TraderPlanet Market News - ETFs
ETFs to Watch February 9, 2012
Here is the ETF Professor's ETF Watch List for Thursday February 9, 2012.The Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSE: TAN) shined bright on Wednesday.The Global X FTSE Greece 20 ETF (NYSE: GREK) did not.Keep an eye on the Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLE).Emerging markets plays of the day: EGShares India Small Cap ETF (NYSE: GXG).Forex play of the day: ProShares UltraShort Euro (NYSE: EUO).Bond play of the day: Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NYSE: BND).Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/ETFProfessor1
Benzinga's Top ETF Decliners, February 8th
Direxion Daily China Bear 3x Shares ETF (NYSEARCA: YANG) dropped 4.63% on Wednesday, and it closed at $11.89. Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (CTRP), a component of the BNY Mellon China Select ADR Index, spiked 4.34%. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXS) fell 3.89% as NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) gained 3.62%. SOXS closed at $33.62, and it had a volume of 198K traded shares. ProShares Ultra DJ-UBS Natural Gas (NYSEARCA: BOIL) lost 3.34% in today's trading session, and it closed at $12.75. Natural gas futures traded lower on Wednesday for the second day in a row.Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: NUGT) dropped 2.10% today as Eldorado Gold Corporation (AEM) slipped 1.77%.
Benzinga's Top ETF Gainers, February 8th
Direxion Daily China Bull 3x Shares ETF (NYSEARCA: YINN) gained 5.26% on Wednesday as China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited (ADR) (NYSE: CTRP) added 4.34%. Claymore/MAC Global Solar Index (TSL) spiked 12.56%.VelocityShares Daily 2x VIX Short Term ETN (NYSEARCA: TVIX) closed its second consecutive trading session higher today. In today's trading session, TVIX jumped 4.51%, and it closed at $14.82.Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXL) added 3.79% today, and it closed at $41.37. In the semiconductor space, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) gained 3.62%.
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green Going into the Close
Dow: 12,879 [+1pts, +0.01%] Nasdaq: 2,914 [+10pts, +0.35%] S&P 500: 1,350 [+3pts, +0.19%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Afternoon Trading
Dow: 12,884 [+6pts, +0.04%] Nasdaq: 2,915 [+10pts, +0.36%] S&P 500: 1,350 [+3pts, +0.20%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Mixed in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,865 [-13pts, -0.10%] Nasdaq: 2,908 [+4pts, +0.13%] S&P 500: 1,347 [+0pts, +0.02%]
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Mixed in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,858 [-20pts, -0.15%] Nasdaq: 2,905 [+1pts, +0.03%] S&P 500: 1,346 [-1pts, -0.05%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,837 [-41pts, -0.32%] Nasdaq: 2,897 [-7pts, -0.24%] S&P 500: 1,344 [-3pts, -0.21%]
Gassy: UBS Talks Smack On UNG
In an interesting little exchange-traded products war of words, UBS (NYSE: UNG), year-to-date, during the last 6 months and since both products could be purchased on an exchange."It's no secret that UNG has had its struggles. A recently announced 4-for-1 reverse split indicates as much. As of February 1, UNG had almost 162.1 million shares outstanding with $821.5 million in assets under management. Amid record production and plunging natural gas prices, UNG has been in a downward spiral for over a year. The ETF flirted with $13 in June before falling below $5 earlier this year."GASZ is designed to capitalize on potential contango market environments typical to natural gas futures contracts. GASZ offers the potential to profit from the negative roll costs associated with the steepness in the short end of the natural gas futures curve, making it suitable for long-term investment horizons. Securities which fail to address the negative roll costs associated with contango markets lose value over time as investors are forced to repeatedly sell futures contracts at low prices and replace these with higher priced futures contracts," according to the UBS statement.Translation: The statement tells most ETF traders and investors what they already know and that is UNG stinks and its performance suffers because of continuous rolling of futures contracts.Still, there's no getting around the fact that GASZ has hammered UNG. Citing Bloomberg data as of Feb. 6, UBS points out that GASZ was up almost 6% year-to-date while UNG was down more than 14%. In the past six months, GASZ was up nearly 15% while UNG tumbled 45%. And since mid-June 2011, GASZ is up 14.9% compared to a 51.2% decline for UNG.GASZ is one of 41 ETRACS ETNs.
