Blog Entries

ETF Midweek Peek: A Dangerous Market for Everybody

russell@etfdigest.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:01:57 +0100

Bulls have had an easy go for an extended period. Miraculous explosive intraday rallies have bought back overnight or previous day's selling. However, there seems to be a change in the tide. Even the miraculous rallies are being sold off immediately damaging the perception of invincibility of the bulls. Permabulls will always be permabulls and the overnight drop to 1320 supp [...]

Top 10 Energy ETFs

fflanikai@aol.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:06:14 +0100

There are nearly 30 ETFs oriented to the energy sector. The following analysis features a fair representation of ETFs available. We believe from these investors may choose an appropriate ETF to satisfy the best index-based and “enhanced” linked index offerings individuals and financial advisors may utilize.

The energy sector remains volatile and political [...]

The Powerhouse of New Economic Growth (EEB)

russell@etfdigest.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:59:45 +0100

Guggenheim BRIC ETF (EEB) has attempted to combine the four popular single country markets into one handy ETF. It has become popular for those perhaps unable to buy all four individual country funds or find it more difficult to cherry-pick one or two for inclusion to their portfolios.

Brazil, Russia, India and China have been the power houses of new economic growth among de [...]

Top 10 Technology ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:43:48 +0100

The technology sector is where the U.S. still leads the world in product innovation and distribution. Certainly manufacturing of final products and hardware has moved overseas but creativity remains primarily U.S. based.

During the first quarter of 2012 the technology sector was leading markets higher overall. This was especially so given Apple’s (AAPL) rapid growth [...]

Top 5 Biotech ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:59:20 +0100

There are only a handful of effective ETFs focused exclusively on biotechnology. Nevertheless, the sector contains companies that will probably produce more effective medical treatment and healthcare than all the insurance plans and HMOs combined. This is the next big thing for the human race as in the future immunization and cures for disease will allow people to live l [...]

Top 10 Large Cap ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:22:08 +0100

In the Large Cap category there are many more ETFs than just the 10 we’ve featured, given the tsunami of ETF issuance. Further, some major issues have been divided into value, growth and blended segments. To simplify matters for investors, and to be consistent with previous practices, we’re still just highlighting what we feel are the top 10 choices. We also feature the leadin [...]

Top 10 Mid Cap ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:32:35 +0100

Our goal is to help investors wade through the many competing ETF offerings available. Using our long experience as an ETF publication, we can help select those ETFs that matter and may not be repetitive. There are over 40 ETFs in the Mid Cap category including growth, value and blend. We’re going to focus on blended issues which intuitively would be the most usable for mos [...]

ETF Midweek Peek: France, Spanish Debt & Greece Austerity Measures

russell@etfdigest.com — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:24:16 +0100

Last week's jobs number seemed to be the mortal wound for the market. The wound was heavily salted by the election in France, Spanish debt downgrade and rising interest rates followed by Greece now mu [...]

Top 10 U.S. Small Cap ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:41:42 +0100

There are currently over 50 U.S. Small-Cap issues whether categorized as, growth, value or blend. This is overwhelming for most investors. Using our long experience as an ETF publication, we try to help select those ETFs that matter even if where they might be repetitive. The result is a more manageable list of issues from which to choose.

We stick with the � [...]

Germany (EWG) Going it Alone in the Eurozone

russell@etfdigest.com — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:48:38 +0100

Two days in a row and we have better manufacturing data from Germany. On May 7th Factory Orders gained 2.2% from prior .6% and today May 8th Industrial Output gained 2.8% from prior .3%. At the heart of these gains were auto sales from Germany’s top three carmakers and their suppliers responding to thriving demand in China, with first-quarter profits [...]

Top 10 Global Government Bond ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:48:09 +0100

In a world of depressed or low interest rates combined with a debt crisis, it might be hard to imagine investors would be interested in bonds from this sector. That said, an overseas investor might, from their view, see the U.S. Treasury bond market in the same manner—low interest rates, credit downgrades, enormous debt and funding requirements or supply.

[...]

Top 10 High Yield & Emerging Market Bond ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:26:42 +0100

With yields low, investors seeking income are tempted to seek yield in other sectors where real rates of return after inflation can be found. Higher yields have traditionally been found in so-called High Yield (Junk) bonds with greater historical returns - also from Emerging Market Debt.

With High Yield bonds a unique condition occurred after the bottom of [...]

Alternative ETFs: Energy

russell@etfdigest.com — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:45:02 +0100

This installment in the series about Alternative ETFs is about the energy complex. These are the ETFs that deal in the oil and gas markets (mostly) as well as their offshoots, the refined products, gasoline and heating oil. These markets affect everyone on a daily basis. And whether it’s the oils spill in the Gulf of Mexico or a presidential photo opportunity to talk abo [...]

Coffee Makers Brew Sours

cpotter@sage7.com — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:01:59 +0100

The buzz over the past few days has been the sharp decline of two popular stocks specializing in premium coffee and accessory products. Peet’s Coffee & Tea (PEET) and Green Mountain Coffee (GMCR) stocks are now smaller constituents in small-cap consumer discretionary ETF sectors. Both stocks have fallen sharply in the last two days of trading.

These companies have tried a [...]

ETF Midweek Peek: Wait for QE in June?

russell@etfdigest.com — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:24:12 +0100

Mixed data shakes up the tables this week as we cycle risk-on / risk-off on nearly a daily basis.

cpotter@sage7.com — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:07:59 +0100

The price action of base metals, perhaps more than other commodities, are important to study to gauge the strength of industrial and economic growth. Some would suggest vibrant demand for these raw materials are “the tell” whether global economic conditions are expanding or contracting. For example, the price of copper is often referred to as Dr. Copper since many believe i [...]

Top 10 Municipal Bond ETFs

russell@etfdigest.com — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:15:00 +0100

This listing includes the municipal bond ETFs that have proliferated over the past few years as issuers have discovered a reasonable way to price related indexes. After all, since bonds are a “dealer market” vs a listed securities market where valuations are transparent, pricing bonds has always been in the eye of the various bidders. A reasonable summary of this difficulty was publis [...]

Real Estate ETFs Reach New Highs

russell@etfdigest.com — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:37:27 +0100

ETFs in the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector have been steadily higher over the past few months. And, even as equity markets overall have seen uneven performance REIT-based ETFs have been making new highs. There are quite a few issues to choose from in the category including:

iShares DJ U.S. Real Estate Sector ETF (IYR)

Vanguard MSCI Real Estate ETF (VNQ) [...]