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Energy stocks soared, but profitability slipped
rcarrick@globeandmail.com WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Exchange-traded funds are a convenient, popular and effective way to invest, but one thing you have to be aware of is that you're buying into stock indexes made up of both good and bad stocks. This week, we're prying open some notable ETFs to see what's inside. Our analysis tool is a measure of a company's ability to generate wealth for shareholders called EVA, or economic value added. Here, we look at the wealth-creation power of the stocks in the iShares CDN Energy Sector Index Fund (XEG-T).
Flight Oil is now boarding
Riding oil prices higher requires some smart shopping for the right vehicle.Let's test drive three choices for the investor who wants decent power, but also a degree of comfort and convenience. On the sensible side, we have energy-focused mutual funds. For those who like a touch more horsepower, we have oil stocks and exchange-traded funds that track changes in oil prices, or indexes of energy stocks.
Inflation first-aid kit: Gold, oil and real estate
The arch-enemy of all investors is threatening a comeback after a long time away. Inflation hasn't been a top-of-mind consideration for investors since the early 1990s, and today it's hardly noticeable. But there's growing concern that soaring prices for oil and food products are within the next year or so going to push the inflation rate higher than we've seen it in years.
Inflation first-aid kit: Gold, oil and real estate
The arch-enemy of all investors is threatening a comeback after a long time away.Inflation hasn't been a top-of-mind consideration for investors since the early 1990s, and today it's hardly noticeable. But there's growing concern that soaring prices for oil and food products are within the next year or so going to push the inflation rate higher than we've seen it in years.
The case for blending passive and active indexing
The two biggest players in the Canadian exchange-trade funds market compete not only on the products they offer, but also on clashing investment philosophies that claim to be best for investors.
New ETFs will whet your appetite
Let 2006 go down as the year that diversity finally came to the achingly bland Canadian ETF market.Not a lot of diversity, mind you. We now have 27 exchanged-traded funds listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, compared with about 350 in the United States and dozens more to come. But with the introduction of nine new ETFs in the past couple of months, things are looking up for Canadian investors who like the low cost and flexibility of these index funds that trade like a stock.
Commodity wary? Try custom indexing
Index investing in the Canadian market today sort of resembles the 1854 British cavalry attack that was immortalized by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, in his poem The Charge of the Light Brigade.
