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How-To Guides
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How to Choose a Good ETF
ETFs can help you get exposure to as much of the market as possible.
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An ETF That Tests if Slow and Steady Really Does Win the Race
WSJ.comIt has been quite a ride for a fund composed of the market's tamest stocks. But now, just as imitators are proliferating, some experts think this popular exchanged-traded fund could be sinking back to earth.
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How to handle ETFs’ double-edged sword; Commentary: Investor or trader, don’t let your discipline slip
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Exchange-traded funds open the door to just about every investment sector and style. They’re readily available anywhere, anytime, and they’re cheap.
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3 income-focused ETFs for the yield hungry; Commentary: New funds turn to MLPs, REITs, other alternatives
MarketWatchNEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Investors’ hunger for income, which has driven billions of dollars of assets into dividend-focused funds, is now bringing forth a new investment product: multi-asset-class income vehicles.
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Don’t bank on this financial sector ETF; Commentary: What’s in your fund’s wallet?
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — Before the J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. trading debacle, a lot of financial experts saw attractive valuations in financial-services stocks.
How to Invest in Europe; Investing pros say the best strategy is avoid Southern European nations and stick to companies that make much of their money overseas.
SmartMoney.comEurope's continued woes are sending stock markets tumbling yet again. That could present opportunities for disciplined investors. The key is to treat Europe not as one giant bloc but as a collection of nations and companies. The best ...
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Beware 'Leveraged' ETFs
WSJ.comDespite years of warnings about the dangers of "leveraged" exchange-traded mutual funds, many small investors—and, apparently, some investment professionals—may still not be getting the message.
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4 ETFs that own the world; Commentary: Global stock funds take you to lands of opportunity
MarketWatchNEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Most indexed investors have at least one broad-based fund in their portfolios, but relatively few choose the broadest of all — a fund based on a global index.
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Exchange-Traded Funds; Talking About ETFs; A longtime analyst has advice for individual investors
WSJ.comFor the past 15 years, Deborah Fuhr has spent her days deep in the weeds of exchange-traded funds. As an investment strategist at Morgan Stanley and then global head of ETF research at ETF sponsor BlackRock Inc., she observed as the ...
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Banks Fined Over Sales of Nontraditional Funds
WSJ.comThe Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has sanctioned units of Citigroup Inc., Morgan Stanley, UBS AG and Wells Fargo & Co. more than $9.1 million for allegedly improper sales of leveraged and inverse exchange-traded funds.
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ETFs challenge another index-fund icon; Commentary: Against ETFs, Dimensional Fund Advisors loses an edge
MarketWatchPALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Most investors have never heard of Dimensional Fund Advisors. This privately held firm manages nearly $250 billion of index funds, but you can only own its funds through an investment adviser who achieves a ...
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Exchange-Traded Funds; Could a Stock ETF Cloak Its Portfolio? Most ETFs list all their holdings each day. But stock-picking managers prefer privacy to buy and sell shares.
WSJ.comAs ETF sponsors look for ways to attract an even broader audience, investors may face a trade-off: the addition of big-name fund managers in return for less transparency about holdings.
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Schwab could be ETF investors’ new Vanguard
MarketWatchAn earlier version of this April 19 ETF Adviser column, included incorrect information about the pricing of Charles Schwab’s ETFs. See the corrected story.
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ETF traders can’t win a loser’s game; Commentary: High-frequency trading creates an uneven field
MarketWatchPALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — In their 1978 song, “What a Fool Believes,” the Doobie Brothers spin a tale of a man who is self-deceived, trusting a lie of his own making. Somehow, this poor sap has convinced himself that he is a ...
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Schwab could be ETF investors’ new Vanguard; Commentary: Like-minded rivals battle to be king of low costs
MarketWatchAn earlier version of this story, published April 19, included incorrect information about the pricing of Charles Schwab’s ETFs. PALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Vanguard Group has become the world’s largest fund company, with more than ...
The Problem With Emerging-Markets Funds; Hough: Many lack sufficient exposure to, of all things, emerging markets.
SmartMoney.comYour emerging-markets stock fund might need more exposure to emerging markets. Many such funds have large exposure in markets that bear more economic resemblance to the U.S. than to China and India. They also tend to favor companies with ...
