ETF Deathwatch – August 2009

The number of exchange-traded products on Deathwatch increased for the first time in five months.  This month’s list of 142 names is up from 134 last month while still remaining below the record high of 171 in March.  The current list consists of 105 ETFs and 37 ETNs that are at least six months old and failed to have an Average Daily Value Traded (ADVT) of at least $100,000 during July.

Claymore/Morningstar Information Super Sector Index ETF (MZN) tops the list this month.  It only managed to trade a measly 45 shares per day on average.  This translates to an ADVT of just $813.  A closer look reveals that all of its trading took place on just two days, with 896 shares changing hands on July 1 and 100 more shares on July 21.  The other 20 trading days it showed up in the zero volume reports.

Elements Ben Graham Large Cap Value ETN (BVL) lost its top spot even though its July ADVT of $1,476 represented a decline of nearly 20% from the previous month.  It had 12 days of zero volume.  As usual, the majority of the Elements lineup can be found in this month’s list.

There were 11 ETFs that reached an age of six months during July; making this August list the first time they are eligible to be included on ETF Deathwatch.  All eleven of them escaped that fate, so the increase this month cannot be attributed to the newer funds.  In fact, the average age of ETFs on the list is 25 months.  Five of them are more than eight years old, making them virtual old timers in the world of ETFs.

This month’s Deathwatch list has 29 names that were not there last month.  One of the larger falls from grace belongs to E-TRACS CMCI Food Total Return ETN (FUD), which saw its ADVT plunge more than 92% from $487,098 in June to just $37,333 in July.  The E-TRACS product line continues to be vulnerable with 90% of the family on Deathwatch month after month.

AirShares EU Carbon Allowances Fund (ASO) had its last day of trading on July 31 and therefore narrowly escaped being included on this month’s list.

