Ron Rowland

GRN: New Carbon Emissions ETN Offers Green Energy Alternative

Alan is correct. The current version of GRN started trading 6/24/08 and is not exactly new. This is the second ETF/ETN to use the GRN ticker symbol. The first was Claymore/LGA Green, which was launched in December 2006 and subsequently delisted in February 2008. The first product died due to lack of interest and the second one is about to do the same.

iShares Launches First ETF to Track India's 'Nifty 50'

Yes, I left out the closed-end India Fund (IFN). Closed-end funds certainly have a place in this world, and given their premium/discount swings, they provide excellent opportunities for astute investors.

That said, they are "closed-end" funds and do not have the ability to track their underlying NAV since there is no "in-kind" exchange allowed between the fund shares and underlying stocks. In my view, that is a HUGE advantage that ETFs and ETNs have over closed-end funds.

It is also the primary reason that the ETF/ETN business is successful and growing fast while the closed-end fund business is dwindling - even after getting a decades long head start.

Most investors are better served by using ETFs and ETNs to get their desired exposure. However, that does create opportunities for other investors in the closed-end fund space.

ETF Market Trends: Just Another 'Debase' Party on Wall Street

Gotta love this line
> The bond market is sucking up zero to historically
> low-yielding short-term treasury paper with a ferocity
> that would rival even the most hardcore crack addict
> hitting on "somebody else’s pipe".

iShares Launches First ETF to Track India's 'Nifty 50'

INDY is only in its third day of trading. I would consider volume greater than 40k on the third day excellent. However, you need to see how the volume/liquidity pattern develops over time.

As for PIN, I'm showing the 50-day average volume is closer to 270k shares and ADVT is $5.6 million. Perhaps you just looked at today's volume when the day was still young.

EPI has ADVT of $24 million.

INP has ADVT of $35 million and a recent b/a of 62.09/62.10, making it the most liquid of the bunch.

Three Gun Salute for a Three ETF Tuesday

Adam, as with your other products, then you need to fix your literature. I do not make these things up. The information was taken directly from your website and prospectus.

IndexIQ Launches Two Inflation Hedge ETFs

Adam, if that is true, then you need to update your prospectus and explain why the holdings on your website listed UltraShort ETFs.

ETF Deathwatch for November

Bob, there are certainly some good ideas in there. As a person who likes to find and invest in small niches, I would like to see all of them thrive and be worthy of investing in. Just goes to show that it takes more than just a good idea to succeed in this arena.

Leveraged ETF Performance in 2009

FAZ only needs to rally +7,669% from here to recapture its 52-week high.

Schwab's Commission-Free ETFs: A Watershed Event

Moto, you are correct that there is no free lunch. For Schwab, they are giving away the trading commission in exchange for the AUM fees. It's as simple as that.

They receive no AUM fees for all the other ETF trades and stock trades they do. And heck, this might just get a few people to open up accounts at Schwab resulting in more AUM fees being generated and even some new commission fees when those new accounts trade other securities.

Schwab's Commission-Free ETFs: A Watershed Event

I expect the liquidity to improve over time. As more assets flow in and trading volume increases, liquidity will naturally follow. It's only been 3 days, but the b/a spread for SCHB was about 2 cents most of the day today. Occasionally just 1 cent, but sometimes creeping up to a nickel. 112k shares traded.

Free trading will eventually generate additional volume. Additional Volume will generate better liquidity (tighter spreads and deeper b/a).

The market makers could not maintain an orderly market for SCHB on day 1 and day 2, but today (day 3) was successful and orderly. They will get there.

Anybody expecting perfection the first week has their expectations set too high. Let's see what these things look like 6 months down the road. I will be surprised if they don't crack the top 100 ETFs in terms of daily value traded.

Schwab's Commission-Free ETFs: A Watershed Event

$400 was a bargain compared to the dozen trades at $499.99.

Since these trades were most likley done through Schwab, I wouldn't be surprised to see Schwab bust the trades. They don't need this kind of "publicity" on their new endeavor.

Schwab's Commission-Free ETFs: A Watershed Event

Trading problems with SCHB at the open this morning:
2 trades at $435.99
9 trades at $399.99
25 trades from $400.00 to $400.11
12 trades at $499.99
Market maker lowers Ask to $27 at 9:30:09
1 trade at $27.00
First trade at reasonable price of $24.75 at 9:30:13

Never use “market on open” orders with ETFs (even if it is commission-free).

Two More Bond ETFs from PIMCO: FIVZ and ZROZ

I wondered the same thing but took that data point directly from the fact sheet. They even list one of the benefits of the fund as "quarterly index and portfolio rebalancing schedule matched to quarterly dividend payments, which may reduce trading expenses."

Are You Ready for More E-TRACS ETNs?

Be sure to check b/a spread and depth before you take that plunge. That 25bps savings in ANNUAL expenses could easily be chewed up with slippage. You also have to ask yourself if anyone will be there to take the other side of your trade when you are ready to sell.

Oklahoma State ETF Launches Tomorrow

OOK is trading today 10/29 (but perhaps this article was actually written yesterday 10/28).