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Mixed in Morning Trading
Dow: 12,863 [-16pts, -0.12%] Nasdaq: 2,907 [+3pts, +0.11%] S&P 500: 1,348 [+1pts, +0.05%]
Global X Permanent ETF Debuts Today
New York-based ETF issuer Global X rolled out the Global X Permanent ETF (NYSE: PERM) today, an ETF that is designed to deliver alpha in myriad market environments. With an expense ratio of 0.48%, the Global X Permanent ETF tracks the Solactive Permanent Index.PERM is the first new product introduction for Global X this year. The firm introduced 22 new ETFs in 2011, making it one of the most prolific issuers of new ETFs in the U.S.The ETF has target allocations of 25% to equity stocks, 25% to short term bonds, 20% to gold and 5% to silver, and 25% to long term bonds. PERM does not try to beat an index but rather maintains target allocations through passive indexing, according to a statement issued by Global X. PERM currently holds a 25.2% weight to long-term U.S. Treasuries and a 24.91% to short-term Treasuries. The ETF has a 19.99% allocation to an ETF Securities gold ETF and a 4.94% weight to the ETFS Physical Silver Shares (NYSE: SIVR). The rest of the ETF's holdings are spread among U.S. large-caps, real estate stocks, materials names, global stocks and U.S. small-caps.“The Global X Permanent ETF is designed to preserve and increase purchasing power over the long term,” said Bruno del Ama, chief executive officer of Global X Funds, in the statement. “PERM provides access to this diversification in a single, cost-effective ETF.”
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Initial Trading
Dow: 12,891 [+12pts, +0.10%] Nasdaq: 2,913 [+8pts, +0.29%] S&P 500: 1,350 [+3pts, +0.24%]
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Seven Hot Indian Stocks
India recently decided to open up its equity market to individual foreign investors. The hope is that allowing foreign investors to buy Indian stocks directly would help reverse a year-long decline in Indian stock prices and lead to more foreign investment in the Indian economy. If you're not ready to jump into the Bombay Stock Exchange just yet, here are seven Indian stocks on a roll that are traded on U.S. exchanges. They all pay a dividend too.HDFC Bank (NYSE: HDB) rose more than 7% in the past week and is about 27% higher year to date. Its net profit surged 31.4% year over year in the fiscal third quarter due to strong growth in net revenue. This Mumbai-based lender has a market cap of $26.0 billion and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The long-term EPS growth forecast is 29.3% and short interest is only 0.3% of the float. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed fellow Mumbai-based lender ICICI Bank.ICICI Bank (NYSE: HBC) over the past six months.Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: TEVA).See also: How.Sterlite Industries (NYSE: FCX) over the past six months.Tata Communications (NYSE: MTE).Tata Motors (NYSE: GM) over the past six months.Wipro (NYSE: INFY).See also: LookingACTION ITEMS:Bullish: Investors interested in exchange traded funds focused on India might want to consider the following trades:Direxion Daily India Bull 3X Shares (NYSE: INDL) is more than 78% higher year to date. WisdomTree India Earnings (NYSE: EPI) is more than 29% higher year to date. iShares S&P India Nifty 50 Index (NASDAQ: INDY) is more than 26% higher year to date. iPath MSCI India Index ETN (NYSE: INP) is about 26% higher year to date. Bearish: Traders may prefer to consider these alternative positions:Direxion Daily India Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: INDZ) is trading near the 52-week low. Direxion Daily BRIC Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: BRIS) is trading near the 52-week low. Neither nor its staff recommend that you buy, sell, or hold any security. We do not offer investment advice, personalized or otherwise. recommends that you conduct your own due diligence and consult a certified financial professional for personalized advice about your financial situation.
An ETF Menage Trois India Style
iShares, the world's largest ETF issuer, will add to its BATS-listed with the debut of the iShares MSCI India Small Cap Index Fund (BATS: SMIN).But where the iShares MSCI India Small Cap Index Fund is trading isn't the most interesting thing about this ETF. Nor is the fact that SMIN represents another addition India after going years without any ETFs devoted to the world's second-fastest growing major economy. Noteworthy facts to be sure, but perhaps the most interesting fact about SMIN is that it's yet another iShares ETF that. Actually, SMIN, which features an expense ratio of 0.74%, will be the third ETF to track Indian small-caps. The EGShares India Small Cap ETF (NYSE: SCIF). Both funds have been around since 2010 and have done pretty well for themselves. SCIF has raked in over $47 million in AUM. In 2012, SCIF and SCIN have been among two of the best-performing non-leveraged ETFs on the market with gains of almost 45% and 40%, respectively. In other words, it's a good thing the new iShares offering undercuts SCIF and SCIN on fees (both charge 0.85%) because if that weren't the case, SMIN might have a hard time making inroads against the more established duo.More choice is usually a good thing for investors, but a third India small-cap ETF? We'll just let the market decide how necessary SMIN is, but if the new ETF forces EGShares and Market Vectors to lower the fees on their India small-cap funds then we'll raise a glass to ETF competition.
