Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are securities that involve a group of securities (such as stocks). Although they can invest in any number of industries or adopt various strategies, they usually track the underlying index. ETFs are similar to mutual funds in many ways.
However, they are listed and traded on the exchanges and ETF stocks are traded throughout the day like common stocks. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is a famous example that tracks the S&P 500 index.
ETFs can contain multiple investment types, including stocks, commodities, bonds, or multiple investment types. An exchange-traded fund is saleable security, which means it has an associated price and can be bought and sold easily.
Key points
- An exchange-traded fund is a basket of securities that can be traded on the exchange like stocks.
- When buying and selling, ETF stock prices fluctuate throughout the day; this is different from mutual funds, which only trade once a day after the market is closed.
- It can include all types of investments, including stocks, commodities, or bonds. Some only offer US stocks, and some only offer international stocks.
- Compared with buying stocks separately, ETFs offer low expense ratios and fewer broker commissions.
It is called an exchange-traded fund because it is traded on an exchange just like a stock. When buying and selling stocks on the market, the price of ETF stocks will change throughout the trading day.
This is different from mutual funds, which are not traded on exchanges and only trade once a day after the market is closed. Also, it tends to be more cost-effective and liquid compared to mutual funds.
Cash invested in ETFs
ETF is a kind of fund with multiple basic assets, not just one kind of asset like stocks. Since there are multiple assets, they can become a popular choice for diversified investment, that can own hundreds of stocks in various industries or can be isolated to a specific industry or sector.
Some funds only focus on US products, while others have global prospects. For example, an exchange-traded fund centered on the banking industry will contain the stocks of banks across the industry.
Types of ETFs
There are many types of exchange-traded funds available to investors, which can be used to generate income, speculate, raise prices, and hedge or partially offset the risks in the investor’s portfolio. Below are a few examples of ETF types.
Bond: may include government bonds, corporate bonds, and state and local bonds (called municipal bonds).
Industry: tracks specific industries, such as technology, banking, or the oil and gas industry.
Commodity: invests in commodities including crude oil or gold.
Currency: invests in foreign currencies such as Euros or Canadian dollars.
Inverse: tries to profit from stock declines by shorting stocks. A short position is to sell the stock, expect the value to fall, and then repurchase it at a lower price.
Investors should note that many reverse exchange-traded funds are exchange-traded notes (ETN), not true ETFs. ETNs are bonds, but they trade like stocks and are supported by issuers like banks. Be sure to contact your broker to determine whether ETN is suitable for your investment portfolio.
In the United States, most them are set up as open-end funds and are subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940, unless subsequent rules modify their regulatory requirements. Open-end funds do not limit the number of investors participating in the plan. product.
ETFs and Taxes
ETFs are more tax-efficient than mutual funds because most buying and selling are conducted through exchanges, and ETF promoters do not need to redeem shares every time investors wish to sell, nor do they need to issue new shares every time investors wish to buy.
Redemption of fund shares may cause a tax burden, so listing on an exchange can reduce tax costs. For mutual funds, every time investors sell stocks, they will sell them back to the fund and incur tax liabilities, which must be paid by the fund shareholders.
ETFs market impact
As exchange-traded funds have become more and more popular among investors, many new funds have been created, resulting in low trading volumes in some of them. As a result, investors may not be able to easily buy and sell a small number of ETF stocks.
People are beginning to worry about the impact of ETFs on the market and whether the demand for these funds will inflate the value of stocks and create fragile bubbles. Some of them rely on untested portfolio models under different market conditions and may result in a large inflow and outflow of funds, which hurts market stability.
Since the financial crisis, exchange-traded funds have played an important role in market crashes and instability. The ETF problem was an important factor in the flash crash and market decline in May 2010, August 2015, and February 2018.
