Two topics seemed to dominate the discussion at this year’s ‘Inside ETFs’ conference – and they suggest that big changes are on the way for the red-hot ETF space. Those two topics? The rise of ESG investing – which seemingly catapulted from niche strategy to mainstream last year – and the emergence (and rapid growth) of so-called “nontransparent” ETFs. For more on these two trends – and additional insights from the ‘Inside ETFs’ conference – CLICK HERE.
ETF
Exchange Of Ideas: ETF Pros Share Their Top Funds For This Year
When it comes to exchange-traded funds to consider for the next year, today’s article highlights some ideas as identified by pros in the ETF industry, noting that “Two respondents think that after a strong run, investors might do better to look outside the U.S. for returns. One, perhaps not surprisingly, thinks his own fund is best positioned to grab investor interest in the value trade, now that there seems to be more runway in the business cycle. And another is wondering whether that will prompt investors to become less cautious.” For more, CLICK HERE.
An ETF Alternative To Holding Cash
If you’re holding cash – or considering moving to cash – today’s article highlights an exchange-traded fund to consider as an alternative, with the author advising that “What investors are getting with [this ETF] is an exceptionally low level of risk with a relatively attractive yield with monthly income.” For more on the ETF in question – including the two distinct roles the author sees it playing within a diversified portfolio – CLICK HERE.
The Best ETFs In Every Category
Of the myriad of exchange-traded funds available to pick from, which are the best? The authors of today’s article narrow the universe of ETFs down to the best funds in a wide array of categories, from large-cap stock ETFs to inflation-protected bond ETFs to socially conscious ETFs. They do so by eliminating 1,200 funds that are either too expensive or too small to consider, and then assessing the remaining funds using three critical factors when it comes to ETF selection: cost, size and liquidity. For more, CLICK HERE.
A Cautionary “Yellow Flag” For The Market – And A 5-Point Plan To Prepare For “The Gathering Storm”
The author of today’s article, who correctly called last year’s market selloff, is seeing the same conditions that led to that call shaping up again – and outlining a 5-point plan to prepare for “the gathering storm”. What cautionary “yellow flag” does he see rising right now – and what five tactics (including specific stocks, sectors and exchange-traded funds) is he recommending as a result? CLICK HERE.
What Makes This A “Gem” Of A Regional Bank
Against the backdrop of the results of the most recent stress tests for the big banks, today’s article highlights a “gem” of a regional bank – one that has outperformed the S&P 500, the Big 4 banks and the broad financial sector ETF over the past 20 years and outperformed the SPDR Regional Bank ETF since its inception. Moreover, this bank has increased its dividend for 25 years straight, held up well in the face of the subprime mortgage crisis, and has executives with skin in the game. For the bank in question, which may be worth keeping an eye on as the interest rate and economic environments evolve, CLICK HERE.
The Place To Be In Energy – And An ETF To Get You There
When it comes to energy investing, midstream may be the place to be right now – or, to be more exact, master limited partnerships with midstream exposure. As today’s article notes, “MLPs with midstream exposure are thriving this year”, and “with the Federal Reserve poised to potentially lower interest rates, high-yield assets such as MLPs could receive renewed attention from income investors.” For one specific exchange traded fund to consider for exposure to this trend, CLICK HERE.
The Case For Exchange Traded Funds Over Index Mutual Funds
“The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, the cop on the beat, the housewife – all have one thing in common today: they’re pouring more and more dollars into mutual funds,” exclaimed a New York Times article published back in October of 1958. And now, over 60 years later, households still hold a substantial amount in mutual funds and index tracking mutual funds despite the advent (and increasingly popularity) of exchange traded funds. With that in mind, today’s article makes the case for investing in ETFs over index mutual funds. For more, CLICK HERE.
The Many ETF Paths To Income
“Whether your focus is big companies or small, domestic corporations or international ones, there are ETFs where income-oriented investors can find investments that pay more than the average S&P 500 index component,” notes the author of today’s article – who proceeds to highlight nine income-focused ETFs which, while focusing on different categories of stocks (e.g. large-cap, preferred, low-volatility) and employing different strategies (e.g. current dividend yield vs. dividend growth) offer above-average dividends. For more, CLICK HERE.
ETF Winners & Losers In The Government Shutdown Showdown
Much has been written and said about who is winning and who is losing – politically or otherwise – in the current partial federal government shutdown (now the longest such shutdown on record). For its part, today’s article highlights some ETFs that the authors believe are likely to be winners – and some which they believe are likely to be losers – as a result of the shutdown, the economic cost of which is poised to soon surpass the amount of funding for his border wall with Mexico that President Trump is demanding. For more, CLICK HERE.