A Look At A New Small-Cap ETF
Hardly a day has gone by over the past couple of weeks where BlackRock's (NYSE: BLK) iShares outfit has not introduced so please forgive the ETF Professor for forgetting about the iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index Fund (Nasdaq: AXJS).The small-cap answer to the iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index Fund (Nasdaq: AAXJ), AXJS would appear to be a good idea for at least two reasons. First, many international small-cap ETFs have found success in terms of raking in investor assets. Second, the iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index Fund is popular itself with average daily volume of nearly 500,000 shares and almost $2.4 billion in AUM.AXJS is off to a fine start considering its inception date is February 2, 2012. In less than a full week of trading, the ETF has pulled in almost $11.3 million in AUM. Home to 821 stocks, AXJS has an expense ratio of 0.75%, which is slightly more than 0.67% charged by its large-cap counterpart.AAXJ is dominated by three sectors as financials, technology and industrials account for about 58% of that ETF's weight. AXJS offers double-digit exposure to financials, technology, consumer discretionary, industrials and materials names.With different weights, the country lineup in AXJS is similar to what is found in AAXJ. The new small-cap offering devotes 40% of its weight to Taiwan and South Korea, par for the course with many multi-country ETFs. China and Hong Kong combine for another 27% of the fund's weight while Singapore, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand also figure into the equation.With the addition of AXJS, iShares now offers three Asia ex-Japan. The iShares MSCI Pacific ex-Japan (NYSE: EPP) is the other and it should be noted this particular is not without competition as PowerShares, WisdomTree and First Trust also sponsor Asia ex-Japan funds.
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ETFs to Watch February 8, 2012
Here is the ETF Professor's ETF Watch List for Wednesday February 8, 2012.Keep an eye on the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLP).Still loving the iShares Gold Trust (NYSE: SLV).The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (Nasdaq: IBB) is looking a tad overbought.Give the Global X Gold Explorers ETF (NYSE: GLDX) a look.Emerging markets plays of the day: Market Vectors Indonesia ETF (NYSE: TUR).Forex play of the day: PowerShares DB Dollar Bearish (NYSE: UDN).Bond play of the day: SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield Bond ETF (NYSE: JNK).
Benzinga's Top ETF Decliners, February 7th
Direxion Daily China Bull 3x Shares ETF (NYSEARCA: YINN) dropped 6.51% on Tuesday as China Life Insurance Company Ltd. (CTRP) lost 1.91%.ProShares Ultra DJ-UBS Natural Gas (NYSEAMEX: BOIL) slipped 6.25% today, and closed at $13.19. Natural gas traded lower on concerns of weaker demand as forecasts indicate that cold weather is going to last through early next week. ProShares UltraShort Silver (ETF) (NYSEARCA: ZSL) fell 3.79%, and it closed at $9.90 as silver traded higher. ZSL had a volume of 7.60M traded shares, and its average volume is 7.03M shares. ProShares UltraShort DJ-UBS Crude Oil ETF (NYSEARCA: SCO) traded 3.32% lower today, and it closed at $38.38. Crude oil jumped well above $98.50 as Iran threatened to cut off supplies of oil to Europe.
Benzinga's Top ETF Gainers, February 7th
ProShares UltraShort DJ-UBS Natural Gas (NYSEAMEX: KOLD) spiked 6.75% on Tuesday, and it closed at $91.88 as natural gas dropped more than 2%. Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bear 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: TMV) gained 3.67% today, and it closed at $75.10. TMV broke its three day winning streak in today's trading session. ProShares Ultra Silver (ETF) (NYSEARCA: AGQ) traded 3.33% higher on Tuesday, along with silver. AGQ closed at $62.60, and it had a volume of 2.25M traded shares. ProShares Ultra DJ-UBS Crude Oil (NYSEARCA: UCO) jumped 3.24%, and it closed at $40.50. Crude oil traded higher on the news that Iran is planning to cut off supply of oil to Europe.
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green Going into the Close
Dow: 12,886 [+41pts, +0.32%] Nasdaq: 2,904 [+2pts, +0.05%] S&P 500: 1,348 [+3pts, +0.24%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Afternoon Trading
Dow: 12,882 [+37pts, +0.28%] Nasdaq: 2,904 [+2pts, +0.07%] S&P 500: 1,347 [+2pts, +0.17%]
Global X Permanent ETF to Debut Wednesday
Global X, the New York-based ETF issuer known for its unique commodities and sector funds, will introduce the Global X Permanent ETF (NYSE: PERM) on Wednesday February 8, 2012. With an expense ratio of 0.49%, the Global X Permanent ETF will track the Solactive Permanent Index.The index allocates 25% of its weight to each of the following asset classes: Equities, gold and silver, long-term U.S. Treasuries and short-term U.S. Treasuries. The equity breakdown is as follows: U.S. Large Cap Stocks: 9% , U.S. Small Cap Stocks: 3%, International Stocks: 5% , U.S. Real Estate Stocks :3% and U.S. and Foreign Natural Resource Stocks: 5%.The gold and silver allocation will be 20% devoted to gold exchange-traded products and 5% to silver ETPs. As of January 20, 2012 the Underlying Index had 87 constituents, which included ETFs for U.S. Small Cap Stocks and International Stocks, as well as ETCs for Gold and Silver, according to ETF Daily News.PERM will be the first new ETF introduced by Global X this year. In 2011, the firm rolled out 22 new ETFs, making it one of the most prolific issuers of new ETFs. Global X had 39 ETFs with over $1.3 billion in assets under management at the end of January, according to data from the ETF Industry Association.