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Don't Bank On It; Leveraged loans and managed futures offer opportunities, but beware risks
WSJ.comQ: How can one invest in bank loans ? Are there mutual funds or ETFs that invest in the area? A: As the economy improves, investors have shifted to riskier investments, such as stocks and junk bonds. Lately, more have taken an interest in ...
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Bill Gross's Shiny New Toy; The Bond King's Novel ETF Might Be Worth a Look
WSJ.comBill Gross, the co-chief investment officer and founder of Pacific Investment Management Co., recently pulled off an unusual feat: He beat his own performance.
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Drilling for Dollars; Investing in new energy-extraction techniques can be a challenge
WSJ.comQ: Are there ETFs or other ways to play the boom in fracking and shale energy stocks? A:There is growing excitement in the oil patch. Advances in drilling techniques such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, have ...
How to Handle the Coming Dividend Tax Hike; Hough: Will the favorable tax treatment on dividends go away at the end of 2012, even as Apple and other companies roll out new dividends?
SmartMoney.comApple's dividend announcement this past week is good news for income investors, but bad news might be lurking around the corner. Unless Congress takes action, the top tax rate for the highest earners on most dividends, currently 15%, is ...
Why it's Time to De-Risk; Hough: Investors should consider swapping bold bets for boring ones.
SmartMoney.comBulls say the capital markets are in a "risk rally," while cynics call it a "dash for trash." Whatever the label, assets that investors were too fearful to touch last year have lately been the market's top performers.
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How to invest in energy funds; Commentary: Use ETFs for hedging, mutual funds for long-term
MarketWatchLONG BEACH, Calif. (MarketWatch) — If you’re considering buying an energy fund, chances are it’s for one of two reasons: Either you think the global economy is going to experience healthy growth, especially in the developing world, raising ...
The End of the Bond Bull Market (Finally); Hoenig: Shorting bonds may be the new big thing, as market seems headed for a fall.
SmartMoney.comIn this column five years ago, I called currency markets "the new Wild West" and predicted that foreign exchange trading would "soon become the hottest game in town."
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Help for Big Buyers
WSJ.comWhen you want to put money into an exchange-traded fund—whether it is $10,000 or $100,000—you do it by buying existing shares from other investors. But financial advisers and institutional investors with more than $500,000 to invest may be ...
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How to boost your investing stamina; Commentary: Investors, don’t just do something; sit there
MarketWatchPALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — For most investors, tuning out the market’s noise and following their portfolio plan is the best path to success.
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The 'Ex' Factor: Trying to Win Through the Stocks You Avoid
WSJ.comSome exchange-traded funds have what can only be called an "ex" factor. It isn't that they have some special attributes to dazzle an audience, but rather that their defining feature is the list of performers they won't let on the stage. ...
WSJ.com; Turn a Cold Shoulder to Hot Junk-Bond ETFs; Zweig: High-yield bond funds have seen a tidal wave of inflows from yield-hungry investors. Are they overpaying?
SmartMoney.comBefore you load up on junk, give it the sniff test, so you don't end up with a smelly surprise. So far this year, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds investing in high-yield, or "junk," bonds have taken in more than $17 ...
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MIXING IT UP; Testing the 4%-a-Year Retirement Rule; The adviser who coined this rule of thumb for withdrawals is watching how it holds up in tough markets
WSJ.comThe next five years could determine whether a rule of thumb for retirees' withdrawals from their portfolios remains valid in these turbulent times, says Bill Bengen, a financial planner in Southern California.
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New Recipes for Commodity Investing; Fund companies are tweaking their strategies for picking a winning mix of metals and other materials
WSJ.comTime was, fund investors who wanted to bet on commodities had only a few, simple products to choose from: mutual funds and exchange-traded products that tracked price moves of an unchanging basket of basic goods, such as oil, corn and ...
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Pimco’s ‘outlaw’ ETF
MarketWatchA previous version of this story misstated the expenses for the Pimco Total Return ETF (TRXT, US). See the corrected story.
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Pimco’s active ETF is an industry outlaw; Commentary: Sizing up ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ characters
MarketWatchA previous version of this story misstated the expenses for the Pimco Total Return ETF. The story has been corrected. PALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Bill Gross and his Pimco gang came riding into Wall Street last week with guns blazing, ...