ETF Deathwatch - August 2009

Rank	Ticker	Name	Age (mths)	Avg Daily Volume	Avg Daily Value Traded
1	MZN	Claymore/Mrngstr Inform. SuperSector	24	45	$813
2	BVL	Elements Ben Graham Large Cap Value ETN	12	191	$1,476
3	TZL	iShares S&P Target Date 2030 Index Fund	9	91	$2,389
4	USV	E-TRACS CMCI Silver Total Return ETN	16	132	$2,585
5	UBD	Claymore U.S. Capital Markets Bond ETF	18	59	$2,779
6	JEM	Barclays GEMS Currency Index ETN	18	68	$2,975
7	PTD	E-TRACS CMCI Short Platinum Exc Ret ETN	15	123	$4,397
8	TZD	iShares S&P Target Date 2010 Index Fund	9	182	$4,783
9	UEM	Claymore U.S.-1-The Capital Markets	18	145	$5,599
10	MZO	Claymore/Mrngstr Services SuperSector	24	409	$6,063
11	BSC	Elements Ben Graham Small Cap Value ETN	12	750	$6,213
12	FVI	First Trust Value Line Equity Allocation	32	495	$6,670
13	INR	Market Vectors Indian Rupee/USD ETN	17	191	$6,968
14	UBN	E-TRACS CMCI Energy Total Return ETN	16	527	$7,553
15	DOD	Elements Dogs of the Dow Total Return ETN	21	1,373	$7,859
16	OTR	Claymore/Ocean Tomo Growth	28	405	$8,008
17	TGR	iShares S&P Target Date Retirement Inc.	9	318	$8,197
18	PQSC	PowerShares FTSE Nasdaq Small Cap	16	464	$8,623
19	UBG	E-TRACS CMCI Gold Total Return ETN	16	341	$8,726
20	MKH	HOLDRS Merrill Lynch Market 2000+	109	205	$8,919
21	TZG	iShares S&P Target Date 2020 Index Fund	9	355	$9,267
22	UAG	E-TRACS CMCI Agriculture TR ETN	16	500	$9,505
23	TZE	iShares S&P Target Date 2015 Index Fund	9	373	$9,813
24	GWO	Elements CS Global Warming ETN	16	1,527	$9,987
25	MZG	Claymore/Mrngstr Manufact. SuperSector	24	582	$10,599
26	STH	Claymore/Sabrient Stealth	35	850	$10,879
27	OTP	Claymore/Ocean Tomo Patent	32	586	$11,396
28	BHH	HOLDRS B2B Internet ETF	115	36,005	$12,740
29	AGF	PowerShares DB Agriculture Long ETN	16	823	$12,945
30	PMA	PowerShares Active Mega-Cap Portfolio	16	664	$12,951
31	PGD	Barclays Asian&Gulf Currency Reval. ETN	14	268	$13,357
32	PQY	PowerShares Active AlphaQ	16	723	$13,746
33	AYT	Barclays GEMS Asia 8 ETN	11	314	$13,885
34	PQZ	PowerShares Active Alpha Multi-Cap	16	1,018	$14,583
35	CRO	Claymore/Zacks Country Rotation	25	1,091	$15,258
36	FUE	Elements MLCX Biofuels ETN	18	2,227	$16,261
37	JFT	First Trust Enhanced 130/30 Large Cap ETN	15	677	$16,286
38	PNXQ	PowerShares Nasdaq Next Q	16	859	$16,594
39	TZV	iShares S&P Target Date 2040 Index Fund	9	645	$16,893
40	BVT	Elements Ben Graham Total Mkt Value ETN	12	2,077	$17,152
41	RTW	Rydex Inverse 2x S&P Technology	14	609	$17,361
42	CZA	Claymore/Zacks Mid-Cap Core ETF	28	932	$17,759
43	IPU	SPDR S&P International Utilities	12	918	$18,611
44	IIH	HOLDRS Internet Infrastructure	115	8,991	$18,760
45	IPS	SPDR S&P International Consumer Staples	12	805	$19,159
46	TZO	iShares S&P Target Date 2035 Index Fund	9	759	$19,730
47	UBM	E-TRACS CMCI Industrial Metals TR ETN	16	1,295	$20,933
48	EEH	Elements Spec LgCap US Sector Mo ETN	24	3,209	$21,812
49	DPU	PowerShares DB Commodity Long ETN	15	1595	$22,563
50	ROB	Claymore/Robb Report Global Luxury	24	1,595	$22,609
51	UBC	E-TRACS CMCI Livestock Total Return ETN	16	1,259	$22,848
52	GRN	iPath Global Carbon ETN	13	973	$25,198
53	CSD	Claymore/Clear Spin-Off ETF	32	1,814	$25,373
54	IRY	SPDR S&P International Health Care	12	1,009	$25,678
55	IRO	Claymore/Zacks Dividend Rotation	22	1,677	$25,968
56	DEF	Claymore/Sabrient Defender	32	1,509	$27,537
57	EXB	Claymore/Clear Global Exchanges & Brokers	26	2,245	$28,279
58	EKH	HOLDRS Europe 2001	104	555	$28,813
59	IPN	SPDR S&P International Industrial	12	1,464	$29,235
60	TZI	iShares S&P Target Date 2025 Index Fund	9	1,155	$30,007
61	UCI	E-TRACS CMCI Total Return ETN	16	1782	$30,151
62	BOS	PowerShares DB Base Metals Sht ETN	14	945	$30,485
63	FPX	First Trust IPOX-100 Index Fund	40	1,855	$30,522
64	JYF	WisdomTree Dreyfus Japan Yen	15	1,100	$30,712
65	ERO	iPath EUR/USD Exchange Rate ETN	27	564	$31,038
66	IPF	SPDR S&P International Financial	12	1,914	$33,821
67	EEN	Claymore/Robeco Developed Intl Equity	29	2,159	$34,232
68	PJO	PowerShares FTSE RAFI Japan	26	977	$34,723
69	BWV	iPath CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index ETN	27	941	$36,746
70	FUD	E-TRACS CMCI Food Total Return ETN	16	1,955	$37,333
