IndexUniverse

Socializing About The Social Media ETF

2011-12-01

Paul Baiocchi joins Dave Nadig to talk about where theme funds go astray, and why SOCL might just be the exception.

Ins and Outs Of ETF Regulation

2011-11-23

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan play "what if" on the topic of ETF regulation.

Time For An ETF Taxation Quiz

2011-11-08

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig wade through the ETF tax swamp—while there’s still time to do something about it.

Volatility And The Future Of ETF Regulation

2011-10-31

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan run through October's volatile performance, call the winners and losers, and debate the future of ETF regulation.

Position Limits & ETF Counterparty Risk

2011-09-26

ETF Analyst Paul Baoicchi joins Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan to talk about how new commodities position limits may lead to increased counterparty risk in ETFs.

Fact And Fiction In The UBS Trading Scandal

2011-09-20

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig talk about UBS rogue trader Kweku Adoboli, the "Delta One" desk he worked on and how things probably went wrong.

New IndexUniverse Tools Worth Using

2011-09-13

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig both discuss new IndexUniverse tools, including one highlighting fund flows and the other measuring the impact of currency on returns, and also wonder who the recent rash of VIX and quant products are really for.

Plunging Markets And Other ETF Tales.

2011-08-10

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan examine how well the ETF structure has performed at a time of great volatility in financial markets.

Gold Bugs And Beyond

2011-08-01

Dave Nadig and Cory Banks talk all about gold, gold bugs and the enduring allure of the yellow metal.

Can Anyone Stop Vanguard?

2011-07-05

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan run through the winners and losers in the ETF space-race for the first half of 2011.

Bond ETF Discounts? Don't Blink

2011-06-21

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan look at the discount in high-yield bond ETFs, and analyze the wide swings in SPY's creations and redemptions.

Considering Commodities

2011-06-10

Dave Nadig and Cory Banks debate the pros and cons of commodities ETNs, and look at margin requirement increases at the CME.

ETF State Of The Union

2011-05-23

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig are back from hiatus, and dig into the asset race that’s shaping up for 2011.

Emerging-y

2011-02-28

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan talk through the risk of emerging and frontier investing, the best time to make emerging markets trades and the true costs of cheap emerging funds.

Big Lessons From 'Inside ETFs'

2011-02-14

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig are back from hiatus, and recount the big surprises from the recent 'Inside ETFs' conference. Can old dogs learn new tricks?

Top Myths About Premiums

2010-12-30

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan dispel the fantasies surrounding premiums and discounts.

Peter Schiff At Inside Commodities

2010-12-22

This week, we bring you Peter Schiff's comments and Q&A from the recent Inside Commodities conference. As always, Schiff is controversial and engaging, as he discusses inflation, deflation and QE2.

The Perils of Premiums

2010-12-16

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan discuss how premiums and discounts affect - and distort - ETF performance.

Vanguard’s VWO Juggernaut

2010-12-03

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig dig into the November fund flows and the front-page debate about whether emerging markets make sense.

If You Were An ETF Regulator ...

2010-11-24

Matt Hougan promotes Dave Nadig to SEC regulator for a day. What would he fix?

Kauffman's Epic Fail

2010-11-11

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan poke some big holes in Kauffman's report on ETFs.

Correlation Catastrophe?

2010-11-01

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan take apart the argument that asset correlations are killing the market.

Innovations In ETFs

2010-10-19

Matt Hougan throws Dave Nadig 10 of the newest fund innovations for rapid-fire feedback. What works, what fails and what matters?

Go With The Flows

2010-10-13

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan dive into flows data and disagree on fund closures.

Lies, Damn Lies And ETFs

2010-10-06

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig clear up rumors on ETF shorts and talk the media off the ledge.

The ETF Pop Quiz

2010-09-27

This week, Dave Nadig plays ‘5 Questions’ and Matt Hougan institutes the Nanny State.

New VOO Review?

2010-09-13

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig return to handicap the new Vanguard S&P 500 ETF.

RAFI Bonds, Big Data & Fees

2010-08-03

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan dissect the July ETF flows data, parse the new RAFI bond ETF and whinge about the SEC's inaction on 12b-1 fees.

Sometimes One ETF Is Just Better

2010-07-28

Matt Hougan returns with some bold claims: EMLC is simply a better mousetrap for emerging markets debt, and ALT should be a $5 billion fund.

iShares Getting Scrappy

2010-07-21

This week, Olly Ludwig and Dave Nadig debate whether iShares is really ready to compete on price. And does "service" really matter in ETFs?

Switched Off?

2010-07-07

Dave Nadig and Lara Crigger debate the merits of the SEC's new circuit breaker rules. Could they do more harm than good for ETFs?

