Jeff Miller

ETF Update: Absolutely Nothing to Love

Paultaut -- DYY and DAG do not fit the criteria for our trading universe. The system was developed using equity sectors in a number of different time frames and market conditions.

DYY and DAG, are leveraged and commodity-based. We are careful about applying the system in completely uncharted territory. Perhaps when we can do some research on ETN's and commodities, making modifications if necessary. We also believe that there is plenty of volatility and trading opportunity without adding leverage.

Thanks for asking this question and helping me to clarify how we make choices. I wish I could provide more information. Meanwhile, I am open to suggestions to extend our list or replace existing choices. We also provide a custom rating service for some investors who have their own lists.

Thanks again,
Jeff

ETF Update: A New Look at Gold

Ray - You may not know it, but we cannot legally advertise performance for a fund limited to accredited investors. That is where we stood as of 2005, when we were encouraging people to get in touch with us for more information.

In the TCA-ETF series I responded to some individual requests to make this into a program where the average investor could participate. We did a lot of work to cut down on the number of trades and make it work within the TD Ameritrade framework. We took the same model signals we used for the daily program, and the ones I have been reporting in real time, and developed a report, which is available upon request. At that point I always talk with any interested investor about suitability, risk tolerance, etc.

I'm not quite sure why you call it "bragging." If you read the report, you will understand better. We do take some pride in putting together a good team and using the most advanced methods.

Thanks for raising some good questions, and for reminding me about the need to update the static site.

Jeff

ETF Update: Greater Flexibility, More Strategies

nearos -- We do have a couple of the ETF's you mention. The universe we use is part of an overall trading strategy where we remain invested in the top eight sectors. We do not want to have, say, eight Latin American country funds, or eight gold and silver ETF's. For this reason we choose a representative ETF for a particular theme. We look for open-ended funds without excessive concentration in a few companies. At the moment, we have not included pure commodity plays, but the idea is under review. It may require a completely separate ranking and asset allocation.

We publish the ratings for the general interest and to give a look at our strategy. It is not intended as a comprehensive comparison of all funds. If your favorite ETF is not on the list, you should be able to find a similar ETF in our universe, and the strength ratings will probably be similar.

We consider (and use) suggestions for new candidates that meet the criteria. We also provide reports to some customers who have their own customized list of candidates.

Thanks for your comment. I'm sure that others had the same question.

Jeff