Archive for August 2012
Aug 29th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
The price of gold reached $1,674 per ounce last week – a four-month high, and a 4% gain for the week – as a result of speculation concerning a third round of quantitative easing in the US and further accommodative monetary policy in Europe. With central banks on both sides of the Atlantic seemingly preparing to fire up the printing presses, investors have been turning to physically-backed gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), such as SSgA’s $69 billion SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), to preserve their wealth.
Posted in Commodities |
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Tags: DWS Xtrackers, ETF Securities, ETNs and ETCs, Europe, Gold and Precious Metals, iShares, Source, SSGA SPDR, Themes and Strategy, United Kingdom, United States and Canada
Aug 29th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
Amid growing wealth and increased government spending, pharmaceuticals, medical technology and health infrastructure have been highlighted as attractive investments in emerging markets. For investors seeking broad exposure to emerging markets healthcare, a number of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) fit the bill. Moreover, many of these funds, such as the db x-trackers MSCI Emerging Markets Healthcare TRN Index ETF (XMEH) and the EGShares Health Care GEMS ETF (HGEM), have been strong performers this year, demonstrating the potential of the sector.
Posted in Equities |
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Tags: China, Dow Jones Indexes, DWS Xtrackers, EG Shares, Emerging and Frontier, Equities, MSCI, Themes and Strategy
Aug 29th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed that US home prices gained in the second quarter, and for the fifth straight month. David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the S&P Dow Jones Index Committee, said: “We seem to be witnessing exactly what we needed for a sustained recovery: monthly increases coupled with improving annual rates of change.” This represents yet more good news for US homebuilder ETFs, which have already enjoyed outstanding performance so far this year.
Posted in Equities |
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Tags: Dow Jones Indexes, Equities, Invesco, iShares, S&P Dow Jones, SSGA SPDR, Themes and Strategy, United States and Canada
Aug 29th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
Canada’s BMO Financial Group has announced that its exchange-traded fund (ETF) business has surpassed C$7 billion in assets under management (AUM) and has grown by C$1 billion (16 percent) in the last two months alone. “Our recent success has been driven by flows into ETFs which combine growth with attractive income,” said Kevin Gopaul, Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President, BMO Asset Management.
Posted in ETF and Index News |
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Tags: Barclays, Dow Jones Indexes, Equities, ETF and Index News, ETF Industry News, Fixed Income, United States and Canada
Aug 28th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
Research from Legal & General Investments, one of the UK’s largest investment providers, has shown that financial advisers are viewing passive investments far more favourably compared to 2011. When asked into which asset classes they would be investing over the next 12 months, nearly two in five IFAs (38%) indicated they would be buying passive funds, an increase of 7% on 2011, when only three in 10 had passive investments in their sights.
Posted in ETF and Index News |
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Tags: ETF and Index News, ETF Industry News, United Kingdom
Aug 27th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to the US homebuilding industry have been boomed this year, as US house prices and home sales have rebounded. Leading the pack has been the highly targeted iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction Index ETF (ITB), which has rallied over 51% year to date. Meanwhile the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB), the largest homebuilder ETF by assets, has gained 37%. Recent data suggest the strong performance of ETFs such as these will continue.
Posted in Equities |
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Tags: Dow Jones Indexes, Equities, Invesco, iShares, S&P Dow Jones, SSGA SPDR, Themes and Strategy, United States and Canada
Aug 27th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
STOXX, a leading European index provider, has expanded its product offering with the roll-out of 19 broad, size and blue-chip indices covering Emerging and Developed Markets, East Asia, and Africa. “With the expansion of our STOXX Emerging and Developed Markets Index offering, as well as the launch of new regional indices, we are broadening the coverage of the world’s markets with innovative and rules-based STOXX indices,” said Hartmut Graf, chief executive officer, STOXX.
Posted in ETF and Index News |
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Tags: Asia Pacific, Emerging and Frontier, ETF and Index News, ETF Industry News, Europe, Global, STOXX
Aug 26th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
PowerShares Canada has announced the launch of the PowerShares Tactical Bond ETF (PTB), an actively managed fixed income ETF that seeks to provide both income and capital growth. Strategically diversified across fixed income asset classes, the fund will invest primarily in a mix of Canadian government, investment-grade corporate and real return bonds, and US high-yield bonds.
Posted in Fixed Income |
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Tags: ETF Industry News, ETF Launch, Fixed Income, High Income, High Yield, Horizons, Invesco, United States and Canada
Aug 26th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
The Global X SuperDividend ETF (SDIV), an NYSE-listed high income ETF offered by New York-based Global X Funds, has reached $100 million in assets in little over a year since the fund made its debut. Commenting on the milestone, Bruno del Ama, CEO of Global X Funds, said: “The Global X SuperDividend ETF, with over $100 million in assets and a 30-day average daily volume of over 100,000 shares, has been one of the fastest growing products by inflows over the last year.”
Posted in Equities |
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Tags: Equities, ETF Industry News, Global, Global X Funds, High Income, High Yield, United States and Canada
Aug 26th, 2012 |
By Simon Smith, CFA
BlackRock Canada has announced the launch of the CAD-hedged iShares US High Dividend Equity Index Fund (XHD). The TSX-listed exchange-traded fund (ETF) seeks to deliver long-term capital growth by tracking the Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index. The index provides access to first-class, dividend-paying US companies that have been screened for superior company quality and financial health, with the added benefit of liquidity.
Posted in Equities |
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Tags: Equities, ETF Industry News, ETF Launch, High Income, High Yield, iShares, United States and Canada