Leveraged ETFs add to cannabis risk

Article Excerpt

Exchange traded funds from Horizon ETFs use a broad range of strategies, including some that carry a higher risk of losses. Their latest additions to the “high risk” category are two leveraged marijuana stock ETFs. Horizons already offers three ETFs that give investors participation in baskets of cannabis stocks. The very successful Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF (Toronto symbol HMMJ) launched two years ago and invests in North American companies with significant activities in the marijuana business. Then came the Horizons Emerging Marijuana Growers ETF (Aequitas Neo symbol HMJR), which invests in smaller North American cannabis companies. The third ETF, the Horizons U.S. Marijuana Index ETF (Aequitas Neo symbol HMUS), invests in companies involved in the U.S. marijuana or hemp industries. The first of those three launches, HMMJ, has performed well since its launch in April 2017. Its overall gain is almost 100%. However, this performance was accompanied by significant volatility: regular up and downward movements over short periods have exceeded 30%. Horizons has now created two ETFs for investors who…