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,886 [+41pts, +0.32%] Nasdaq: 2,906 [+4pts, +0.15%] S&P 500: 1,348 [+3pts, +0.24%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,880 [+34pts, +0.27%] Nasdaq: 2,907 [+5pts, +0.16%] S&P 500: 1,347 [+2pts, +0.17%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,871 [+26pts, +0.20%] Nasdaq: 2,906 [+4pts, +0.15%] S&P 500: 1,346 [+2pts, +0.11%]
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Mixed in Morning Trading
Dow: 12,849 [+4pts, +0.03%] Nasdaq: 2,899 [-3pts, -0.09%] S&P 500: 1,343 [-1pts, -0.10%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Initial Trading
Dow: 12,794 [-51pts, -0.40%] Nasdaq: 2,891 [-11pts, -0.39%] S&P 500: 1,338 [-6pts, -0.47%]
Seven Brazilian Stocks on a Roll
Brazilian stocks saw their best January in six years, due largely to strength in retail, utilities, oil and mining. Here's a quick look at some of the Brazilian stocks on a roll now. They are traded on U.S. exchanges and all pay some dividend.Companhia de Bebidas Das Americas (NYSE: FMX).Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (NYSE: X) over the past six months.Cosan (NYSE: IPSU).See also: Five.Gerdau (NYSE: NUE) and Companhia Siderurgica Nacional.Itau Unibanco Holding (NYSE: BSBR).TAM (NYSE: GOL).Ultrapar Holdings (NYSE: MMP) over the past six months.See also: Brazil.ACTION ITEMS:Bullish: Investors interested in exchange traded funds focused on Brazil might want to consider the following trades:ProShares Ultra MSCI Brazil (NYSE: UBR) is almost 40% higher year to date. Global X Brazil Consumer ETF (NYSE: BRAQ) is more than 20% higher year to date. iShares MSCI Brazil Index (NYSE: EWZ) is almost 19% higher year to date. Global X Brazil Mid Cap ETF (NYSE: BRAZ) is almost 18% higher year to date. Bearish: Traders may prefer to consider these alternative positions:ProShares UltraShort MSCI Brazil (NYSE: BZQ) is trading near the 52-week low. Direxion Daily Latin America Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: LHB) is trading near the 52-week low. Neither nor its staff recommend that you buy, sell, or hold any security. We do not offer investment advice, personalized or otherwise. recommends that you conduct your own due diligence and consult a certified financial professional for personalized advice about your financial situation.
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ETFs to Watch February 7, 2012
Here is the ETF Professor's ETF Watch List for Tuesday February 7, 2012.The PowerShares Dynamic Media ETF (NYSE: PBS) is looking strong.Keep an eye on the Global X FTSE Greece 20 ETF (NYSE: GREK).Trade the First Trust ISE-Revere Natural Gas Index Fund (NYSE: FCG).The Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSE: TAN) is back above 3%.Emerging markets plays of the day: Market Vectors Indonesia ETF (NYSE: EEV).Forex play of the day: ProShares UltraShort Euro (NYSE: EUO).Bond play of the day: iShares S&P National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF (NYSE: MUB).Follow the ETF Professor on Twitter: twitter.com/etfprofessor1
Benzinga's Top ETF Decliners, February 6th
ProShares UltraShort DJ-UBS Natural Gas (NYSEAMEX: KOLD) dropped 4.83% on Monday as natural gas futures traded higher. Natural gas rebounded on colder weather forecasts. Direxion Daily Energy Bear 3X Shares(CAM) added 2.56%.Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXL) lost 3.16% on Monday as Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: AMD) slipped 2.26%.iPath Dow Jones-UBS Cocoa Subindex Total Return ETN (NYSEARCA: NIB) traded lower today, along with cocoa futures. NIB fell 3.07%, and it closed at $30.82.