71	XGC	Claymore/BNY Mellon Internat. Small Cap LDRs	28	2,450	$37,675
72	EU	WisdomTree Dreyfus Euro	15	1,664	$37,838
73	IFEU	iShares FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Europe	21	1,650	$38,472
74	IPD	SPDR S&P International Consumer Discr	12	2,050	$41,674
75	XRU	CurrencyShares Russian Ruble Shares	9	1,373	$43,449
76	ROI	WisdomTree LargeCap Growth	8	1,468	$44,258
77	EEZ	WisdomTree Earnings Top 100 Fund	30	1,414	$44,406
78	JYN	iPath JPY/USD Exchange Rate ETN	27	718	$45,566
79	FAD	First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX	27	2,336	$46,367
80	RYU	Rydex S&P Equal Weight Utilities	33	1,136	$47,091
81	RHO	Rydex Inverse 2x S&P Health Care	14	977	$48,209
82	RHM	Rydex 2x S&P Health Care	14	918	$48,465
83	JJS	iPath DJ AIG Softs ETN	13	1,159	$48,678
84	IPW	SPDR S&P International Energy	12	2,173	$49,167
85	GCE	Claymore CEF Index GS Connect ETN	20	3,532	$49,591
86	PBTQ	PowerShares Global Biotech Portfolio	11	2,223	$50,168
87	EMV	SPDR DJ Wilshire Mid Cap Value	45	1,395	$50,226
88	PTRP	PowerShares Glb Progressive Transport.	11	2,332	$51,696
89	PSR	PowerShares Active U.S. Real Estate Fund	8	2,027	$54,245
90	JPP	SPDR Russell/Nomura PRIME Japan	33	1,523	$54,428
91	FXR	First Trust Industrials AlphaDex	27	4,918	$54,658
92	RTL	iShares FTSE NAREIT Retail	27	3,655	$56,733
93	IFNA	iShares FTSE NAREIT North America	21	2,450	$57,963
94	PFI	PowerShares Dynamic Financials	34	3,850	$58,040
95	FDD	First Trust DJ STOXX Select Dividend 30	23	5,100	$59,284
96	FNX	First Trust Mid Cap Core AlphaDEX	27	2,886	$59,903
97	RHS	Rydex S&P Equal Weight Cons Staples	33	1,391	$60,045
98	INY	SPDR Barclays New York Muni Bond	22	2,814	$62,040
99	FTA	First Trust Large Cap Value Op AlphaDEX	27	3,564	$63,803
100	TDD	TDX Independence 2010	22	2,877	$64,262
101	QQXT	First Trust Nasdaq-100 Ex-Technology	30	4,545	$64,993
102	TDX	TDX Independence In-Target	22	2,677	$65,719
103	WMH	HOLDRS Wireless	107	1,464	$66,036
104	PIC	PowerShares Dynamic Insurance	46	5,673	$67,855
105	BDG	PowerShares DB Base Metals Lng ETN	14	4,323	$67,952
106	ADRU	BLDRS Europe 100 ADR	82	3,695	$68,030
107	PSTL	PowerShares Global Steel Portfolio	10	4,000	$68,470
108	PZJ	PowerShares Zacks Small Cap	42	4,514	$70,481
109	FXG	First Trust Consumer Staples AlphaDex	27	4,518	$70,740
110	EXT	WisdomTree Total Earnings	30	2,205	$72,868
111	GRU	Elements MLCX Grains Total Return ETN	18	13,782	$75,039
112	PAO	PowerShares Auto Balanced Growth NFA	15	7,705	$76,476
113	FXO	First Trust Financials AlphaDex	27	7,918	$76,484
114	TDN	TDX Independence 2030	22	4,718	$78,444
115	LD	iPath DJ AIG Lead ETN	13	1,736	$79,323
116	FXD	First Trust Cons Discretionary AlphaDex	27	6,736	$80,060
117	FTC	First Trust Large Cap Growth Op AlphaDEX	27	4,236	$80,248
118	DRF	WisdomTree Intl Financial	34	5,977	$80,266
119	XRO	Claymore/Zacks Sector Rotation	35	4,668	$80,727
120	DGG	WisdomTree Intl Communications	34	3,741	$80,967
121	CNY	Market Vectors Chinese Renminbi/USD ETN	17	2,018	$81,775
122	PIQ	PowerShares Dynamic Magniquant	34	4,673	$82,403
123	FIO	iShares FTSE NAREIT Industrial Office	27	5,095	$82,614
124	PTO	PowerShares Auto Growth NFA	15	9,018	$83,712
125	PEF	PowerShares FTSE RAFI Europe	26	2,809	$84,083
126	FAB	First Trust Multi Cap Value AlphaDEX	27	4,495	$85,273
127	ADZ	PowerShares DB Agriculture Short ETN	16	2,491	$87,344
128	ICI	iPath Optimized Currency Carry ETN	16	2,064	$90,751
129	RGI	Rydex S&P Equal Weight Industrials	33	2,509	$90,768
130	DPN	WisdomTree Intl Consumer Non-Cycl	34	4,373	$90,889
131	PNQI	PowerShares Nasdaq Internet	14	4,459	$91,178
132	FRI	First Trust S&P REIT	27	10,964	$91,246
133	GBB	iPath GBP/USD Exchange Rate ETN	27	2,077	$92,625
134	PCA	PowerShares Auto Balanced NFA	15	8,659	$92,966
135	FXU	First Trust Utilities AlphaDex	27	7,155	$94,422
136	PKW	PowerShares Buyback Achievers	32	5,618	$94,514
137	EZY	WisdomTree Low P/E	30	3,159	$94,575
138	FYX	First Trust Small Cap Core AlphaDEX	27	4,809	$94,747
139	LVL	Claymore/BBD High Income	26	8,264	$96,078
140	URR	Market Vectors Double Long Euro ETN	15	2,914	$96,721
141	PYH	PowerShares Value Line Industry Rotation	32	6,041	$96,890
142	MES	Market Vectors Gulf States	12	5,014	$97,720

Disclosure: no positions