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Buffett rebuffs gold, but inflation says ‘buy’; Commentary: Use ETFs to hedge rising prices, dollar weakness
MarketWatchPALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Buying gold is now accessible for all, but the sage of Omaha has spoken. Warren Buffett says gold is not an investment — it’s a speculation and does not belong in an investor’s portfolio.
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Why Japan Is Looking Good; The Long-Dormant Market Is on the Move; Risks Abound
WSJ.comThe Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed 13000 on Tuesday—but it is Japanese stocks that are really on fire this year. The MSCI Japan Index rallied more than 11% in February, its largest monthly gain since 2008, beating the Dow by nearly ...
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How to own property without fixing leaky sinks; Commentary: Real estate ETFs are retirement-friendly
MarketWatchPALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Nearly every retirement portfolio should contain real estate, but most investors can’t buy a building. Fortunately, it’s easy to own property without ever fixing a toilet, or worrying about a roof caving in ...
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Exchange-Traded Funds; ETF Choices for Income Investors; Advisers take varied routes in combining funds for people who don't want lots of risk
WSJ.comIncome-oriented investors are caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one side, the Federal Reserve is keeping Treasury bond yields artificially low. On the other, dividend stocks offer tempting payouts but with painful ups and downs ...
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Identical ETFs are not created equal; Commentary: What’s under the hood can impact returns
MarketWatchNEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Financials and industrials are the two sectors that have done the best since last Oct. 3, when the stock market shook off its lethargy and began climbing.
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Exchange-Traded Funds; Are ETFs and 401(k) Plans a Bad Fit? Not necessarily, as some companies try adding exchange-traded funds to retirement plans
WSJ.comWhen the 401(k) came into vogue in the 1980s, the mutual fund was the investment of choice. So the retirement plan was built to suit the mutual fund's particular quirks, including its once-a-day trading and the ability to buy partial ...
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5 ways investors can beat the retirement bandits; Commentary: Demographics, taxes, low yields threaten living standards
MarketWatchPALO ALTO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Millions of Americans have worked hard for a lifetime, paid their mortgages, in some cases put their kids through college, donated to charity, and somehow tucked away enough money to take care of their ...
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‘Go anywhere’ ETFs look a little bit lost; Commentary: Managed funds have appeal, but need seasoning
MarketWatchLONG BEACH, Calif. (MarketWatch) — One advantage exchange-traded funds have over traditional mutual funds is they can be traded throughout the day.
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Put ETFs and mutual funds on the test track; Commentary: Check under the hood before you take the wheel
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — I was surprised this week to read that exchange-traded funds are “still popular despite not making money.” Mostly, I was stunned by how the article, at InstitutionalInvestor.com, twisted numbers and logic to come up ...
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As ETFs Multiply, Companies Scramble To Concoct Memorable Ticker Symbols
WSJ.comIn a crowded market for exchange-traded funds, some industry heavyweights employ clever marketing to make their products stand out. BlackRock Inc.'s iShares is a Cirque du Soleil sponsor, while State Street Global Advisors uses a ...
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Low-volatility ETFs can carry a high price; Commentary: New funds cut risk — and potential for greater return
MarketWatchNEW YORK (MarketWatch) — The stock market quaked with volatility last year, and some gurus are predicting more rocking and rolling for 2012. Smelling opportunity, exchange-traded fund providers are gearing up to offer new indexes and ...
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Exchange-Traded Funds; Betting on a Water Boom; The world's thirst is growing, but there are few pure investment plays
WSJ.comWater makes up more than half of the average human body, covers roughly three-quarters of the Earth's surface and is the single most important ingredient in feeding a growing world.
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Exchange-Traded Funds; Ways to Bet on a Rebound in Europe; The outlook is cloudy, but stocks look fairly cheap. One option: index funds dominated by multinationals.
WSJ.comWith European officials moving to confront the continent's massive debt crisis, investors who can stand the high-stakes drama might want to take a flier on European stocks, in the hope that the worst is over, over there.
How to Invest in China; Hough: The country's economy may be slowing, but long-term stock investors should still gain some exposure.
SmartMoney.comChina's economy has swelled four times in size in a decade, but growth is slowing. Market forecasters are locked in a debate over what comes next.