Benzinga's Top ETF Gainers, February 6th
ProShares Ultra DJ-UBS Natural Gas (NYSEAMEX: BOIL) spiked 5.16% on Monday, and it closed at $14.07. Natural gas futures traded higher on the expectation of colder weather in the US. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: SOXS) gained 3.43% today as Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE: BRCM) lost 1.42%.Direxion Daily Energy Bull 3X Shares(CAM) added 2.56%.ProShares UltraShort FTSE/Xinhua China 25 (NYSEARCA: FXP) traded 3.04% higher on Monday as CNOOC Limited (CHL) slipped 1.41%.
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red Going into the Close
Dow: 12,833 [-29pts, -0.23%] Nasdaq: 2,899 [-7pts, -0.23%] S&P 500: 1,343 [-2pts, -0.16%]
Promoted to Assistant Manager: Social Media ETF's Assets Soar
"But now... now I'm washing lettuce. Soon I'll be on fries; then the grill. And pretty soon, I'll make assistant manager, and that's when the big bucks start rolling in," said the character Maurice in the 1988 film "Coming to America" and how that applies to today's ETF world can be easily explained. A couple of weeks ago, the Global X Social Media Index ETF (Nasdaq: SOCL) was washing the proverbial lettuce with just a small amount.Thanks to news of a little something called the Facebook IPO, SOCL and several other.Yes, SOCL is down 2% late in Monday's session, but that's after a torrid run that saw the ETF surge 14.5% before today on a year-to-date basis. Volume is still robust as SOCL has experienced another six-figure day of turnover and that's after average daily trade for the ETF was around 6,000 shares just a few days ago.More importantly, SOCL has seen an astounding surge in assets under management. Prior to news of the Facebook IPO, the ETF which debuted in November, had around $1.4 million in AUM. Heading into the start of trading today, that number had swelled to almost $5.3 million, according to data on the Global X Web site. Sure, Facebook has helped SOCL earn its way to "assistant manager," but the $5 million mark is an important one for a new ETF to crack and to do so in less than three months is arguably impressive when considering SOCL was met with more criticism than applause when it debuted. All this and Facebook still isn't public. It's enough to make one wonder what type of impact Facebook will have on SOCL when the social media darling does go public.
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Afternoon Trading
Dow: 12,824 [-38pts, -0.30%] Nasdaq: 2,898 [-8pts, -0.27%] S&P 500: 1,342 [-3pts, -0.20%]
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,815 [-47pts, -0.37%] Nasdaq: 2,898 [-8pts, -0.26%] S&P 500: 1,341 [-4pts, -0.28%]
Growth ETFs For All Seasons?
Finding an ETF that is chock full of growth stocks isn't a trying task. The big ETF sponsors such as iShares and JKE).With consumer discretionary and technology fare leading the early 2012 market rally, the time could be right to consider other options in the growth ETF universe and the folks at S&P Capital IQ offer up three ideas.The iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund (NYSE: ROI) are all trading near 52-week highs and all three are rated Overweight by S&P Capital IQ.The iShares S&P 500 Growth Index Fund, which is home to $6.7 billion in AUM and a cheap expense ratio of 0.18%, devotes over 26% of its weight to technology stocks with Apple (Nasdaq: ORCL). The iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund would appear to have some similarities with IVW, as S&P Capital IQ notes, but with $15.5 billion in AUM and an expense ratio of 0.2%, IWF is bigger and slightly more expensive. The similarities include technology being the top sector allocation and the aforementioned five tech stocks are also top-10 holdings in IWF though with different weights. IWF has topped IVW in terms of year-to-date performance.The WisdomTree LargeCap Growth Fund is the smallest of the three ETFs with almost $19.7 million in AUM and the priciest with an expense ratio of 0.38%. Home to nearly 300 stocks, Apple Oracle, Texas Instruments (NYSE: UNP). Year-to-date, ROI has outperformed IVW but has slightly lagged IWF."In contrast to 2011, the U.S. equity market in 2012 has been led by the cyclical sectors, as investors appear more prepared to take on risk in light of improving macroeconomic trends domestically and in Europe. S&P Capital IQ believes that many of these strong performing sectors will continue to do well and recommends relatively high exposure to Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology and Industrials," S&P analyst Todd Rosenbluth said in a note.
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,828 [-34pts, -0.26%] Nasdaq: 2,903 [-3pts, -0.11%] S&P 500: 1,343 [-2pts, -0.13%]
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The 10 Best ETF Tickers
The Wall Street Journal features an astute as, the right ticker can at least help traders and investors remember an ETF's name and that's not a bad thing at all.Thanks to the Journal for writing about the importance of ETF tickers. We'll take it from here and rank the 10 best ETF tickers (in no particular order).Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bull 3X Shares (NYSE: NUGT) The Journal piece mentioned NUGT's bearish cousin, the Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: DUST). That's a pretty good ticker for a bearish gold ETF, but we like NUGT better. It gets us thinking about the Golden Nugget casino.Teucrium Sugar Fund (NYSE: CANE) This one is nothing if not straight forward. If you only saw the ticker for this ETF, chances are you'd immediately know what the fund is about. Marketing simplicity can have its advantages and that's why another Teucrium fund makes the list...Teucrium Corn Fund (NYSE: CORN) Again, see the ticker and it's hard not to know what this ETF is about. On a more serious note, CORN is down year-to-date, but a move above $42 might make the fund worth a look.PowerShares DWA Emerging Markets Technical Leaders ETF (NYSE: PIE) For writers, this ticker is is. For investors, the ETF is different type of emerging markets multi-country play and that may not be a bad thing. Grabbing a slice of PIE would mean a return of 10% year-to-date. IndexIQ U.S. Real Estate Small Cap ETF (NYSE: ROOF) Not only is the IndexIQ U.S. Real Estate Small Cap ETF the first ETF devoted to small-cap real estate plays, it has the best ticker of any REIT or other real estate-related ETF out there. If ROOF's ticker isn't appealing, maybe the yield of over 6% will do the trick.PowerShares Dynamic Food & Beverage Portfolio (NYSE: PBJ) There might be some debate if PBJ indicates what this ETF actually does, but once you see the ETF's full name, the ticker makes perfect sense. As a conservative, risk off play PBJ also makes perfect sense.Direxion Daily Healthcare Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: SICK) Great ticker to remember a bearish play on health care stocks. Market Vectors LatAm Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSE: BONO) No, this ETF was not named for U2's lead singer, but when an ETF's ticker is the same as a celebrity's name, it's that much easier to remember. BONO, the ETF not the singer, is up over 5% year-to-date and there's legitimate reason to have. We're calling it: A Brazil ETF with the ticker "PELE." That's our idea.iShares MSCI Global Agriculture Producers Fund (NYSE: VEGI) Considering VEGI is new and faces intense, the ETF is off to a fine start with more than $2.5 million in AUM in less than a week of trading. VEGI is a good ticker and appropriate for this ETF, but it's probably not as good as...Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (NYSE: MOO) MOO is the big steer of the agribusiness ETFs and VEGI has the enviable task trying to compete with this ETF. This has the potential to be an Ohio State/Michigan-esque ETF rivalry for investors' assets going forward, but we'll stick with MOO as the superior ticker.
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,820 [-43pts, -0.33%] Nasdaq: 2,898 [-8pts, -0.26%] S&P 500: 1,342 [-3pts, -0.25%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Morning Trading
Dow: 12,813 [-49pts, -0.38%] Nasdaq: 2,892 [-14pts, -0.48%] S&P 500: 1,340 [-5pts, -0.40%]
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Euro Falls As Greek Deal Seems Unlikely
On Monday, the euro sold off against the US dollar as equity markets pulled back.Even with positive US jobs data on Friday, issues in Greece may have dominated traders' minds.Last year, Eurozone officials were adamant in their rhetoric that Greece would not default; that creditors would see a return of their capital.After the summer's events, and the resulting turbulence, officials changed their rhetoric to allow a partial default. Late in October, a plan was proposed that would see Greek creditors taking a 50 percent haircut on Greek debts. Under this scenario, the move would be considered a "voluntary" default.This voluntary status was important, as, under a voluntary default, credit default swap contracts would not be triggered. CDS contracts, as derivatives, are not regulated, so the extent of the potential damage is unknown.Famously, Warren Buffett characterized derivatives as being weapons of mass destruction. That may prove true in the event of a Greek default.Greece's total debt is a relatively paltry figure when compared to other sovereign balance sheets and the balance sheets of major.Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), for example, has assets that total over $2 trillion. Greece's total outstanding debt is just a few hundred billion.Yet, the alarm remains because a default that leads to CDS contracts being triggered could create a cascading effect causing the implosion of the global financial system. Arguably, a similar scenario caused the 2008 global financial crisis, when the failure of Lehman Brothers lead to major financial pressures across the globe.Europe to prepare for a default. Working behind the scenes, financial institutions may have been able to get their houses in order. Thus, a Greek default may be unlikely to cause any significant losses.In the event of a disorderly Greek default, the euro could trade lower, as pressure in the euro currency sees investors fleeing the currency for more attractive paper. If Greek talks seem unlikely to produce a positive outcome, investors could expect to see a weaker currency going into the March 20 deadline.The euro remains a speculative play for many market bears. In the event that a deal is found that allows Greece to remain in the euro and financials to remain fairly untouched, the currency could quickly snap back.ACTION ITEMS:Bullish:Traders who believe that Greece will work out a deal with its creditors and remain in the euro might want to consider the following trades:Go long the euro. The currency has been beaten down on negative speculation. A clean resolution to the crisis could send the currency trading higher.Short gold. The yellow metal may have been benefitting in recent months as a store of value in the face of global risk. With a meltdown scenario off the table, gold could trade lower.Bearish:Traders who believe that Greece will default and exit the euro may consider alternative positions:Buy a currency considered to be a "safe-haven" such as the US dollar. The dollar benefitted during the 2008 financial crisis, and could strengthen once more.Buy European stocks. European markets have rebounded since the start of the year, but could move higher in the event that traders come to see the European situation as being resolved.Neither nor its staff recommend that you buy, sell, or hold any security. We do not offer investment advice, personalized or otherwise. recommends that you conduct your own due diligence and consult a certified financial professional for personalized advice about your financial situation.
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Red in Initial Trading
Dow: 12,822 [-40pts, -0.31%] Nasdaq: 2,896 [-10pts, -0.34%] S&P 500: 1,341 [-4pts, -0.26%]
Add One More to The China ETF Fray
The world of ETFs offering exposure to China could grow by one as WisdomTree (Nasdaq: WETF), the seventh-largest U.S. ETF issuer by assets, has filed plans with the Securities and Exchange Commission to possibly list the WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Index Fund.The ETF would track the WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Index, which is comprised of the 10 highest dividend-yielding companies in each sector except financials, selected from a universe of Chinese companies with at least $1 billion of float-adjusted market capitalization, according to the filing.WisdomTree, the only publicly traded pure play ETF firm, has made a name for itself primarily with its suite of dividend and emerging markets funds, but to date the firm has not sponsored a China-specific ETF. There are nearly 230 ETFs currently on the market offering exposure to China, according to ETFdb.com.The index for the WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Index Fund includes companies from the Consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, health care, industrials, technology, utilities, materials and telecom groups.A ticker and expense ratio were not included in the filing.Among WisdomTree's more popular emerging markets ETFs are the WisdomTree India Earnings ETF (NYSE: ELD) and the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Small Cap Dividend ETF (NSYE: DGS).
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Market Vectors Looks to Expand Bond ETF Lineup
Van Eck, the fifth-largest U.S. ETF firm by assets, is looking to expand the bond offerings at the company's Market Vectors ETF family in a big way by filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission to possibly introduce six new ETFs. The Market Vectors International US$ High Yield Bond ETF will track an index comprised of dollar-denominated non-investment grade bonds. The fund will track corporate bonds issued on U.S. and Eurobond markets.The Emerging Markets US$ High Yield Bond ETF will track the BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield US Emerging Markets Liquid Corporate Plus Index, which is comprised of U.S. dollar denominated debt issued by non-sovereign emerging market issuers that are rated BB1 or lower, according to the filing. Index constituents are capitalization-weighted based on their current amount outstanding times the market price plus accrued interest, subject to a 10% country of risk cap and a 2% issuer cap, the filing said.The Global High Yield Bond ETF.” The Market Vectors Global High Yield Bond ETF will track the BofA Merrill Lynch Global High Yield Constrained Index, which is comprised of non-investment grade corporate debt issued in U.S. and Canadian dollars, euros and British pounds. Qualifying securities must have at least one year remaining term to final maturity, a fixed coupon schedule and a minimum amount outstanding of 100 million (Euros), 100 million (U.S. dollars), 50 million (pound sterling) or 100 million (Canadian dollars), according to the filing.The Market Vectors Global High Yield US$ Bond ETF.” The Market Vectors Global High Yield US$ Bond ETF will track the BofA Merrill Lynch US Dollar Global High Yield Index, which is comprised of U.S. dollar-denominated non-investment graded issues from all over the world. The Market Vectors Fallen Angel US$ Bond ETF will follow the BofA Merrill Lynch US Fallen Angel High Yield Index, which is comprised of dollar-denominated non-investment grade debt that was investment grade upon issuance. The index includes bonds issued by both U.S. and non-U.S. companies.The Market Vectors Global Fallen Angel Bond ETF will follow the BofA Merrill Lynch Global Fallen Angel High Yield Index, which is comprised of junk bonds issued in U.S. and Canadian dollars, euros and pounds. Qualifying securities must have at least one year remaining term to final maturity, a fixed coupon schedule and a minimum amount outstanding of 100 million (Euros), 100 million (U.S. dollars), 50 million (pound sterling) or 100 million (Canadian dollars), according to the filing.Tickers and expense ratios were not disclosed for any of the new funds. The Market Vectors Web site shows the firm currently has 12 bond funds on the market, five of which offer international exposure.In other bond ETF filing news, last week, iShares filed plans for the iShares Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund. That ETF will track an index of dollar-denominated bonds from Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.iShares, the world's largest ETF sponsor, also filed plans for the iShares Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund. That ETF will also follow dollar-denominated issues from razil, Chile, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Energy, financial services and industrial names make up the bulk of that ETF's index.Tickers and expense ratios for the iShares funds were not included in the filings.
ETFs to Watch February 6, 2012
Here is the ETF Professor's ETF Watch List for Monday February 6, 2012.The Market Vectors Steel ETF (NYSE: SLX) continues to impress.More risk on fare: Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLF).With micro-caps looking strong, trade the PowerShares Zacks Micro Cap ETF (NYSE: PZI).Emerging markets plays of the day: Market Vectors Russia ETF (NYSE: EWT).Forex play of the day: CurrencyShares Euro Trust (NYSE: FXE).Bond play of the day: SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield Bond ETF (NYSE: JNK).
Benzinga's Top ETF Decliners, February 3rd
VelocityShares Daily 2x VIX Short Term ETN (NYSEARCA: TVIX) closed its third trading session lower on Friday. TVIX plunged 10.55%, and it closed at $14.26.Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares(BAC) jumped 5.23%.Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: TZA) fell 6.71% on Friday as the Russell 2000 Index traded higher. TZA closed at $18.34, and it had a volume of 25.02M traded shares. Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: TMF) dropped 6.43% today, and it closed at $63.63. TMF had a volume of 383K traded shares, and its average volume is 147K shares.
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Benzinga's Top ETF Gainers, February 3rd
Direxion Daily Russia Bull 3x Shares (NYSEARCA: RUSL) led the gainers among the ETFs on Friday, with an increase in price of 8.80%. RUSL closed at $51.87, and it had a volume of 72K traded shares.Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares(C) added 4.85%.Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares(ETF) (NYSEARCA: TNA) traded 6.77% higher on Friday, on the news of better than expected non-farm payrolls report. Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bear 3X Shares (NYSEARCA: TMV) jumped 6.27% today, and it closed at $74.58. This was the third trading session in a row that TMV closed higher.
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green Going into the Close
Dow: 12,855 [+149pts, +1.17%] Nasdaq: 2,905 [+46pts, +1.59%] S&P 500: 1,344 [+18pts, +1.39%]
Will Friday's Jobs Beat Set Up Disappointment For Next Month?
Investors were energized this morning on a jobs report that blew consensus estimates out of the water. Markets had braced for potentially bad news on expectation of employment corrections on the heels of the holiday season - and the temporary jobs it was thought to have brought. Will the stronger data push markets to err on the other side and possibly set themselves up for disappointment in the first Friday of March? Markets reacted strongly to the about-face on the jobs situation this morning, on headline numbers surely worthy of the commotion. The MarketWatch had forecast an even lower 121,000 jobs, as expectations were for an unemployment rate that would stay put at 8,5 percent.Such low expectations were not helped when consumer confidence hit an testimony to Congress yesterday, with a largely reserved take on the U.S. economic outlook, to the point that he did not rule out further quantitative easing. The tide seems to have turned in the hours following the jobs report. MarketWatch notes that the jobs beat raised the possibility that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates before the end of 2014. David Greenlaw of Morgan Stanley said the bar to additional quantitative easing was still very low and that “the Fed would need to see more reports like the one we got this morning to prevent them from pulling the trigger.”Avery Shenfeld, an economist with CIBC, noted that the report raised expectations across the board: “This is finally a decent report for employment,” he told MarketWatch, “one that suggests [that] first-quarter growth could be a bit stronger than our 2% estimate if this trend extends into the balance of the quarter.” With higher expectations comes the risk that they will not be met. But in case economists start getting comfortable with outsize consensus numbers going forward, Toronto-based Capital Economics says the trend of job growth may not remain intact. "We've been here before with 200,000 plus monthly gains in payrolls in spring 2010 and spring 2011 that ultimately came to nothing," CNBC quotes a Capital Economics' note to clients. "With housing still in the dumps, fiscal policy being tightened and the euro-zone crisis likely to flare up again at any moment, we still think the US will endure another year of weak growth in output and employment."For today, investors are not restraining themselves. The Down Jones Industrial Average is currently up 144 points at 12,849, up 1.13 percent. The S&P 500 is up 17.3 points or 1.31 percent since open.
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Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Afternoon Trading
Dow: 12,857 [+152pts, +1.19%] Nasdaq: 2,907 [+47pts, +1.64%] S&P 500: 1,344 [+18pts, +1.39%]
Market Update: U.S. Equity Markets are Green in Mid-Day Trading
Dow: 12,849 [+143pts, +1.13%] Nasdaq: 2,904 [+44pts, +1.54%] S&P 500: 1,343 [+17pts, +1.31%]
