Concerns over Europe’s financial health have only gotten worse for the past two years as the currency bloc struggles to regain its fiscal footing, which has undoubtedly intensified doubts about the global economic recovery since the most recent downturn. Worrisome headlines from this region have been plaguing investors’ confidence like a parasite, paving the way for choppy trading in equity markets around the world. However, amidst the clouds of uncertainty looming over the eurozone currency bloc shines a light of hope from an often overlooked country; Poland has been flying under the radar for many investors, although it may warrant a closer look given its tremendous resilience and attractive economic outlook in an otherwise gloomy region [see also Euro Free Europe ETFdb Portfolio].

Poland’s Luster

As the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, and one of the fastest growing in the Europe period, Poland has earned a reputation as

Back-and-forth trading was the dominant theme yesterday as investors digested Ben Bernanke's testimony before congress along with quarterly corporate performance results. Selling pressures kicked off the day as anticipation surrounding a possible announcement of QE3 intensified, leading up to the Chairman's testimony. Markets were quick to change direction, however, as investors re-focused their attention on better-than-expected results from bellwethers Goldman Sachs (GS) and Coca-Cola (KO). Buying pressures were also bolstered by encouraging home builders index data, which came in at 35 versus last month's reading of 29.

Earnings Preview

Financial behemoth Bank of America (BAC) reported earnings today before the opening bell on Wall Street. As such, our ETF to watch for the day is the PowerShares KBW Bank Portfolio (KBWB), which holds Bank of America in its top-ten holdings, allocating close to 8% of its total assets to this industry bellwether. Investors will likely keep a close watch

While most investors remain focused on the seemingly never-ending debt drama in the eurozone or the sluggish U.S. economic recovery, few are paying attention to Mexico, which has actually turned out to be a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economic environment. Brazil has long been the talk of the town when it comes to Latin American markets; however, Mexico is investors new favorite growth story as the country has demonstrated tremendous resilience while Brazil’s powerhouse economy has been losing its luster.

Investor dollars have been undoubtedly supporting Mexican securities in lieu of Brazilian ones, or any other emerging market for that matter. From a year-to-date performance perspective, the iShares MSCI Mexico Index Fund (EWW) has returned upwards of 15%, while U.S. stocks, as represented by SPY, have returned close to 7%. Furthermore, emerging markets as represented by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index have inched higher by just

Stock markets had a rather uneventful start to the week as more of the same eurozone threats and uncertainties surrounding corporate earnings season at home continue to weigh down on confidence. On Wall Street, economic releases remain a mixed bag at best; the Empire state index beat expectations while June retail sales came in at -0.5% versus the previous reading of -0.2%, sparking a wave of profit-taking across the consumer discretionary sector. Earnings season continues full steam ahead this week, including performance results from Goldman Sachs (GS), Coca Cola (KO) and Intel (INTC) later today.

To top it all off, Ben Bernanke is slated to deliver his semiannual monetary policy report to Congress later today and Wednesday. Whenever the Fed Chairman speaks, investors listen, and markets have a history of whiplashing all over the place; as such, the iShares Barclays 20 Year Treasury Bond Fund (TLT) could be

Stocks endured another day in red territory as weaker-than-expected corporate performance results on the homefront took their toll on investors’ confidence. Industry bellwethers, including auto giant Ford, are taking a hit on bottom line revenues as economic uncertainties from overseas have impacted sales. Looming threats from the eurozone have bolstered the U.S. dollar higher, further eating away at earnings and prompting many to trim their outlook going forward. Despite coming in better than expected, the latest weekly jobless claims report was largely overshadowed by general feelings of uncertainty; this figure came in at 350,000 while analysts were expecting 365,000 [see also The Different Types Of Gold Futures Compared].

Earnings season continues full steam ahead on the homefront as two financial bellwethers are slated to report later today. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC) are both due to report earnings before the opening bell, which brings our focus

Innovation remains a driving force in the ETF industry as the lineup of tools continues to grow, allowing for mainstream investors to easily access previously difficult-to-reach strategies and corners of the global market. One of the more recent strides toward democratizing the investment process comes in the form of the AlphaClone Alternative Alpha ETF (ALFA). This innovative fund brings together insights from hedge funds and institutional investors in a product wrapper that makes it easy and cost-efficient to invest alongside professional money managers. Mazin Jadallah, founder and CEO of AlphaClone, recently took time out of his schedule to discuss what makes the ALFA ETF unique, the basics behind “cloning,” as well discussing how the strategy might fit into investors’ portfolios.

ETF Database (ETFdb): Explain the basic idea behind ALFA.

Mazin Jadallah (MJ): It’s no secret that many of the best investment ideas come from hedge funds and institutional portfolios. Unfortunately

U.S. markets closed in red territory for another day as investors expressed their concerns over the latest FOMC minutes. Selling pressures took hold of investors on Wall Street as insights from the most recent FOMC meeting revealed that Fed officials were reluctant to support additional quantitative easing measures at the moment; this news effectively shot down much of the optimism building around hopes for further stimulus given the already gloomy economic outlook for much of the developed world [see also What Are Options? The Ultimate Beginner's Guide].

