Pass on this ETF: BetaPro Natural Gas Leveraged Daily Bull ETF

Article Excerpt

The BETAPRO NATURAL GAS LEVERAGED DAILY BULL ETF $11.15 (Toronto symbol HNU) aims to deliver 2 times the daily performance of the Horizons Natural Gas Rolling Futures Index. That index is designed to mirror natural gas prices. The ETF launched in January 2008, holds $67.6 million of assets, and charges a high MER of 1.33%. Since its inception, the fund has lost a startling 99.6% of its value. However, short-term traders—mostly institutional investors—have on occasion done very well: between June 25, 2020, and August 27, 2020, the ETF’s units gained 137% when natural gas prices unexpectedly shot up 73%. The fund relies on futures contracts and other derivatives to try to boost its returns. Often, though, leveraged ETFs like this one lose value more readily than they gain it. That’s due to the costs associated with buying and selling its holdings (as demonstrated by the 1.33% MER that investors face). These costs continually eat away at the asset value of a fund’s holdings, regardless of whether or…