These ETF strategies aim to cut risk

Article Excerpt

When selecting ETFs, you should look at the stocks they hold but also the methods they use to choose them. All funds use strategies aimed at boosting returns and cutting risk. The two ETFs below (and that in the column to the right) use unique strategies that have both pros and cons. Meanwhile, the supplement starting on page 79 provides more information on how the most-popular ETFs are constructed. It also outlines how various selection methods play into their overall performance. INVESCO S&P 500 EQUAL WEIGHT ETF $105.63 (New York symbol RSP; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $12.2 billion) invests in large U.S. stocks. The ETF aim to track the S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index by holding all 500. It allocates an equal weight to every stock. Rebalancing takes place at the end of every quarter when stocks that have gone up in price are reduced in weight. The fund then uses the proceeds to buy more of the stocks that have dropped. This approach…