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The Rally That Wouldn't Die! Treasury Bonds Have Been on a 30-Year Tear. Whether or Not the Party Can Last Is Beside the Point—There Are Far Better Places to Put Your Money
WSJ.comAt least one fear gauge shows that investors were more scared in 2011 than in the dark days of 2008. According to investment-research firm Morningstar, a portfolio of U.S. Treasurys with an average maturity of 20 years—the quintessential ...
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Frack Attack: How to Play the Next American Oil Boom
WSJ.comEnergy profits are booming and Big Oil shares look inexpensive. But investors with an appetite for risk might want to drill deeper into the sector to find smaller companies sitting on U.S. oil-shale riches—which make tempting takeover ...
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Fidelity Investments Looks Ready To Offer Exchange-Traded Funds
WSJ.comAfter years of ignoring one of the hottest investment options, Fidelity Investments appears to be planning a push into exchange-traded funds.
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REITs: Can the Streak Last? They Outpaced the Market in 2011, but Pickings Are Slimmer
WSJ.comAmid last year's flat stock performance, there was at least one bright spot: real estate. No, not shaky U.S. home builders. We mean the stocks of real-estate investment trusts, which manage portfolios of commercial properties such as ...
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Oil Partnerships Keep Rolling
WSJ.comA quirky and complex investment class called master limited partnerships has been one of the market's best performers of late. The widely followed Alerian MLP index of 50 energy MLPs returned 14% in 2011, including dividends, versus ...
ETFs That Pay Up to 7% -- Then Mature; Hough: A new class of exchange-traded fund puts the "fixed" back in fixed income. Should investors buy in?
SmartMoney.comIn about two weeks, one exchange-traded fund will do something highly unusual. It will mature. The Guggenheim BulletShares 2011 Corporate Bond ETF is like most fixed-income ETFs in that it holds a diversified basket of bonds, passes the ...
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TAX STRATEGY; Tax-Wise Funds vs. ETFs; Which option is better for investors looking to limit Uncle Sam's take?
WSJ.comAbout five years ago, George Papadopoulos shifted his clients' assets out of tax-managed mutual funds and into exchange-traded funds. A certified financial planner in Novi, Mich., he says the move made good financial sense and pleased ...
ETFs: All That Tax-Efficient? Here's how exchange-traded funds can help investors hold off Uncle Sam -- or can trip them up.
SmartMoney.comExchange-traded funds are hardly the magic models of tax efficiency that some advisers or fund sponsors would like investors to believe. But generally, they are at least as good at minimizing tax pain for stock investors as index funds, the ...
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For Bank Stocks, Smaller Is Better in 2012
WSJ.comFor stock investors, banks weren't where the money was in 2011. The KBW Bank Index, which includes 24 U.S. firms, from global giants like Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase to large regional players, plunged 25% in 2011. The broader ...
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Thinner and Thinner: ETF Providers Cut Markets Into Ever-Narrower Slices
WSJ.comLike the writers of a long-running soap opera, the producers of exchange-traded funds have covered most of the obvious ground. So in search of new story lines, they've turned to some surprising twists and ever-narrower market slices.
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E*Trade Expands E*Arsenal
Barrons.comE*Trade Financial is still nursing the bruises its banking operation received in the mortgage crisis. Its focus these days is on discount brokerage, where the firm wants to persuade customers that it isn't just a place to trade, but a ...
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Taking Control of an Out-of-Control Portfolio
WSJ.comThe Standard & Poor's 500-stock index shot 7% higher this past week after plunging nearly 5% the week before. Investors are left wondering whether to cheer or cringe.
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Stocks with Training Wheels
Barrons.comConvertible securities finished an uncharacteristically bad year in 2011 with returns that trailed the Standard & Poor's 500 index. That could set up converts for a strong 2012 because major issuers like General Motors and ...
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Where Best to Compare ETFs
Barrons.comAs easy as they are to trade, and as cheap as they are to own, it's often hard to see an exchange-traded fund for its metrics. Think about how hard it is to penetrate any single security's forest of data, times 25 to 700 fund ...
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Exchange-Traded Funds; Is the Golden Age Ending? Bullion prices are off their highs, and ETFs may speed the decline
WSJ.comThe emergence of exchange-traded funds that hold gold bullion, led by the giant SPDR Gold Shares, may accentuate the decline in the metal's price just as it did the recent boom.
