Oil

Rising oil prices have pushed up returns offered by energy based ETFs even as ETFs tracking crude oil prices have lagged behind. Prices are rising on account of political disturbance in Libya and East and North Africa and investors are preferring energy ETFs over oil based ETFs. Market forces prevent the latter from tracking the [...]

Assets continued to flow into U.S. exchange-traded funds last month despite volatile market conditions. Popular commodity funds were a major reason for the sustained growth.  During the month of May, it was the commodity class that attracted the most assets. According to the press release, SPDR Gold Shares (GLD: Profile, Quote, Advanced Chart, News) lead [...]

The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has taken a toll on oil prices. With uncertainty surrounding the future of oil, investors have noticed that natural gas ETFs are gathering steam. U.S. Natural Gas ETF (UNG: Profile, Quote, Advanced Chart, News) and the First Trust ISE Revere Natural Gas ETF (FCG: Profile, Quote, Advanced Chart, [...]

United States Commodity funds, the ETF sponsor best known for its United States Oil Fund (USO: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News) and United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News), today launched another fund to track Brent oil prices. The new fund, the United States Brent Oil Fund (BNO), will track the [...]

Some sectors are seasonal, and a few fare better in the summer than any other time during the year. Here is a brief list of the ETFs that heat up as summer begins. With oil on the top of everyone’s mind following a spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Claymore/Aphashares Global Solar Energy Index ETF [...]

It is no secret on Wall Street that leveraged and short funds eventually go to $0, but ProShares hopes a reverse split can bring nine of its funds back from the dead. ProShares will enact a reverse split after the closing bell on April 14, hoping to breathe some life into nine plummeting funds. The [...]

Often seen as a leading indicator of overall commerce and business spending, airline ETFs are leading the overall stock markets. The Claymore Airline ETF (FAA: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News) has posted gains of 73% since last summer. After the entire sector nearly plunged into bankruptcy after 9/11 and fought off higher oil prices in [...]

While some analysts are calling gold a bubble, others are forecasting where the precious metal will peak. For the first time in nearly two decades, the once boring metal has brought out the best and brightest market forecasters to put their money where their mouth is. A Bloomberg survey of 22 analysts reveals that 15 [...]

Option volume in the Market Vectors Russia (RSX: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News) indicates that Russian markets may soon enter a bear market. Uncharacteristic put volume reflects a dip of greater than 17% by May. Open interest on the popular ETF rose to 60,608 put contracts, 2.42 times as many call contracts, which suggest a [...]

Oil stocks have a reputation for generating immense profits in a few short months each year. With February trading now underway, oil stocks have a four month window of quick returns. Oil services stocks rev up during the period of January 31 to May 9, a trend that has proven profitable 17 out of the [...]