etf

GLOBAL X COPPER MINERS ETF $20.03 (New York symbol COPX; buy or sell through brokers; www.globalxfunds.com) aims to track the Solactive Global Copper Miners Index, which includes 30 global mining and exploration firms. The ETF started up in April 2010.


Canadian firms make up 31.9% of the fund’s holdings....

An investment mania usually begins as a mass attraction to a specific investment, or investment area. It often ends up including a range of investments that bear only a passing resemblance to the original investment area.


The mania for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies over the last couple of years—which is now looking very much like it will end badly for most investors—was grounded in several factors....

CHOICE PROPERTIES REIT $12.22 (Toronto symbol CHP.UN; Units outstanding: 277.2 million; Market cap: $8.3 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 6.1%; www.enbridge.com) acquired Canadian REIT (old symbol REF.UN), a recommendation of Canadian Wealth Advisor, on May 7, 2018.


The merger created Canada’s biggest real estate investment trust: 751 properties for a total of 66.8 million square feet of retail, industrial and office space.


In the quarter ended September 30, 2018, the REIT’s revenue jumped 52.5%, to $315.6 million from $207.0 million a year earlier....

The technology industry can be extremely profitable—for those companies that get it right. However, the industry is dynamic and highly competitive, leaving a graveyard full of failed startups and once successful companies that were overtaken by competitors. Investors in this segment need to be extremely knowledgeable about the companies and industry, or perhaps follow a less risky approach by investing in a broadly diversified technology ETF.


Technology-focused companies form a major part of the publicly listed equity market universe....

Natural gas has some of the most volatile and unpredictable price movements among mainstream commodities. In the past, this has caused considerable losses for even highly experienced trading teams at major financial institutions. Natural gas lived up to its reputation in November 2018 with the US Natural Gas ETF (UNG) delivering a 43.1% increase in the unit price....

This issue we look at the most successful North American ETF launches in 2018. Here “success” is measured in terms of the assets they’ve gathered since their start-up.


With that in mind, here are two of the most successful new launches in 2018.


COMMUNICATION SERVICES SELECT SECTOR SPDR ETF $43.87 (New York symbol XLC) invests in telecommunications, media and entertainment companies.


The ETF offers exposure to the Communication Services sector that was defined by September 2018 changes to the Global Industry Classification Standard....

South Korea has been one of the most impressive performers among emerging market economies over the past 50 years. Rising wages and an aging workforce could slow growth, but the country’s overall outlook is positive. Unification with North Korea could significantly accelerate growth, although that kind of reconciliation is unlikely in the near-to-medium term.


Here is one ETF that provides exposure to the top South Korean stocks.


ISHARES MSCI SOUTH KOREA ETF $60.76 (New York symbol EWY; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $3.4 billion) tracks the performance of the largest publicly listed South Korean companies.


Technology companies account for 41% of its assets, followed by Financial Services (14%), Consumer Cyclical (10%), Industrials (9%) and Basic Materials (8%).


The ETF holds a portfolio of 115 stocks; the top 10 make up 47% of its assets....

ISHARES S&P/TSX 60 INDEX ETF $22.97 (Toronto symbol XIU; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Conservative; Market cap: $8.6 billion) is a low-fee way to buy the top Canadian listed stocks. Specifically, the ETF holds stocks that represent the S&P/TSX 60 Index—the largest, most heavily traded equities on the TSX.


The ETF’s top holdings are Royal Bank, 8.8%; TD Bank, 8.5%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 5.6%; CN Rail, 5.0%; Suncor Energy, 4.8%; Enbridge, 4.2%; Bank of Montreal, 4.0%; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, 3.2%; and Canadian Natural Resources, 3.1%.


The industry breakdown is as follows: Financials (39%), Resources (29%), Industrials (11%), Telecommuncations (7%), Consumer discretionary (4%), Consumer staples (4%), Information technology (4%), Utilities (2%) and others (1%).


The S&P/TSX 60 Index mostly consists of high-quality companies....

Investing in the technology industry can be hugely profitable. However, companies face tough competition and the industry’s winners can quickly lose out to rivals with newer innovations. Tech stocks can also be very volatile—and negative news can throw them into steep declines....

The U.S. is the world’s largest ETF market, with a wide range of funds—from those focused on domestic or global equities to those focused on bonds, commodities and even hedge fund strategies. Canadians investing in U.S.-listed ETFs must keep several factors in mind:


• In the case of U.S.-listed ETFs that hold international assets, the foreign currency exposure of those holdings may be hedged back to the U.S....