What Are Exchange Traded Funds, And How They Can Make Money For You?
Wednesday, 4. November 2009
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Before investing your money in the stock market, it is important to know what are Exchange Traded Funds. These are a popular form of modern monetary investments that are bought and sold on the stock exchange. They are comprised of various assets such as stocks or shares that are commonly being traded on a daily basis. Usually, Exchange Traded Funds are priced at an equivalent rate to the assets that they consist of.It is common for all Exchange Traded Funds to track an index or a commodity. This may include such indexes as the NASDAQ 100 or FTSE 100, or specific commodities like steel or gold. Some ETFs are also linked to hedge funds.
One of the most popular characteristics of Exchange Traded Funds is the fact that they offer a potential revenue that is equal to the gains in the particular market on which they are traded. For example if the ETF is linked to the FTSE 100 and these stocks post a ten per cent rise in value then the ETF will also increase by the same amount, minus any administrative costs by the fund manager.
Exchange traded funds most often exist in two different forms. The first of these is what is known as a cash based ETF. This generally involves the purchasing of all the shares of a particular index. The second option, which is known as a swap based ETF, differs from the cash based form in as much that derivatives are used to generate the returns.
Exchange traded funds have been bought and sold in America since 1993, whereas in Europe they only became available in 1999. For most of this time they have been classed as index funds, though since 2008 the US Securities and Exchange Commission have also allowed them to be managed actively.
Nowadays, ETFs are one of the most popular forms of investments. This is because of their ability to be traded both during and after the stock market designated trading times. This aspect gives them the qualities of both Closed End Funds and also Mutual Funds.
It is generally believed that Exchange Traded Funds are a secure form of investment as they can be secured from a drop in market value by their ability to be traded easily on the open market. This makes them a safer choice for investors compared to other forms of investments like mutual funds. There are many financial organisations who offer services relating to Exchange Traded Funds.