ETF Deathwatch – December 2009

The number of funds on ETF Deathwatch jumped 13% to 128 this month from 113 in November.  The count consists of 88 ETFs and 40 ETNs that failed to generate at least $100,000 in average daily value traded (ADVT) for the past month.

E-TRACS CMCI Short Platinum Excess Return (PTD) headed the list for the fourth month in a row.  PTD saw action on only one day in November and it was for only 100 shares.  So far in 2009 PTD has only traded on 33 days.  In the August-November period it traded on just 10 days for a cumulative volume of 1,100 shares while posting 74 days of zero volume.  Its highest volume day during that four-month span was just 300 shares.

Hello?  E-TRACS? Is anybody home?  More than 90% of your entire product line is in shambles.  This is not a new revelation.  It’s been going on for a long time.  Yet someone at E-TRACS had the courage (if that the right word) to launch yet another new product last month.

Claymore has 16 products on this month’s list.  Last month, Claymore announced that four (MZG, MZN, MZO, UEM) of them would be shut down in December but has said nothing about the others.

Elements has eight products on this month’s deathwatch, including three named after Ben Graham.  Clearly it takes more than a name to make an exchange-traded product financially successful.  PowerShares has the dubious distinction of having the largest quantity of products on the list at 29.   To make things worse for these struggling ETFs, ETNs, and sponsors, Schwab has now upped the ante for anyone wanting to compete in this arena.

The average age of the funds on ETF Deathwatch is more than 28 months, so this isn’t really a “new fund” phenomenon.  In fact, the 83 new products launched in the past six months are excluded to give them a chance to establish a foothold.

