) effective 10/28/11. EGShares Emerging Markets High Income Low Beta ETF (HILO) came out on August 4, just in time for record global volatility. The new fund is aimed squarely at dividend-seeking investors who...
ETF Deathwatch for August 2011: Count Hits 29-Month High
Fifteen exchange-traded products joined ETF Deathwatch for August and seven are being removed. The net increase of eight pushes the current quantity to 163, or 14.6% of the 1,115 eligible products. This quantity represents a 29-month high and consists of 118 ETFs and 45 ETNs. The average list member...
ETF Stats for July 2011: Launch Activity Slows
ETF launch teams succumbed to the dog days of summer in July with new product introductions slowing to a trickle. After a record setting first six months of the year, only seven new ETFs and five new ETNs achieved listing status during the month. The six-month introduction rate dropped to 180, second...