Vanguard's Shot Across The Bow

2010-06-29

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan discuss Vanguard's major ETF expansion and what it means for the rest of the ETF industry.

Do Low Fees Matter?

2010-06-14

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig look at the contradictory trends in ETF pricing: super cheap, and outrageously expensive.

Wrong About MINT

2010-06-08

Matt Hougan returns to explain why Dave Nadig is so, so wrong for his MINT skepticism, and how money-marketlike ETFs may be the next big thing.

Do Indexes Matter?

2010-05-26

After a week off, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig return to answer the thorny question: Does choosing one index over another really make a difference?

Vanguard Triumphant—Again?

2010-05-04

April ETF flow numbers are out, and Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig digest the big winners, the contenders and the also-rans.

Rethinking Rogers

2010-04-27

Fresh from his interview with commodity maven Jim Rogers, Managing Editor Olly Ludwig joins the podcast to talk about Rogers' pro-commodity, decidedly non-U.S. take on investing.

Lessons From Van Gogh

2010-04-19

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig return from Amsterdam's Inside ETFs Europe Conference with some lessons for the U.S. ETF industry.

Shifting Sands

2010-04-07

With the release of the Q1 league tables, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig pose the question, who's really winning the assets game?

State-Sanctioned Monopolies

2010-03-31

The SEC just noticed leveraged and inverse funds, and the market leaders must be popping champagne corks. Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig examine the bubbles.

Rising Rates = Armageddon?

2010-03-23

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan poke at the hypothesis of a potential bond market meltdown.

SPIVA In Focus

2010-03-16

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan talk about what they'd like to see in the next index vs. active scorecard.

Reconsidering Transparency

2010-03-08

Matt Hougan replies to criticism of his recent claim that ETF transparency is a ruse.

Kotok Vs. Gartman: Fight!

2010-03-02

Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan take sides on the euro and look for the best ways to play.

Institutional ETF Rebates?

2010-02-23

In the wake of some surprising 13F filings, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig ponder the nature of the institutional-ETF marriage. Where's all that money really going?

Better Mousetraps?

2010-02-17

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig dissect recent fund filings. Are the new FactorShares ETFs just too complicated?

Equity Outflows

2010-02-08

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig geek out about the radical shifts in January's ETF flows.

Overhyped?

2010-02-02

IndexUniverse.com Editors Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig dig into the hype machine surrounding ETFs, and put a new bar bet on the table: How many ETFs will close in 2010?

Ready-Made ETF Portfolios

2010-01-26

Associate Editor Lara Crigger discusses the pros and cons of Charles Schwab's new ETF portfolio lineup.

Recapping 'Inside ETFs'

2010-01-19

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig cover the hot spots and surprises from last week's Inside ETFs conference.

Live From Inside ETFs 2010

2010-01-11

On the eve of the sold-out 3rd annual Inside ETFs conference, IndexUniverse.com editors sat down to preview the hot topics, controversies and expectations for the coming days−and months.

Rethinking Hedge Funds

2010-01-05

A rash of new long/short filings has Dave Nadig and Matt Hougan asking the question: Will 2010 be the year of alternative ETFs?

Goldman Sachs Enters ETF Ring

2009-12-29

Associate Editor Lara Crigger discusses why the financial giant may be going the ETF route, and if it's good for investors.

Getting Short With ETFs

2009-12-22

On the back of our shorting ETFs webinar, editors Matt Hougan, Dave Nadig and Lara Crigger discuss the phenomenal growth of inverse ETFs in 2009.

Are Active ETFs Inevitable?

2009-12-14

Editors Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig discuss the viability — and the inevitability — of active ETFs.

Cap Gains? Where?

2009-12-08

It's capital gains distribution season, and with most of the reports in, it's another good one for ETF investors. Most of them. Matt Hougan, Lara Crigger and Dave Nadig run the numbers.

Too Big, Too Small

2009-12-01

This week, IndexUniverse.com's editors debate the undeserving winners and the unknown gems of the ETF landscape.

Rethinking Leverage

2009-11-24

Dave Nadig and Lara Crigger dig a little deeper into how BarCap's new leveraged and inverse ETNs really work. Could they be right for you?

Better Than Cash?

2009-11-17

With the launch of Pimco's actively managed short-maturity fixed-income fund, is the U.S. finally ready for money market ETFs? Lara Crigger & Dave Nadig dissect the new fund, and what it means for investors.

Commodities Recap

2009-11-10

Fresh from the Inside Commodities conference, IndexUniverse.com editors cover the high spots, from Nouriel Roubini's doom & gloom to the surprising rays of light.

Schwab: Game Changer Or Gimmick?

