Exchange-Traded Funds [ ETFs]
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is an investment fund traded on stock exchanges, much like stocks. An ETF holds assets such as stocks, commodities, or bonds, and trades close to its net asset value over the course of the trading day. Most ETFs track an index, such as the S&P 500 or MSCI EAFE. ETFs may be attractive as investments because of their low costs, tax efficiency, and stock-like features. ETFs are the most popular type of exchange-traded product. ETFs offer public investors an undivided interest in a pool of securities and other assets and thus are similar in many ways to traditional mutual funds, except that shares in an ETF can be bought and sold throughout the day like stocks on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer. Basically, an ETF includes a variety of stocks or bonds belonging to a particular market index or business sector. An ETF combines the valuation feature of a mutual fund or unit investment trust, which can be bought or sold at the end of each trading day for its net asset value, with the tradability feature of a closed-end fund, which trades throughout the trading day at prices that may be more or less than its net asset value. Closed-end funds are not considered to be "ETFs", even though they are funds and are traded on an exchange. ETF stock have been available in the US since 1993 and in Europe since 1999. ETFs traditionally have been index funds, but in 2008 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission began to authorize the creation of actively managed ETFs.
ETFs generally provide the easy diversification, low expense ratios, and tax efficiency of index funds, while still maintaining all the features of ordinary stock, such as limit orders, short selling, and options. Because ETFs can be economically acquired, held, and disposed of, some investors invest in ETF shares as a long-term investment for asset allocation purposes, while other investors trade buy ETF shares frequently to implement market timing investment strategies. The ETFs provide simplicity, trading ease, low entry fees, no penalties or required holding times, better tax advantages, deeper and more targeted selection offerings and smaller money entry requirements. ETFs come in various different forms like Bonds, shares and equities. Let's be sure you know what an ETF is. It is an Exchange Traded Fund. They have not been around very long, but are catching on. More and more are being created. It is similar to a mini-mutual fund and has many of the same characteristics. A regular fund is composed of many stocks. There are index funds that have hundreds of stocks with the same equities as the S&P500. Almost all major funds have several index funds and there are ETFs with the same composition.
For more information please visit : http://www.stockmarketopedia.com
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is an investment fund traded on stock exchanges, much like stocks. An ETF holds assets such as stocks, commodities, or bonds, and trades close to its net asset value over the course of the trading day. Most ETFs track an index, such as the S&P 500 or MSCI EAFE. ETFs may be attractive as investments because of their low costs, tax efficiency, and stock-like features. ETFs are the most popular type of exchange-traded product. ETFs offer public investors an undivided interest in a pool of securities and other assets and thus are similar in many ways to traditional mutual funds, except that shares in an ETF can be bought and sold throughout the day like stocks on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer. Basically, an ETF includes a variety of stocks or bonds belonging to a particular market index or business sector. An ETF combines the valuation feature of a mutual fund or unit investment trust, which can be bought or sold at the end of each trading day for its net asset value, with the tradability feature of a closed-end fund, which trades throughout the trading day at prices that may be more or less than its net asset value. Closed-end funds are not considered to be "ETFs", even though they are funds and are traded on an exchange. ETF stock have been available in the US since 1993 and in Europe since 1999. ETFs traditionally have been index funds, but in 2008 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission began to authorize the creation of actively managed ETFs.
ETFs generally provide the easy diversification, low expense ratios, and tax efficiency of index funds, while still maintaining all the features of ordinary stock, such as limit orders, short selling, and options. Because ETFs can be economically acquired, held, and disposed of, some investors invest in ETF shares as a long-term investment for asset allocation purposes, while other investors trade buy ETF shares frequently to implement market timing investment strategies. The ETFs provide simplicity, trading ease, low entry fees, no penalties or required holding times, better tax advantages, deeper and more targeted selection offerings and smaller money entry requirements. ETFs come in various different forms like Bonds, shares and equities. Let's be sure you know what an ETF is. It is an Exchange Traded Fund. They have not been around very long, but are catching on. More and more are being created. It is similar to a mini-mutual fund and has many of the same characteristics. A regular fund is composed of many stocks. There are index funds that have hundreds of stocks with the same equities as the S&P500. Almost all major funds have several index funds and there are ETFs with the same composition.
For more information please visit : http://www.stockmarketopedia.com