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Tools to Help You Sift Through All Those ETFs
WSJ.comThe pace of exchange-traded product launches has been dizzying. BlackRock's iShares is looking to launch a new set of bond funds, including products investing in financial or utility company debt. Charles Schwab recently followed ...
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You Don't Have to Start Off Rich to Build Wealth
WSJ.comInvesting is supposed to be how you build wealth, but sometimes it feels like you need to have money to make money. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is discouraging its brokers from taking on accounts smaller than $250,000. Even mutual funds, ...
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Bill Gross…and Fund Fees; Other firms are likely to feel pressure to follow Pimco into low-cost ETFs
WSJ.comThe business of running and selling traditional, actively managed mutual funds is already under stress, thanks to exchange-traded funds. The new Pimco Total Return ETF, debuting March 1, seems likely to only add to the pressure.
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Don't Lose Your Grip; The curse of complexity is threatening to undermine an investment tool that was heralded for its simplicity and transparency
WSJ.comInnovation in the financial markets is often viewed as a double-edged sword. On one side, cutting-edge products like exchange-traded funds can offer a more efficient way of investing. Yet on the other side, there is a danger of over ...
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ETFs: Behind the Fee Cuts
WSJ.comWhat should investors do when their exchange-traded fund changes course in midstream? Competition for your investment dollars is pushing a growing number of ETF providers to tinker with their underlying indexes and, in some cases, their ...
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China’s push may lift Hong Kong yuan rates; Creation of Hong Kong ETF, other measures seen favoring island
MarketWatchHONG KONG (MarketWatch) — China’s plan to boost Hong Kong’s presence as an international hub for its currency could result in an increase in the interest rates offered on yuan deposits by the city’s banks, say economists.
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2011 Perfomance of Long-term Bond ETFs
WSJ.comLong-term bond ETFs tend to move opposite stocks. All of the ETFs in the table below have an average duration of more than 10 years. Duration, measured in years, is used to determine a bond or bond fund's interest rate sensitivity by ...
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Battening down the hatches for market storms; Commentary: Industrials, technology and consumer staples favored
MarketWatchNEWTON, Mass. (MarketWatch) — 38 ... 44 ... 56 ... 91 — no, not my lottery picks. Dates. These are the years of the most memorable hurricanes to hit the lives and shift the sands where I live. Thankfully, they remain the most memorable ...
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His Forecasts of Booms and Busts Sell Lots of Books. But an ETF? Maybe Not.
WSJ.comHarry S. Dent Jr. has made a lot of predictions about the stock market, some on the money, some spectacularly off-base. Now the demographics guru, economic forecaster and best-selling author is betting that investors will pay up for a ...
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Congress gets ‘F’ on ETF reform; Commentary: Investors’ concern falls on politicians’ deaf ears
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — In Washington these days, politicians believe they can get away with doing nothing so long as it looks like they are doing something.
Why Mutual Funds Still Cost You So Much; Stocks, bonds and ETFs just keep getting cheaper. But mutual fund fees haven't budged in years.
SmartMoney.comAs many investors have realized recently, it's not that tough to get a deal in investing. Want cheaper commissions on stock trades? Check. How about free trades to buy and sell those exchange-traded funds? Done.
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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS; Buying ETFs Like a Pro; Individuals can mimic some of the ways that big investors use these funds
WSJ.comBig-time money managers have taken a shine to exchange-traded funds. And average investors can learn a lot by watching them. The pros running pension plans, endowments and conventional mutual funds are bulking up their portfolios with ETFs, ...
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Extreme Tax Frustration; Commodity ETFs Can Wreak Havoc On Your Tax Bill. Here's What You Need to Know
WSJ.comCommodities are hot, but exchange-traded funds and other vehicles that hold them are causing massive tax headaches for investors. Just ask Darren Neuschwander, an accountant in Robertsdale, Ala., with high-net-worth clients around the ...
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Bond ETFs That Soar When Stocks Sink; Long-term bond ETFs are up big this year. Are they worth a look?
WSJ.comAn ultimate bearish bet has greatly rewarded investors over the past week. Not gold, not inverse or leveraged funds, but in exchange-traded funds that invest as far out in the bond market as possible, collectively known as long-term bond ...
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An ABC of ETFs; What you need to know—and watch out for—when it comes to exchange-traded funds
WSJ.comThe market for exchange-traded funds has boomed since the SPDR S&P 500 made its debut as the first U.S. ETF in 1993. Today, investors have more than $1 trillion in these funds, which trade and often specialize in almost everything ...
