New ETFs On The Block: Proshares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers ETF (EMDV)

Ulli Dividend ETFs, Emerging Markets ETFs Contact

Investing

While emerging market stocks have been hammered over the past year due to falling energy and material prices, many investors believe time could be ripe for cherry picking quality stocks outside materials, energy and banking stocks.

That puts the focus on emerging market dividend growers with an established history of growing payouts.

ProShares, the exchange-traded funds provider known for its alternative investment offerings, recently expanded its suite of funds that specifically target companies with long-term records of consistent dividend growth. The newly launched ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers ETF (EMDV), the firm’s sixth ETF in the ProShares lineup of dividend growers funds, targets sustained dividend growth to enhance income potential.

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ETF/No Load Fund Tracker Newsletter For March 4, 2016

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ETF/No Load Fund Tracker StatSheet

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https://theetfbully.com/2016/03/weekly-statsheet-for-the-etfno-load-fund-tracker-newsletter-updated-through-03012016/

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Market Commentary

EQUITIES POST THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK OF GAINS

Fri pic

[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com]

1. Moving the Markets

Stocks rallied Friday to log a third straight week of gains after the February jobs report came in stronger than expected, signaling that the economy continues to grow despite slowing growth overseas and early-year financial turbulence.

Of course, as usual, the surface number of 242,000 (vs. 195,000 expected) generated a lot of enthusiasm, but when looking under the hood it showed that over 80% of the newly created jobs belonged to the lowest paying categories like retail, bartenders and waitresses; hardly awe inspiring but certainly indicative of the current economic environment.

In addition, and to add insult to injury, during the month of February average weekly earnings dropped 0.7%, the largest ever.

However, in the end, none of that mattered as the indexes, while slowing down their torrid pace, continued on their upward trajectory this week with the S&P 500 adding +2.67% and closing just shy of the 2,000 mark. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also notched its first four-session winning streak since October with the oil rally, based on hope that a bottom has been made, supplying the powder for this explosive bear market move.

With the jobs report having come in above expectations, at least the headline number, the big open questions it remains as to whether this will be enough to keep the Fed on target with their next scheduled interest hike later on this month.

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Weekly StatSheet For The ETF/No Load Fund Tracker Newsletter – Updated Through 03/01/2016

Ulli ETF StatSheet Contact

ETF/Mutual Fund Data updated through Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Special Note: Due to issues with our data provider, all prices are updated only through 3/1/16.

TOC010716

If you are not familiar with some of the terminology used, please see the Glossary of Terms.

 

1. DOMESTIC EQUITY MUTUAL FUNDS/ETFs: SELL — since 11/13/2015

TTI

Our main directional indicator, the Domestic Trend Tracking Index (TTI-green line in above chart) has recently crawled above its long term trend line (red) and finally generated a new “Buy” signal effective 11/3/15. The market subsequently dropped, and we exited again on 11/13/15. As of today, the TTI remains below its trend line by -0.58%, which means we are in cash on the sidelines.

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And The Short Squeeze Continues…

Ulli Market Commentary Contact

Thur pic

[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com]

1. Moving the Markets

Sure, why not? Manufacturing is in a clear recession and the services economy is about to follow, but the short squeeze continued late in the day with the computer trading algos pushing the indexes another notch higher towards the 2,000 level on the S&P 500.

To my way of thinking, the markets are now so overbought during this 2 week straight up run based on absolutely no economic improvements since the S&P closed at the 1,829 level on February 11th. Reality has to set in sooner or later as this pace simply can’t be sustained given domestic and global data points. As I said before, bear market rallies can be downright stunning in their voraciousness as we just witnessed.

Investors also digested a spate of economic data today. The number of Americans filing for first-time jobless claims rose 6,000 to 278,000 in the past week, which is more than expected.

Wall Street will be closely eyeing the February jobs report set for release by the government tomorrow morning. Analysts forecast 200,000 new jobs created last month. The employment report is a key report, as it is closely watched by the Federal Reserve and how it comes in could impact the path of interest rates.

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Second Day Of March Modest At Most

Ulli Market Commentary Contact

Wed pic

[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com]

1. Moving the Markets

After posting its best start to March ever on signs the U.S. economy is perking up, U.S. stocks managed modest gains and the Nasdaq exited correction territory as investors digested the latest upward move and Super Tuesday results.

Tuesday’s rally, which was powered in part by incoming economic data that allegedly suggests that recession fears are overblown, was viewed through a positive lens by Wall Street.

Wall Street also woke up to a presidential campaign in which Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump increased their leads against rivals after Super Tuesday voting in 11 states. Investors are closely watching the campaign as government-driven policies impact the performance of the economy and stock market.

We received an update on the economy today and the results were modest at best. The news was that the economy expanded in most regions over the past six weeks but activity slowed in some areas as the manufacturing industry continued to struggle, offsetting the recovering housing market and growth in consumer spending, the Federal Reserve said in their beige book report. In other words, it’s still questionable whether the next rate hike to be decided at the next Fed March meeting is still on.

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When Bad News Is Good News And Good News Is Great News

Ulli Market Commentary Contact

Tue pic

[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com]

1. Moving the Markets

As I was scanning the early news on MarketWatch, I cam across the headline “Wall Street gains as weak data spurs stimulus,” which was later removed and replaced with “Wall Street surges as data points to economic recovery” confirming that according to MSM bad news is good news and good news can be great news—all at the same time.

However, nothing mattered, despite the worst global macro data in some 4 years as timely verbal assists about possible interventions from ECBs Draghi and NY Fed President Dudley lit some fire under the major indexes.

That was enough and March came in like a bull in a China shop for with U.S. stocks up sharply adding fuel to an early rally on China’s latest stimulus move. All major indexes gained more than 2.1%.

The initial boost came after China freed more money for lending by lowering the amount commercial lenders must hold in reserve in a move to shore up slowing economic growth. I can’t see how this would be a good thing given the massive amounts of non-performing loans in the system other than to lift the stock markets temporarily.

Domestically, bank and tech stocks led the charge. Bank of America (BAC) rose 5% to $13.15 and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) gained 4.3% percent, to $58.72, pacing the gains among financial stocks.

Shares of Valeant (VRX) took a hit today. The company is under investigation from the SEC, but they are denying suggestions from a short-seller that they used Philidor and other specialty pharmacies to commit accounting fraud.

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