ETF Deathwatch - December 2009

Rank	Ticker	Name	Age (mths)	Avg Daily Volume	Avg Daily Value Traded
1	PTD	E-TRACS CMCI Short Platinum Exc Ret ETN	19	5	$171
2	DOD	Elements Dogs of the Dow Total Return ETN	25	545	$3,617
3	JEM	Barclays GEMS Currency Index ETN	22	90	$4,070
4	MZG	Claymore/Mrngstr Manufact. SuperSector	28	210	$4,326
5	MZO	Claymore/Mrngstr Services SuperSector	28	250	$4,384
6	JFT	First Trust Enhanced 130/30 Large Cap ETN	19	220	$5,521
7	BHH	HOLDRS B2B Internet ETF	119	14,530	$5,700
8	JJT	iPath DJ-UBS Tin ETN	17	165	$5,840
9	BVL	Elements Ben Graham Large Cap Value ETN	16	640	$5,987
10	PBTQ	PowerShares Global Biotech Portfolio	15	270	$6,161
11	PNXQ	PowerShares Nasdaq Next Q	20	305	$6,793
12	PGD	Barclays Asian&Gulf Currency Reval. ETN	18	135	$6,826
13	KME	SPDR KBW Mortgage Finance ETF	7	175	$7,028
14	BDG	PowerShares DB Base Metals Lng ETN	18	360	$7,713
15	GBB	iPath GBP/USD Exchange Rate ETN	31	180	$8,067
16	TZD	iShares S&P Target Date 2010 Index Fund	13	285	$8,281
17	UBN	E-TRACS CMCI Energy Total Return ETN	20	575	$8,632
18	UBC	E-TRACS CMCI Livestock Total Return ETN	20	500	$8,970
19	TZE	iShares S&P Target Date 2015 Index Fund	13	330	$9,770
20	EEH	Elements Spec LgCap US Sector Mo ETN	28	1,265	$9,931
21	MKH	HOLDRS Merrill Lynch Market 2000+	113	255	$12,487
22	FUE	Elements MLCX Biofuels ETN	22	1,565	$12,748
23	GWO	Elements CS Global Warming ETN	20	1,790	$13,151
24	BSC	Elements Ben Graham Small Cap Value ETN	16	1,290	$13,209
25	AYT	Barclays GEMS Asia 8 ETN	15	290	$13,437
26	BVT	Elements Ben Graham Total Mkt Value ETN	16	1,385	$13,888
27	STH	Claymore/Sabrient Stealth	39	970	$14,244
28	UEM	Claymore U.S.-1-The Capital Markets	22	350	$15,875
29	IIH	HOLDRS Internet Infrastructure	119	8,110	$19,554
30	TZV	iShares S&P Target Date 2040 Index Fund	13	660	$19,586
31	URR	Market Vectors Double Long Euro ETN	19	537	$19,645
32	TZG	iShares S&P Target Date 2020 Index Fund	13	720	$21,309
33	UBD	Claymore U.S. Capital Markets Bond ETF	22	430	$22,018
34	EXB	Claymore/Beacon Global Exch, Brkrs, & Asst Mgrs	30	1,610	$22,023
35	RHO	Rydex Inverse 2x S&P Health Care	18	655	$23,138
36	TZL	iShares S&P Target Date 2030 Index Fund	13	795	$23,520
37	CZA	Claymore/Zacks Mid-Cap Core ETF	32	1,073	$24,004
38	PQSC	PowerShares FTSE Nasdaq Small Cap	20	1,220	$24,779
39	TZI	iShares S&P Target Date 2025 Index Fund	13	880	$26,108
40	IPD	SPDR S&P International Consumer Discr	16	1,090	$26,389
41	OTP	Claymore/Ocean Tomo Patent	36	1,235	$27,395
42	ADZ	PowerShares DB Agriculture Short ETN	20	905	$28,808
43	IRY	SPDR S&P International Health Care	16	1,020	$29,954
44	AGF	PowerShares DB Agriculture Long ETN	20	1,750	$30,169
45	UBM	E-TRACS CMCI Industrial Metals TR ETN	20	1,565	$30,302
46	PLK	PowerShares Active Low Duration	20	1,215	$30,844
47	RTW	Rydex Inverse 2x S&P Technology	18	1,449	$30,934
48	IPN	SPDR S&P International Industrial	16	1,367	$32,026
49	PTRP	PowerShares Glb Progressive Transport.	15	1,220	$32,048
50	IPU	SPDR S&P International Utilities	16	1,470	$32,956
51	PJO	PowerShares FTSE RAFI Japan	30	1,005	$35,598
52	USV	E-TRACS CMCI Silver Total Return ETN	20	1,400	$36,709
53	PAO	PowerShares Auto Balanced Growth NFA	19	3,250	$36,874
54	TGR	iShares S&P Target Date Retirement Inc.	13	1,325	$37,063
55	UAG	E-TRACS CMCI Agriculture TR ETN	20	1,775	$38,100
56	DPC	WisdomTree Intl Consumer Cyclical	38	2,000	$38,769
57	JYN	iPath JPY/USD Exchange Rate ETN	31	600	$39,655
58	BOM	PowerShares DB Base Metals Dbl Sh ETN	18	1,945	$39,746
59	JYF	WisdomTree Dreyfus Japan Yen	19	1,360	$39,996
60	UCI	E-TRACS CMCI Total Return ETN	20	2,085	$39,999
61	INY	SPDR Barclays New York Muni Bond	26	1,825	$40,422
62	OTR	Claymore/Ocean Tomo Growth	32	1,750	$40,888
63	TDD	TDX Independence 2010	26	1,850	$43,379
64	FUD	E-TRACS CMCI Food Total Return ETN	20	2,055	$43,501
65	TZO	iShares S&P Target Date 2035 Index Fund	13	1,480	$43,963
66	FVI	First Trust Value Line Equity Allocation	36	2,705	$44,061
67	MZN	Claymore/Mrngstr Inform. SuperSector	28	2,145	$44,091