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EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS; Oil, Gold...Rare Earths? As ETFs focus on some less-known materials, there are risks to weigh
WSJ.comThe raw-materials rally that has driven investors to load up on gold, crude and wheat is also sparking interest in funds tied to relatively obscure commodities such as lithium, uranium and rare earths.
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Time to Ditch Commodities?
WSJ.comCommodities are the market's equivalent of a good-time Charlie: They go up when the economy is booming, but they don't provide much diversification during times of stress.
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ETFs claim another fund industry victim; Commentary: Once-popular HOLDRS quietly slip away
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — One of the hottest investment concepts of the heady Internet bubble days is about to be laid to rest. Van Eck Global and Bank of America Corp. (BAC, US) unit Merrill Lynch & Co. recently entered into an agreement ...
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ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS; New Twist on Hedge Funds; 'Replicators' operate very differently from most hedge-like portfolios
WSJ.comA handful of mutual-fund companies say they've built a better mousetrap when it comes to investing like a hedge fund. But for investors, these funds require a very close look under the hood.
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For Quirky Holdrs ETFs, Time Is Up
WSJ.comThe latest sign of winnowing in the exchange-traded fund business: Merrill Lynch's Holdrs, among the strangest species in the ETF jungle, are going into extinction.
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MIXING IT UP; Making Room for Midcaps; This adviser puts more dollars in midsize companies than in giant stocks
WSJ.comInvestors should consider buying stocks of midsize companies to boost long-term returns on their investment portfolios, says Mark Cortazzo, founder of financial advisory firm Macro Consulting Group LLC in Parsippany, N.J.
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In Case of ETF Emergency; A number of extraordinary market events, known as flash crashes, highlight the complex nature of ETF liquidity
WSJ.comSince the explosion of the exchange-traded funds market more than a decade ago, the ETF has been hailed for its simple and transparent secondary market model: Just like normal shares, ETFs allow baskets of assets to be traded on an exchange ...
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Is a Rally Brewing in 'Junk' Bonds?
WSJ.comHigh-yield bonds just suffered through their worst losing streak since 2008. It may be time for investors to buy. The Barclays Capital U.S. High-Yield Bond Total Return index dropped for 13 consecutive days ending June 20, losing a total of ...
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ETF spotlight to intensify at Senate hearing
MarketWatchWASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The glare on exchange-traded funds is set to intensify when a Senate committee puts the industry under the spotlight Wednesday.
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Me First! Aspiring ETF Sponsors Seek Ways to Jump to the Front of the Line.
WSJ.comA traffic jam of companies are awaiting green lights from regulators to enter the exchange-traded-fund business. And some are taking creative routes to cut through the gridlock.
What Happens When Your Fund Lends Out Stocks; You wouldn't want to make a loan to someone without knowing what you will earn on the loan. But if you own mutual funds or ETFs, you might be doing exactly that.
SmartMoney.comYou wouldn't want to make a loan to someone without knowing what you will earn on the loan. But if you own mutual funds or exchange-traded funds, you might be doing exactly that.
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It Seems an ETF by Any Other Name Would Probably Not Smell as Sweet
WSJ.comNot every investor has figured out what exchange-traded funds are. But that's OK. The companies selling them can't agree either. A war of words erupted last month when the biggest manager of ETFs, BlackRock Inc., proposed stripping ...
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OPTIONS FOR SAVERS; In Stashing Cash, Look Ahead; When interest rates eventually rise, today's low-risk alternatives won't all fare the same
WSJ.comThe returns on low-risk savings these days range from just about zilch to a little more than nothing. With interest rates at rock bottom, money-market funds, bank accounts and ultrashort-debt funds have been cranking out uniformly terrible ...
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PORTFOLIO STRATEGY; How to Profit When the Dollar Falls; Currency funds are a popular play on a clear trend. Here's advice on how to buy them—or whether to buy at all.
WSJ.comAs the dollar continues its fall against other world currencies, it makes imports and foreign travel more expensive for Americans. But some investors have cashed in on the trend—by investing in mutual funds and ETFs that trade in ...
