Exchange-Traded Funds
« Previous EntriesGraphic of the Day – Calculating the Cost of an Exchange-Traded Fund
Thursday, October 25th, 2012This is pretty cool (click on the graphic to see a larger version): Source: WSJ There is more to be considered when selecting an ETF than just the expense ratio. Spreads and brokerage commissions can take a large chunk out of the returns (if there are any).
iShares Introduced Some New Low-Cost Exchange-Traded Funds
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012I read yesterday that iShares is introducing some low-cost ETFs (I couldn’t locate the piece I read yesterday so I found something close to what I originally read) to compete with Vanguard. One of the new ETFs is iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA), which will have an expense ratio of 0.14 percent. What’s interesting [...]
Comparing the Monthly Performance of Three S&P 500 ETFs
Wednesday, September 26th, 2012I thought it might be interesting to look at the monthly performance of three different exchange-traded funds that track the S&P 500 Index (iShares S&P 500 Index ETF (IVV), SPDR S&P 500 Index ETF (SPY), and Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VOO)). The newest ETF of the bunch is Vanguard’s VOO, which has monthly return [...]
Annual Review of the AFM iShares Retirement Portfolio
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012I have been tracking a retirement portfolio for several years here at AFM. It’s split 30/20/50 between domestic stocks, international stocks, and fixed income, respectively. The domestic stock portion is invested evenly in the 10 sector exchange-traded funds that make up the Dow Jones Total Market Index. The international stock portion was invested in the [...]
How About a Harry Dent ETF? I’ll Pass.
Wednesday, July 6th, 2011How about an EFT based on Harry Dent’s strategy? It’s been around since 2009 but has had poor returns and a 1.5% management fee (not included trading commissions). I think I’ll pass.
Update on the Israelsen 7Twelve Portfolio
Thursday, April 21st, 2011I have been meaning to post an update on the 7Twelve Portfolio but haven’t done so this year. Here are the latest numbers as of this morning’s prices (you can click on the graphic to view a PDF version): For those of you not familiar with the 7Twelve Portfolio, I would suggest you start here: [...]
iShares ETF Returns vs. the Underlying Index
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011I wanted to take a look at how well exchange-traded funds track their underlying indexes. So, I put together a spreadsheet to analyze the monthly returns of the ten iShares ETFs that track the ten sectors of the Dow Jones Total Market Index against their underlying index. I used only full-year data, which began in [...]
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