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Why you shouldn't blame ETFs for wild markets
January 27, 2012--Critics say the popular funds are causing stocks to swing wildly together. Finding proof is another matter.
Are exchange-traded funds a prime culprit in one of the signature afflictions of the markets today -- the tendency of huge swaths of stocks or other assets to swing dramatically up or down at the same time? Critics are pointing their fingers at ETFs. But evidence for their nefarious role is lacking.
There's no question ETFs have become a market phenomenon. There are now more than 1,110 in the U.S., according to the Investment Company Institute, up from 200 in 2005. ETF assets in this country have topped $1 trillion -- double where they were in 2008.
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Source: CNN Money
U.S. Department of the Treasury Economic Statistics - Monitoring the Economy Update-Quarterly Update
January 27, 2012--The Office of Economic Policy monitors key economic indicators to produce the following summary tables of monthly and quarterly U.S. economic statistics.
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Source: US Department of the Treasury
FactorAdvisors files with the SEC
January 27, 2012--FactorAdvisors has filed a first amended and restated application for exemptive relief with the SEC.
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Source: SEC.gov
SEC Filing-SPDR S&P MIDCAP 400 ETF TRUST
January 26, 2012-- A post-effective amendment, registration statement has been filed for the SPDR S&P MIDCAP 400 ETF TRUST.
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Source: SEC.gov
ICI Exchange-Traded Funds Assets
January 26, 2012 - The combined assets of the nation’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were $1.048 trillion in December, according to ICI. The Institute’s monthly statistical collection also includes the value of shares issued and redeemed by exchange-traded funds.
Statistics contained in the Institute’s monthly ETF report have been obtained from information provided to ICI by exchange-traded funds and commodity funds. Commodity funds are listed in the Domestic (Sector/Industry) category. A detailed breakdown of the monthly ETF data is available on detailed breakdown of the monthly ETF data is available on our website at http://www.ici.org/info/etfdata.xls
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Source: Investment Company Institue (ICI)
Invesco Canada launches Canada's lowest-cost RAFI ETFs
January 26, 2012--Invesco Canada Ltd. is pleased to bring Canadian investors two new ETFs using the RAFI methodology at the lowest price point available in Canada. The addition of the PowerShares FTSE RAFI Canadian Fundamental Index ETF [TSX: PXC] and PowerShares FTSE RAFI US Fundamental (CAD Hedged) Index ETF [TSX: PXU] further strengthens PowerShares Canada's growing ETF lineup.
These ETFs have now closed the initial offering of their units and will be available for trading on TSX when the market opens today.
"We're pleased to be able to offer ETFs using the RAFI methodology to the Canadian marketplace," said Michael Cooke, Head of Distribution for PowerShares Canada. "PowerShares globally is the largest provider of product based on RAFI's unique and proven investment methodology."
The new PowerShares ETFs are based on the FTSE RAFI® family of fundamental indices, which use a weighting structure based on four fundamental measures of company size: sales, cash flow, book value and dividends.
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Source: Invesco PowerShares
Gold hits seven-week high after Fed pledge
January 26, 2012--Gold prices soared Thursday to the highest level in almost seven weeks as the dollar weakened after the US Federal Reserve vowed to keep interest rates near zero for more than two years.
The precious metal hit $1,730.21 an ounce on the London Bullion Market -- which was the highest level since December 8 but still far below the record peak of $1,921.15 struck on September 6.
"With the US Federal pledging to keep interest rates in check until late 2014 -- gold soared," said Ross Norman, boss of British-based bullion broker Sharps Pixley.
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Source: EUBusiness
ProShares Launches First German Sovereign/Sub-Sovereign Bond ETF
January 26, 2012--ProShares, the country’s fourth most successful exchange traded fund (ETF) company,1 today announced the launch of ProShares German Sovereign/Sub-Sovereign ETF (NYSE: GGOV), the first ETF in the United States focused on sovereign and sub-sovereign debt from Germany.
Germany has the world’s third-largest public debt market2 and is widely recognized for its fiscal strength. The ETF lists on NYSE Arca today.
GGOV seeks to match the performance of Markit iBoxx EUR Germany Sovereign & Sub-Sovereign Liquid Index, before fees and expenses.
“Many investors have fixed income portfolios concentrated in high credit quality U.S. bonds,” said Michael L. Sapir, Chairman and CEO of ProShare Advisors LLC, ProShares’ investment advisor. “This ETF can help these investors manage risk by adding diversification through international bond exposure.”
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Source: ProShares
Quarterly Report to Congress ExpertPlan Offers Low Cost Exchange Traded Funds
The response was primarily due to the increasing demand by our top Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firms who have expressed interest in being able to offer the lowest cost investments in light of full fee disclosure regulations.
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January 26, 2012--The Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) submitted its quarterly report to Congress today.
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Source: US Department of the Treasury
January 26, 2012---ExpertPlan, the leading provider of private label recordkeeping plan services, announced today the offering of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) on its proprietary retirement plan recordkeeping system.
The addition of these low cost investments is in partnership with Matrix Financial Solutions (a subsidiary of Broadridge) who provides custody, trading and clearing services. Matrix has made available for trading more than 900 individual ETFs across 40 asset classes from some of the leading ETF providers such as Barclays, Claymore, First Trust, iShares, Rydex, WisdomTree and more.
Source: ExpertPlan