With no major economic data releases today on the home front (aside from weekly jobless claim)s, investors will turn their attention overseas as they react to Australia’s latest employment report. The Rydex Currency Shares Australian Dollar Trust (FXA) could gap in either direction at the opening bell as prices adjust for investors’ overnight reaction to the news. Analysts are expecting for

Eurozone debt drama continues to hog the headlines as the seemingly never-ending struggle to ensure financial stability in the currency bloc takes its toll on investors’ confidence. Lackluster economic data releases on the homefront haven’t done much to restore confidence in the global recovery, prompting investors to search far and wide for uncorrelated sources of returns. Previously a hot spot for unparalleled growth, emerging markets now appear to be plagued by the same clouds of uncertainty looming over much of the developed world.

Dismal economic growth expectations for the eurozone and a sluggish recovery at home have undoubtedly put pressure on developing regions. India’s economy in particular has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride for investors; the nation’s GDP was growing at a blistering 9.4% in 2010, although intensifying economic woes around the globe have created major headwinds for this Asian giant. India’s GDP has been steadily declining since

Equity markets started off the week on shaky footing as rising yields on Spanish bonds collided with pre-earnings jitters on Wall Street, sending major indexes into red territory. Aluminum giant Alcoa unofficially kicked off earnings season yesterday after the bell; the industrial behemoth posted a loss of $2 million compared with a profit of $322 million one year ago. In international news, China’s CPI slid to 2.2% over the weekend versus the previous reading of 3.0%, adding to the growing cloud of uncertainty looming over the global economic recovery.

With earnings season under way on the homefront, the State Street Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) makes its way onto our radar screen. This ETF could gap in either direction at the opening bell today, depending on the overnight reaction to Alcoa’s disappointing performance results. Later today investors will also digest the latest job opening data, with analysts looking

Equity markets were dominated by back-and-forth trading last week as mixed economic data releases at home collided with interest rate cuts in China and Europe. On the homefront, investors expressed their concerns as ISM manufacturing data showed a slowdown, although better-than-expected factory orders did offer some relief before the 4th of July holiday break for markets.

When trading resumed on Thursday, however, selling pressures became the dominant force as investors were quick to take profits following the ECB rate cut, which many viewed as a sign that economic growth expectations for the region are even grimmer than previously thought. Friday's employment report at home only added to the already towering list of uncertainties; the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.2% although the nonfarm payrolls figure missed analyst estimates by 20,000, coming in at 80,000 for the month of June. This week will be stacked with major economic data releases on

With this shortened trading week, economic data releases remain mixed on the home front. ISM data came in weaker than expected on Monday morning, while positive factory orders and better-than-expected motor vehicle sales stole the headlines on Tuesday. Activity on the product development was fairly quiet, with ProShares debuting the much anticipated Short Euro (EUFX), and First Trust and Pyxis both gearing up to add to their own product lineups.

Income Comes First

First Trust, the issuer behind the AlphaDEX family of funds, is planning to roll out a pair of income-focused ETFs (see SEC filing):

• First Trust Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index Fund: This ETF will be linked to the Nasdaq Multi-Asset Diversified Income Index, which is comprised of common stocks, depository receipts, real estate investment trusts (REITs), preferred stocks and Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), as well as high-yield corporate bond ETFs. The component

Equity markets got off to a mixed start on Monday morning as conflicting data releases on the home front paved the way for another choppy trading session. Concerns over the domestic manufacturing sector resurfaced as ISM data came in worse-than-expected; the figure came in at 49.7, missing expectations of 52.3 as well as last month's reading of 53.5. On the other hand, construction spending saw a modest uptick, coming in at 0.9% versus the previous reading of 0.6%.

Investors' attention will remain fixated on the home front as factory orders data hits the street latest today. The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) got off to a weak start given the disappointing ISM data. However, this ETF may regain lost ground if the latest factory orders data beats expectations and helps to restore confidence in the manufacturing sector; analysts are expecting for the figure to come in at

With over 1,400 ETPs to choose from, and new ones launching every month, it’s no wonder that investors have embraced the diverse, cost-efficient nature of this financial instrument, making exchange-traded funds the preferred investment vehicle for many. ETFs offer easy access to strategies and corners of the global market that were previously costly, complex, and difficult-to-reach for mainstream investors. Some have embraced ETFs are core building blocks for long-term portfolios, while others prefer to use them as tactical tools over shorter time horizons; no matter what your objective may be, chances are there’s at least one ETF out there that suits your needs [see How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time].

When it comes to slicing and dicing the investable universe, ETFs present themselves as appealing tools capable of delivering cost-efficient exposure to virtually every corner of the market. Broad-based funds are a popular way to tap into

Interest in Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) has climbed significantly over the past few years, as the evolution of the exchange-traded product structure has made accessing this asset class cost-effective and easy for investors of all walks. MLPs have caught the attention of yield-hungry investors in particular, as this often times overlooked corner of the domestic energy market offers attractive, steady dividend distributions similar to utility companies.

