Time to switch to ETFs

Article Excerpt

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are set up to mirror the performance of a stock-market index or sub-index. They hold a more-or-less fixed selection of securities that are chosen to represent the holdings that go into the calculation of the index or sub-index. ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks. Investors can buy them on margin or sell them short. The best ETFs offer well-diversified, tax-efficient portfolios with exceptionally low management fees. Some ETFs have a number of advantages over closed-end funds that invest in the same general area. They are more liquid than most closed-end funds, and have lower management fees. Moreover, ETFs consistently trade at or very close to net asset value, unlike closed-end funds, which often go through wide swings in their discounts or premiums to the value of their assets. That discount could widen just when you need to sell your shares. We’ve recommended a number of closed-end funds in Canadian Wealth Advisor. Most have risen this year, but are still below their…