1. Your Questions About Etfs
Betty asks…
What are the best online brokers if I am mainly interested in ETFs?
I am looking to invest and recently opened an Etrade savings account however I am unsure if I
also want to use them for investments such as ETFs. I would prefer a broker without any hidden
fees and one which would cater to someone not making many trades per month.
Steve Winston answers:
I use Scottrade and have been very satisfied. They have a good trading platform and customer
service. They are cheaper than Etrade.
I'm not familiar with Zecco, other than looking at their website. But based on your question, you
won't need much in the way of service. They could be a no cost way to trade ETFs. I have
noticed a number of questions about them which can indicate a customer service problem. Look
their site over and see what you think.
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2. Sandra asks…
How do I find a list of leveraged ETFs?
I want to purchase ETFs that use LEVERAGE. I know ProFunds has mutual funds that use
leverage such as their UltraBull fund, but I don't want a fund, I want an ETF. Where can I find a
list of them?
Steve Winston answers:
Etfconnect.com lists all by family. Best resource available.
Lisa asks…
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3. Are previous results an accurate way to track stocks, mutual
funds, etfs?
I am conducting some research, looking to get into my first non-cd investments. When looking at
the history of funds, is looking at the ones with the best 1,3, and 5 year returns a reliable way to
go? I mean you can look at some ETFs and see a 30-45% return in the last year. Obviously
there is no guarantee that history will repeat, but in general, is a good place to start by looking
at the return rates?
If not, how else might I start to limit the seemingly endless number of funds?
Thanks for any help
Steve Winston answers:
History establishes a trend and gives cues as to how the market HAD dealt with the company in
regard to things that went on. It does not directly bear on the future any more than if the
previous coin toss were heads. As in the coin, there is still a 50-50 chance on either heads or
tails (although I have had a few land on edge, they eventually fell one way or the other). What
the market DID (past tense) does not require the market to do it again.
Still, check for major events and trends. Does your stock tend to go up when the Dow goes up?
Or may be it goes the other way (as in folks would rather buy a popular blue chip than buy this
company when they are in a buying mood)? Or is there any common correlation (often not)? Is
your stock seasonal? My first purchases were for an air conditioning manufacturer, so I bought
when it was cheap, Winter, and sold when it was higher, early to mid-Summer. If your company,
say, made hot chocolate, it would have a different season than it it, say, sold snow cones. Has
your company done a lot of ups and downs but within a fairly steady corridor? Then there are
reasons why the market may have established a ceiling and a floor, so ferret out some ideas for
those price supports or resistance. Similarly, if you can discern other characteristics that
frequently happen, you've just been handed an opportunity to improve your odds--if your coin
tosses have never gone more than one side four times in a row, for instance, I would bet for the
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4. other side, even if the actual odds for that specific toss were still only 50-50. If your stock tends
to peak in January, April, and August, then look at your calendar and time your purchases, or
sales, with that in mind, even if you haven't figured out the common causes. History, therefore,
gives hints and clues. The market, however, doesn't have to bow to history. In that you are on
your own.
Still, there is another important history. It involves comparative advantages. Does your company
tend to make more profits than its peers? Does your company tend to make more profits more
consistently than its peers? Does your company look like it will continue to perform this way? (If
not, then look more closely at its peers) Profitability tends to win out over hope and hype in the
long run, so look at its history of doing business, and let the market do whatever it wants.
The first is trading. The latter is investing. What are you really wanting to do?
Chris asks…
Where can I find data on institutional investor holdings of iShares
Bond ETFs?
Where can I find data on institutional investor holdings of iShares Bond ETFs?
After reading their prospectus, it seems that the DTC (Depository Trust Company) is the
recognized owner of all iShares with shareholders being the beneficiaries.
Is there a way I can obtain this information from the DTC?
Is this data confidential according to securities laws?
Or simply put, is this information not available because it has not been systematically collected?
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5. Steve Winston answers:
Google it, there can be answers...
James asks…
Where do I find out which ETFs hold a particular stock?
For instance, if I own Boeing (BA), we all know it is a Dow component, but it is also a
component of the ETF for Aerospace (ITA).
What other ETFs out there might hold Boeing as part of its holdings? Do I have to go through all
400+ listed ETFs to answer that, or is there a website that would simply display this?
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6. Steve Winston answers:
Well you were asking what site shows ETFs and their holdings, which the first responder didn't
really answer.
To date, I have not seen a site exactly like this, but for the meanwhile if you hit the Components
or Holdings link in the summary page of a ticker in Yahoo stocks, it will at least tell you what is
held in any ETF. Good luck.
Mandy asks…
What's the difference between mutual funds and ETFs?
Are there advntages or disadvantages with ETFs?
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7. Steve Winston answers:
ETFs track an index and if you're an institution you can turn in baskets of securities for new
shares and visa versa (arbitrage). MFs create new shares everytime a new investors joins up -
and visa versa
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