MLPs are publicly-traded limited partnerships, an overwhelming majority of which operate as energy infrastructure companies. These businesses own and operate natural gas and crude oil pipelines and storage tanks; as such, these companies offer indirect exposure to the energy market since their revenues are not directly tied with underlying commodity prices. MLPs operate under the "toll road" business model in the sense that they generate fee-based revenues, which gives them a risk/return profile that's more comparable to a utility company rather than

The evolution of the ETF industry has brought forth previously difficult-to-reach corners of the market to the fingertips of mainstream investors. Commodities in particular have seen a surge in popularity as investors have embraced the exchange-traded product wrapper as the preferred means for accessing this potentially lucrative asset class. The ETF universe is vast however, and investors now have multiple instruments at their disposal, allowing them to implement a multitude of investment strategies in a variety of ways.

When it comes to commodities for example, investors can pick and choose from several dozen futures-based ETPs or opt for a physically-backed alternative instead. Furthermore, some may wish to gain indirect exposure to natural resources by investing in a commodity producers ETF; this strategy can be an appealing way to tap into commodity prices without having to deal with the numerous nuances associated with futures-based products.

There are several

Equity markets have endured a choppy week as mixed economic data releases and looming eurozone debt woes continue to plague investors’ confidence. The much anticipated FOMC announcement failed to provide the jolt to stocks many had hoped for after the Fed issued a concerning economic outlook. Amidst the flurry of trading on Wall Street, Huntingon made the jump into the ETF industry with the launch of the EcoLogical Strategy ETF (HECO). ProShares is also planning to add active ETFs to its product lineup while Renaissance, another ETF newcomer, is making strides to enter the industry with an IPO ETF.

ProShares, the largest issuer of leveraged and inverse funds, has filed for exemptive relief, which would give the issuer permission to offer actively-managed ETFs:

• ProShares Emerging Market Debt: The investment objective of this ETF will be to seek exposure to the emerging market debt market. The filing did not

Stocks endured a choppy session yesterday after the Fed announced it will extend the “twist” program while at the same time issuing a concerning economic outlook. Hopes for additional stimulus remain on the table as Chairman Bernanke commented, “If we’re not seeing sustained improvement in the labor market that would require additional action.” Amidst the volatile trading on Wall Street, gold sank lower as profit-taking pressures developed; futures prices for the yellow metal settled near $1,605 an ounce as the closing bell rang.

Following better-than-expected home builders’ index data on Monday, investors will once again turn their attention to the domestic housing market as relevant data hits the street after the opening bell. Analysts are expecting for existing home sales to come in at 4.6 million, a slight drop-off from last month’s 4.62 million; as such, the State Street SPDR Homebuilders ETF (XHB) is on our radar for

Equity indexes gapped higher and held their ground yesterday (Tuesday) as euphoria and expectations for more stimulus ahead of today's Fed decision kept investors' confidence afloat. Judging from the positive price action on Wall Street it's fair to say that economic data releases took a back seat yesterday; housing starts came in at 708,000 for the month of May, falling short of the 720,000 analyst estimate as well as last month's reading of 744,000.

The much anticipated FOMC decision will take place later today, Wednesday, which makes our ETF to watch for the day the State Street SPDR Gold Trust (GLD). This fund may experience volatile trading as investors digest the latest economic commentary from the Fed, along with the potential announcement of an additional round of quantitative easing.

Chart Analysis

Since the beginning of May 2012, domestic equity markets and gold have exhibited fairly similar price patterns;

Commodity prices across the board have endured a dismal decline over the past few months as grim global economic growth expectations have kept a lid on investors’ confidence. Uncertainty has been plaguing virtually every corner of the financial market thanks to a sluggish recovery on the home front coupled with looming debt woes in Europe. Crude oil in particular has been hit quite hard; fossil fuel futures have lost upwards of 20% since hitting $110 a barrel on March 1, 2012, showcasing the rampant volatility that is associated with energy prices [see also Energy Bull ETFdb Portfolio].

What’s worse than investing in a sinking commodity? Investing in the producers of said commodity. This is because commodity producers will typically experience even greater swings in prices given that their profitability hinges on the market price of their goods. From a macroeconomic perspective, this means that commodity-centric nations are among some

The equity markets kicked off the week on a positive note as investors cheered on positive data on the homefront, along with encouraging developments in Greece over the weekend. The latest home builder index came in at 29, surpassing the previous reading of 28 and helping to spark a rally across the construction sector. Amidst the improving backdrop, crude oil prices slipped lower by over 1% on the day; futures prices for the fossil fuel settled just above $83 a barrel.

Investors will shift their attention to the United Kingdom later today as the latest CPI is released before Wall Street's opening bell. As such, our ETF to watch for the day is the Rydex CurrencyShares British Pound Sterling Trust (FXB), which may experience volatile trading depending on inflation data, or if other eurozone news take precedence and encourage choppy trading in the currency market; analysts are expecting