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Alternative Investing; Unstable Condition; Investors can not only manage volatility but can bet on it, too
WSJ.comQ: Are there ways an investor can protect against a rise in the market's volatility—or even profit from it? A: Investors have endured a bumpy few years. The market tumbled in 2008, then rose sharply in the subsequent two years, leaving ...
The Beauty of Currency Baskets; Funds that hold several currencies provide a less-risky way to play foreign exchange
SmartMoney.comMarket biases are deeply engrained, a reality often evidenced by the public's slow adoption of new investment ideas. Just as it took a decade of growth to finally convince investors to add gold to their portfolios, currency ETFs, ...
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Where Are the ETFs? Lack of transparency hinders use on European exchanges
WSJ.comOne of the fastest-growing financial products in the past 20 years, the exchange-traded fund, isn't getting the traction it could be getting in Europe.
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Full ETF plate gives investors indigestion; Commentary: Spicy and sugary menu of options needs grain of salt
MarketWatchDue to an editing error, a previous version of this story misspelled the name of Michael Iachini of Charles Schwab. The story has been corrected.
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20 U.S.-Listed ETFs Investing Only in China
WSJ.comThe first U.S.-listed ETF investing only in Chinese companies launched in October 2004. Since then, 19 more China-only exchange-traded funds have launched, gathering nearly $10 billion in assets, with the vast majority of those assets in ...
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Why Fund Fees Barely Budge
WSJ.comMany people are up in arms over Bank of America's $5 monthly fee for some debit cards. But bank fees are small compared with the fees mutual-fund companies charge investors—even after the meteoric rise of cheaper exchange-traded funds.
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SPOTLIGHT | SPDR Barclays Capital Short Term International Treasury Bond; Staying Short, but Looking Globally
WSJ.comIn an era of historically low U.S. interest rates, one route to earning higher yields without too much risk is to buy short-term bonds of developed foreign countries.
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Investing in a Volatile World; ETCs are fuelling the commodities boom but risks abound
WSJ.comExchange-traded commodities and exchange-traded funds are seen by many stay-at-home investors as the ideal vehicles to gain exposure to the commodities boom. Safe, transparent and apparently liquid. Globally, ETCs and ETFs investing in ...
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Don’t blame ETFs for the actions of rogue traders; Commentary: Misuse and abuse is the fault of people, not the product
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — In the last few weeks, exchange-traded funds have taken a hit to their reputation. First, UBS came out with news that it had lost more than $2.3 billion to the actions of a rogue director on its ETF desk in London. ...
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SPOTLIGHT | Market Vectors China; An Unusual and Costly Route to China
WSJ.comThe toll on the Silk Road to China can be steep for U.S. investors. The Market Vectors China exchange-traded fund from Van Eck Global, launched in October, has traded at prices as much as 20% above its net asset value, or the per-share value ...
The Problem With Your Bond Fund; Most fixed-income mutual funds are overpriced and few offer truly fixed income. Here's how to go cheap--or go it alone.
SmartMoney.comOne bond king's recent stumble gives investors reason to question the outsized fees many are paying to bond-fund managers – and consider some new alternatives.
Ride Out the Storm With Low-Volatility Stocks; How to beat the market -- with less risk.
SmartMoney.comWith the gut-churning volatility of the past few years showing no sign of letting up, some investors are swearing off stocks and piling into safe havens like cash and Treasurys.
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How to Find a Good Financial Adviser
Ask the right questions before you hand over your money
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How to Create an Investment Portfolio
A balanced portfolio can have a bigger impact on long-term performance than individual stock picking
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How to Invest for Retirement
Investing for retirement is more complicated than opening an IRA or maxing out your 401(k)
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How to Choose a Stock Mutual Fund
When choosing a stock mutual fund, consider performance, manager track record and cost before investing.
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How to Invest in a CD
Even in times of interest rate uncertainty, a certificate of deposit (CD) can still be part of your cash strategy.
SmartMoney Magazine
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A new wedding trend trades "walking down the aisle" for a walk on the wild side.
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The Reignited Tech Sector
Technology stocks have rebounded and are once again the darling of the market. Can the resurgence last?
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Why a 'Balanced' Portfolio May Not Work
Arends: That 60/40 portfolio of stocks and bonds your adviser is pushing might not work.
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The Corner Office
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General Dynamics Changes Tactics
The defense contractor faces a tough enemy: potential cuts in defense.