Government

Of the Market Vector’s Municipal Bond family of funds from Van Eck, the five ETFs offered to the public have announced August distributions. The distributions for this month will range from $0.028/share to $0.140/share. Below is a list of the five ETFs and their distribution: 1.  Market Vectors Intermediate Municipal Index ETF (ITM) $0.062   2.  [...]

Investors will now have additional access to many emerging markets through the use of a new ETF issued by Van Eck Global. The new ETF, known as Market Vectors Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (EMLC), is described in the press release as tracking a “basket of bonds issued in local currencies by emerging market [...]

The new financial overhaul bill circulating around Washington could have a profound impact on many under-diversified financial ETFs. The Dow Jones U.S. Financial Services Index Fund (IYG: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News) in particular is in danger should the bill pass. One of the largest provisions in the bill is meant to protect consumers from [...]

ETSpreads, a small ETF sponsor based in San Francisco, filed with the SEC to add a TIPS bond fund on top of its already growing list of exotic ETFs. ETSpreads has yet to release a single ETF for public consumption, but some of its funds are already grabbing headlines. In the SEC filing, ETSpreads sought [...]

Alongside the popular Build America Bond ETF by PowerShares, State Street has launched another similar exchange-traded fund. The State Street fund offers little difference against PowerShares’ ETF, even adopting the same (.35%) annual expense as its PowerShares rival. State Street’s fund is designed to track a new category of municipal debt subsidized in part by [...]

Building on a bull run that has now covered a full decade, gold prices have reached another record high. As investors’ concerns over government debt grow stronger, gold emerges as the safe haven investment. The bull run in gold appears far from over, with the yellow metal gaining ground even as stocks weaken. In the [...]

In the last year, exchange-traded fund companies have created a turf war, with new funds looking to steal investment dollars directly from their competitors. Following the same trend, Charles Schwab has filed with the SEC to create three new fixed income ETFs. The three new funds are the Schwab US TIPS ETF, the Schwab Short-Term [...]

The disconnect between municipal bond interest from the marketplace and insurers is growing larger. While investors pile cash into muni ETFs, insurers on the front lines of municipal bond investing are leaving. Currently, only one municipal bond insurer is writing new policies, a stark contrast to seven active writers in 2008, the Wall Street Journal [...]

Despite being relatively uncomplicated when left as mere index funds, IRS rules for other exchange-traded funds have become taxing to self-filers. Much of the trouble extends from just two types of ETFs: commodity and futures-based funds. An analyst from Wells Fargo told the Wall Street Journal that commodity ETFs can be taxed in six different [...]

Bond king PIMCO has filed to create six new funds, one of which will be actively-managed. The newest offerings tap into PIMCO’s already existing line of bond ETFs, which are a current investor favorite. The new funds are as follows: 1. PIMCO 0-3 Year Banking Sector Corporate Bond Index Fund 2. PIMCO 1-5 Year High [...]