Tom Lydon at ETF Trends posted an interesting question in “Muni Bond ETF Debate: Active or Passive?”Should an exchange traded fund (ETF) be created to beat the benchmark index or outperform it? Municipal bond ETF providers are butting heads over the polemical issue of whether ETFs should offer an investor pure exposure or provide investment know how. As it stands, …
Mutual Fund Fee Makeover
The NYT featured an article titled “Mutual Fund 12-b1 fees Could Get a Makeover.” Here are some highlights: Many investors might skip over the line on their mutual fund disclosure statements that says, ”12b-1 fee.” They might want to start wondering what’s behind that label. These fees are the money that many funds collect to offset a variety of expenses, …
One Reader’s 401k Issues
Reader Scott experienced some changes to his 401k set up and is considering a couple of choices. Here’s what he had to say: My question concerns my 401k account through work. We have been fully invested with Vanguard funds; however, we have recently been forced to transfer all our funds to T D Ameritrade brokerage since Vanguard is no longer …
Hedge Funds Anyone?
“Hedge Funds for the masses” features an update on how Long-Short (L/S) mutual funds have performed during the past couple of years. Are they really an alternative for the average investor? Here are some thoughts on this topic: Hedge funds enjoy a certain glamour that the humble mutual fund lacks, including wealthy investors, the promise of outsized returns and billionaire …
Domestic Or International Investing: Where Are The Opportunities?
Jim Jubak took the view in “For now, the money’s made in the USA” that over the next few months the U.S markets should lead the globe. Here is some of his reasoning: I can think of a dozen reasons why, in the long term, U.S. stocks will do worse than stocks in China, Brazil, India and Canada — and …
Investors Aren’t Buying It
MarketWatch featured a story titled “Easy does it,” supporting the view that many U.S. mutual fund investors have not participated in this market rally: Bull market be damned: U.S. mutual fund investors continue to sidestep this stock market. According to a report released by New York-based Strategic Insight on Thursday morning, investors put $30 billion into stock and bond mutual …