Parry and Thrust
ETF s vs. Capital Gains
By Marsha Zapson
Investors across the spectrum are already seeking ways to dampen the effects of the upcoming tax hikes. For individual investors, decisions regarding portfolio allocations and investment vehicles will become increasingly significant as April 15, 2011, approaches. Read the full article here.
Gold
Today’s Essential Strategic Investment
By Michael Roney
There once was a time when gold was considered a relatively esoteric holding— the classic hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty that involved purchasing and securely storing bullion, buying into mines or engaging in futures trading. Read the full article here.
Revisiting BABs and ETFs
Are Taxable Munis the Cornerstone of a Fixed-Income Allocation?
By Marsha Zapson
In the March 29, 2010, issue of Forbes, we reported on
the first municipal-bond exchange traded fund (ETF) to
hold only Build America Bonds. These bonds, known
as BABs, are taxable issues created by the Stimulus Act
of 2009. Read the full article here.
Small Caps
An Investment Tour de Force
By Marsha Zapson
Small-cap stocks have been enjoying a spate of outperformance recently.
In fact, for the first three months of 2010, the Standard & Poor’s SmallCap
600 Index was up 9.3%, while the S&P 500 was up 6.2%. Market observers
suggest there are some very sound reasons for the gains seen among
smaller companies. Read the full article here.
BABs AND ETFs: Offering New Opportunities in Today’s Muni Market
By Marsha Zapson
As investors sought safe havens amid continued market turmoil last year, the relative safety of bonds took
on a renewed allure. Read the full article here.
Considering the Family Office
By Russ Alan Prince and
Hannah Shaw Grove
It’s no secret that the rich are different—and how they choose to manage their personal and financial affairs is no exception. More and more, the wealthy are choosing the exclusivity, objectivity and specialized insights of a family office over a relationship with a large-scale, national provider. Read the full article here.
Exchange-Traded Products 2009
Refining Concepts: The Evolution of Indexing
By Marsha Zapson
The history of indexing dates back to ancient Greece, but financial
indexing—combining some number of stocks to represent a
market—is relatively new. Read the full article here.
Donor-Advised Funds
Maximize giving power through this low-cost, versatile philanthropic tool.
by Brendan Coffey
Charitable giving has long been a priority for Donna Morris and Bill Sweat, starting before their marriage 25 years ago and continuing through their time as financial service professionals and into their second careers as owners of Oregon’s Winderlea Vineyard and Winery. Read the full article here.
ETFs: A Return to Fundamentals
A suite of Exchange-Traded Funds based on fundamental-weighted indexes has outperformed the competition since its inception.
by Marsha Zapson
Over the last century, broad-market financial indexes have taken different approaches addressing two important index considerations. Read the full article here.
Investing in Gold
The ultimate safe-haven asset offers growth and stability.
by Brendan Coffey
With the economic crisis in full force last year, gold showed its true worth. While almost every other major asset class plunged as a result of the credit crisis, gold leapt 23% on the New York Mercantile Exchange in the final two months of 2008. Read the full article here.
Focus on the Long Term in
Your Financial Plan
Seek Independent Advice to Craft a Personal Strategy
by Brendan Coffey
Valuable insight and advice from experienced Raymond James financial advisers on how to go about creating a personal investment strategy in today’s challenging economic environment. Read the full article here.
And Now, Perhaps, a Pause
The number of exchange-traded products listed on U.S. exchanges quadrupled between 2004 and 2008. Stand by for a slowdown.
by Greg Newton
More than 850 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and notes (ETNs) were listed on U.S. exchanges at the end of 2008 — about 160, or almost 25% more than in December 2007. Read the full article here.
ETFs: Straight to the Source
Diversification with commodity-based exchange-traded
products can reduce portfolio volatility and boost returns.
by Greg Newton
The argument for including commodities in an investment portfolio boils down to a single word: diversification. Read the full article here.
Donor-Advised Funds
Charitable and tax-planning efforts get a boost from this unique, flexible opportunity.
by Brendan Coffey
While private foundations were the great charitable vehicles of the 20th century, donor-advised funds (DAFs) are becoming the 21st-century philanthropic solution of choice. Read the full article here.
ETFs: Exploring New Territory
The latest income-generating exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are still more or less off the radar, while the effectiveness of new weighting strategies remains to be seen.
by Greg Newton
For much of the 15-year history of the ETFs business, developers have focused intently on the stock market with barely a thought for
income-oriented investors. But that has
changed dramatically. Read the full article here.
ETFs: An Expedition Abroad
Currency ETFs expose investors to a plethora of foreign economies and may even offer predictability in a volatile marketplace.
by Greg Newton
The advent of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has led to many changes in the investment landscape over the past 15 years. Read the full article here.
Banorte
Gaining Momentum and Capitalizing on Local Expertise
The prestigious magazine Euromoney has named Banorte “Best Bank of the year in Mexico” and “Best Bank in Latin America” in 2008, as a recognition of its leadership and financial solidity. Read the full article here.
ETFs: Demystifying the New
Generation
With some 800 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) now listed on U.S. stock exchanges, the days when investors could simply see a product with "Financials" or "Basic Materials" in its name and understand what they were buying are gone.
By Greg Newton
As with any financial product, successful ETF investing usually comes down to abiding by two of the hoariest cliches in the business: Do your homework, and know what you own. Read the full article here.
The ETF Evolution
It’s full steam ahead for exchange-traded funds with the added power of new actively managed and themed vehicles.
The exchange-traded funds (ETFs) business just keeps rolling along. Whether the market is up or down, ETFs maintain their momentum. Read the full article here.