68	RGI	Rydex S&P Equal Weight Industrials	37	1,056	$44,247
69	GVT	Grail American Beacon Large Cap Value	7	1,390	$44,321
70	IFNA	iShares FTSE NAREIT North America	25	1,475	$44,549
71	GRN	iPath Global Carbon ETN	17	1,860	$46,108
72	INR	Market Vectors Indian Rupee/USD ETN	21	1,240	$47,215
73	PCA	PowerShares Auto Balanced NFA	19	4,170	$49,702
74	CRO	Claymore/Zacks Country Rotation	29	2,960	$49,947
75	EKH	HOLDRS Europe 2001	108	820	$50,532
76	PQY	PowerShares Active AlphaQ	20	2,340	$50,992
77	PQBW	PowerShares Nasdaq 100 Buy/Write	18	2,385	$53,224
78	WMW	Elements Mrngstr Wide Moat Focus ETN	26	5,405	$54,389
79	TDN	TDX Independence 2030	26	3,082	$57,594
80	DEF	Claymore/Sabrient Defender	36	2,835	$57,925
81	JPP	SPDR Russell/Nomura PRIME Japan	37	1,595	$58,041
82	WMH	HOLDRS Wireless	111	1,290	$58,398
83	PTO	PowerShares Auto Growth NFA	19	5,405	$58,468
84	PTE	PowerShares Dynamic Telecom & Wireless	49	4,625	$58,555
85	RHM	Rydex 2x S&P Health Care	18	960	$58,745
86	JJS	iPath DJ-UBS Softs ETN	17	1,260	$58,803
87	FAD	First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX	31	2,620	$59,170
88	PQZ	PowerShares Active Alpha Multi-Cap	20	3,615	$60,016
89	DDP	PowerShares DB Commodity Short ETN	19	1,545	$60,603
90	RTL	iShares FTSE NAREIT Retail Capped	31	3,110	$61,564
91	IPS	SPDR S&P International Consumer Staples	16	2,325	$64,388
92	MBG	SPDR Barclays Mortgage Backed Bond ETF	10	2,430	$65,694
93	DPU	PowerShares DB Commodity Long ETN	19	4,150	$66,015
94	TDV	TDX Independence 2040	26	3,710	$66,876
95	EMV	SPDR Dow Jones Mid Cap Value	49	1,550	$67,484
96	PFI	PowerShares Dynamic Financials	38	4,020	$67,589
97	PTJ	PowerShares Dynamic Healthcare Services	38	3,655	$68,109
98	EEN	Claymore/BNY Mellon EW Euro-Pacific LDRs	34	3,880	$70,502
99	BOS	PowerShares DB Base Metals Sht ETN	18	2,920	$70,528
100	ADRU	BLDRS Europe 100 ADR	86	3,260	$71,101
101	GCE	Claymore CEF Index GS Connect ETN	24	4,495	$72,313
102	PMA	PowerShares Active Mega-Cap Portfolio	20	3,285	$72,379
103	ERO	iPath EUR/USD Exchange Rate ETN	31	1,250	$72,691
104	RHS	Rydex S&P Equal Weight Cons Staples	37	1,475	$73,128
105	EZY	WisdomTree Large Cap Value	34	2,155	$74,517
106	RWW	RevenueShares Financials Sector Fund	13	2,655	$75,023
107	JJE	iPath DJ-UBS Energy ETN	26	2,935	$76,746
108	ROB	Claymore/Robb Report Global Luxury	28	4,420	$77,335
109	TDX	TDX Independence In-Target	26	3,141	$79,471
110	PWO	PowerShares Dynamic OTC	80	2,120	$81,644
111	IFEU	iShares FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Europe	25	2,710	$83,114
112	TDH	TDX Independence 2020	26	3,993	$84,145
113	PZJ	PowerShares Zacks Small Cap	46	5,070	$85,056
114	PKW	PowerShares Buyback Achievers	36	4,290	$85,644
115	QQXT	First Trust Nasdaq-100 ex-Technology	34	5,140	$87,290
116	RWV	RevenueShares Navellier Overall A-100	10	2,960	$89,727
117	PKN	PowerShares Global Nuclear Energy	20	4,850	$90,878
118	AGA	PowerShares DB Agriculture Dbl Short ETN	20	2,475	$92,229
119	RMS	Rydex Inverse 2x S&P MidCap 400	25	2,680	$92,320
120	SJL	ProShares UltraShort Russell Midcap Value	34	3,125	$93,582
121	UBG	E-TRACS CMCI Gold Total Return ETN	20	2,955	$93,642
122	XRO	Claymore/Zacks Sector Rotation	39	4,808	$94,477
123	IPF	SPDR S&P International Financial	17	4,425	$94,803
124	FIO	iShares FTSE NAREIT Industrial/Office Cpd	31	4,505	$97,072
125	PEF	PowerShares FTSE RAFI Europe	30	2,670	$98,268
126	DBT	WisdomTree Intl Technology	38	5,490	$98,668
127	BWV	iPath CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index ETN	31	2,265	$99,107
128	FPX	First Trust US IPO Index Fund	44	5,200	$99,789

Past issues of ETF Deathwatch are available here.

Disclosure covering writer, editor, and publisher: No positions in any of the securities mentioned. No positions in any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned.  No income, revenue, or other compensation (either directly or indirectly) received from, or on behalf of, any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned.