Checking In

The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average just wrapped up their best January performances since 1997 and on that basis, there is an excellent chance the S&P 500 will finish 2012 higher than where it started. Indeed, it looks as though the January Effect was at play. Along those...

So many niche ETFs, so little time. So many in fact that there is now a long list of niche ETFs for investors to consider in 2012. Indeed, the universe of ETFs with the niche designation grew by leaps and bounds last year and one of the new entrants to that fray was the Russell Low P/E ETF (NYSE:...

Here's a fun fact that could win you some bets when turned into a trivia question. Did you know there are 226 ETFs offering at least some exposure to China? That factoid comes courtesy of ETFdb, by the way. That means in a universe of roughly 1,400 exchange-traded products, about one in every seven...

In what will go down as a tough year for the high beta trade, 2011 has been tough on scores of energy and materials ETFs regardless of how old or new those funds are. Europe's sovereign debt woes, slowing emerging markets growth and plenty of issues within the U.S. economy have chased investors out...

No, this has not been a good year for investing in small-caps. At least not in the broad sense of the statement. The iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (NYSE: IWM) is down more than 15% year-to-date. Those ETFs that are intended to be plays on small-cap growth plays have offered little shelter from...

Considering it's the world's 15th-largest economy and will be promoted to developed market status sometime in the near future, there aren't a lot of ETFs devoted exclusively to South Korea. To be sure, there are plenty of ETFs, 50 give or take a couple, that offer exposure to South Korea, but the...

Most investors that actively follow emerging markets ETFs, particularly the Latin American funds, probably know about one ETF devoted to Colombia. However, many investors, regardless of their emerging markets acumen, probably don't know there are actually two ETFs tracking Colombia. The “other”...

It's that time of year again. No, we're not talking about Thanksgiving or Black Friday. We're talking about the time of year when it makes sense to start looking back on the scores of new exchange-traded products that have come to market this year. Since that number is approaching 300, there are...

By now, almost all U.S. investors know that there's no shortage of Chinese stocks listed on U.S. exchanges. Whether it's by way of controversial headlines or just following Chinese equities, investors know they can access everything from high-flying Chinese tech stocks to state-owned enterprises....

Give ETF issuers this much credit: In 2011, they've really seized on investors' desire to capture more income through exchange-traded products. It may only be slight hyperbole, but it seems like every week, another dividend ETF comes to market or an ETF issuer files plans for a new income-...

Following a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing detailing plans by iShares, the largest U.S. ETF sponsor, to roll out eight new country-specific small-cap ETFs, we thought it might be a good idea to check in with one of the funds that iShares is going to compete with: the IndexIQ Hong...

With everyday of paltry Treasury yields and a dividend yield on the S&P 500 that can only characterized as less than impressive, investors are forced to find new ways to generate income without incurring substantial risk. Certainly, the same old dividend stocks will help, but it also pays to...

One thing is certain in the world of ETFs and that is the first-to-market advantage cannot be taken lightly. Let's say ETF Issuer A brings a sector fund to market and is then copied by ETF Issuer B six months or a year later. All things being equal, sector, holdings, etc., the second ETF had better...

For so long, many ETF pundits lamented that there were no ETFs devoted to the auto industry available to U.S. investors. That changed earlier this with the debut of the First Trust Nasdaq Global Auto Index Fund (Nasdaq: CARZ). Global X quickly followed suit with the Global X Auto ETF (NYSE: VROM...

Who doesn't love the idea of getting growth potential at a steal? The concept, known as growth at a reasonable price, or GARP, is inviting to be sure. That said, finding legitimate GARP candidates can be tricky. Perhaps it's better to let an ETF do the stock-picking legwork. Enter the new Russell...