2009-11-02

Direct from Schwab's New York ETF launch event, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig discuss the "free-to-trade" ETF concept.

ETNs: Misunderstood Better Mousetrap?

2009-10-27

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig debate the pros and cons of exchange-traded notes, examining their tax treatment, issuer credit risk and the dearth of new products.

Currency ETFs: A Better Mousetrap?

2009-10-20

Is currency truly an asset class? On the back of their recent Journal of Indexes article, Dave Nadig and Lara Crigger explore the numbers.

Target Date Follies

2009-10-06

Target date ETF families are wildly different and seemingly unpredictable. So why do both Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig use them?

Too Many Roses?

2009-09-28

Barclays is saying the U.S. is out of a recession and headed for veritable boom times. IndexUniverse's Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig aren't so sure.

ETF Growth Just Starting

2009-09-23

Deloitte's new report on ETFs sees strong growth in the future. They're right, Matt Hougan says, but (partially) for the wrong reasons.

UNG's Savvy Move

2009-09-15

UNG's new creation process may provide a unique window into the backroom business of negotiated swaps.

What's In The Pipeline: Fabulous or Folly?

2009-09-09

The Labor Day edition of the IndexUniverse.com podcast looks at some of the interesting—and ridiculous—ETFs we can look forward to in the coming months.

Flash Trading: Fact Or Fiction?

2009-09-01

Headlines are full of vitriol for high-frequency traders. Are they evil or a key source of liquidity? IndexUniverse.com's research and analytics team argues both sides of the issue.

The Bloomberg Industrials Average?

2009-08-25

With Dow Jones Indexes on the block, IndexUniverse.com's research and analytics team runs through the list of likely buyers.

Too Small To Survive?

2009-08-18

Can the smallest ETFs stay in business? Does it matter if a fund is part of a larger family, or an ETN? The IndexUniverse.com research and analytics team digs in to new research by Vanguard.

And The Growth Keeps Going

2009-08-11

IndexUniverse.com's research and analytics team makes a "bar bet" on ETF growth in 2009: How 'bout $1 trillion by year-end? We also take a look at whether the leveraged ETF rocket could be running out of fuel.

A Regulatory Canary?

2009-08-04

Is the broker-dealer crackdown on leveraged and inverse ETFs going to blow over? Or are ETFs facing a new wave of regulation? Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig walk through the scenarios.

Untarnished Silver?

2009-07-28

With the launch of a new bullion-based silver ETF, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig pose the question: Is SIVR a better mousetrap, or just another shiny bauble?

Discount Broker ETFs?

2009-07-21

Schwab buys a ticket on the ETF train, but where exactly is it headed? Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig speculate.

How Narrow Is Too Narrow?

2009-07-07

With a rash of fund filings and launches in the last few weeks, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig pose the question: Can we have too many ETFs?

UMM/DMM: Not Your Usual ETFs

2009-07-01

Yesterday saw the first full day of trading for the new MacroShares retail housing ETFs: UMM and DMM. Will investors be getting what they expect? Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig dig in.

BGI Finally Sold: What's It All Mean?

2009-06-15

Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig dig into the implied valuation, and what BlackRock means for the indexing industry.

BGI For Sale One More Time?

2009-06-09

If BlackRock is really making a $15 billion bid for BGI, what are they really after, and how does it fit with BlackRock's business?

Vanguard & iShares? Maybe Not.

2009-06-02

Matt Hougan isn't buying the Vanguard rumor, but suggests another alternative to co-host Dave Nadig: Maybe Vanguard should bid for BGI ex-iShares.

The Dow Dating Game

2009-05-27

With GM a near certainty for removal from the Dow, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig handicap the likely contenders for the opening.

Leverage & Inverse Redux

2009-05-19

Picking up where the webinar left off—Dave Nadig challenged Matt Hougan: Are any asset classes immune to these funds' timing peculiarities, and are they really changing the market at the end of each trading day?

Is BusinessWeek Right?

2009-05-12

In the wake of big mainstream media coverage, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig look at ETFs from an outsider's viewpoint. Are they too hard to use?

Will Active ETFs Succeed?

2009-05-05

With the launch of Grail Advisors' active ETF, Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig wonder how it will manage to attract assets.

Real Estate, MBSs And ETFs

2009-04-27

IU.com's Matt Hougan and Dave Nadig field questions about mortgage-backed securities and consider broader real estate issues.

Active Management Still Stinks

2009-04-20

The Standard & Poor's Index Versus Active Fund Scorecard (SPIVA) for 2008 confirms it: Active management's still a bad idea.

Gold, Fund Flows & iShares

2009-04-13

What does BGI's deal with CVC Capital mean for investors? Plus, IU.com's editors take a look at winners and losers from Q1 fund flow data.