ETF investors enjoy an April Bounce

Article Excerpt

Perhaps not surprisingly, risky assets rebounded substantially in April after considerable selling in late March. The extraordinary level of stimulus provided by central banks and governments around the world also helped to fuel the upswing for hard-hit investors. At the broad market level, the Vanguard Total World Stocks ETF (VT) gained 12.5% in April, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) 14.9%, and the energy-heavy iShares MSCI Canada Equity ETF (EWC) was up 14.2%. The iShares Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) gained just 8.6% as a major component of the fund, China, was left behind in the sharp rallies experienced elsewhere. Market volatility dropped substantially from the elevated levels reached in March, with the BetaPro S&P 500 Volatility ETF (HUV) declining by 18%. It aims to help you profit from market swings. Fixed income investments lagged during April. The Vanguard International Bond ETF (BNDX) gained 1.9% while a leading long-maturity bond ETF—the iShares Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)—added 0.5%. Oil was the big loser in April, as proposed supply cuts failed to offset the sharp decline in demand. The United States…