The ETF Investor

Commodities represent an investment opportunity that is quite different from the more traditional asset classes such as equities and bonds, but one that is arguably not as well understood, and often quite difficult to access. Considering the current global inflation backdrop, as well as the synchronicity of traditional asset class performance, now is a good time to look for sources of uncorrelated...

One of the most universal investment objectives is the attractiveness of dividends, especially if this can be earned in addition to capital growth, and during times of increased uncertainty the value of dividends in support of total return become even more valuable. Given the high inflationary environment in which we find ourselves, with talks of a possible global recession thrown in, many investo...

ETFs, ETNs, AMCs – three-letter acronyms that all fall under the umbrella of ETPs (exchange-traded products). It all sounds complicated and can become quite confusing. As an investor, how do you know which ones to invest in, and should you be concerned about the specific product structure of the investment? Simply put, ETPs offer the ability to diversify your portfolio by being invested in a baske...

Socially Responsible Investments, and specifically strategies designed to focus on Reduced Fossil Fuel, are to some extent a subset of a broader ESG focus on investment strategies. On the surface it ticks all the right boxes for retail and institutional investors alike. But what are some of the nuances of which investors should be aware, and how do you assess it for suitability in your investment...

Inflation has risen sharply around the world due to the twin effects of very accommodative monetary policies and supply chain disruptions post Covid lockdowns, only to be compounded by the sharply higher energy and agricultural prices after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Inflation-linked bonds represent a possible hedge against the impact of rising prices in both our lives as consumers, but also...

Investments in healthcare products and services have expanded in recent years to also focus on new technologies and disruptive innovations, as the combination of the Covid pandemic and increased longevity and ageing populations have caused a shift in this traditionally defensive sector. What does this shift towards biotechnology, breakthrough innovations in life sciences and genomics, remote diagn...

In his recently published book – The Bogle Effect – Eric Balchunas credits Jack Bogle, the father of index investing and founder of the Vanguard Group, with saving investors over one trillion dollars (and counting), thanks to the direct and indirect effects of lower investment costs. Although the low cost structures of index funds take much of the credit, it is the unique mutual ownership structur...

China as an investment destination has challenged the most determined of investors in recent years. The long-term growth prospects and the importance of China in the global investment universe are well established, but the when, what and how to invest in China, remain key questions. The range of options available on the JSE continue to expand, and this latest offering from Sygnia Itrix focus on th...

Investments in little-known companies, illusive strategies and futuristic concepts comes with very specific risks, especially in the short-term, but with the appropriate long-term perspective, and alongside more traditional investment options in your portfolio, these could offer diversified and excess performance to investors. Such options are now available via actively-managed funds, and specific...

The annual SALTAs (SA Listed Tracker Awards) celebrate the achievements of ETP issuers in South Africa, and gives insight into measuring success for ETFs and ETNs - total return performance, tracking efficiency, capital raising, efficiency in trading, and the flagship People's Choice Award.

With an ever-growing range of exchange-traded products available on the JSE, ETF investors may find themselves overwhelmed with choice, and how to select a portfolio of ETFs that is consistent with their investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Model portfolios offer a solution to bridge this gap, but what are these, and how do they work?

Investments in emerging markets come in many different forms and until recently, exposure to India – the second-largest emerging market by GDP, and the 6 th -largest on a global scale – could only be found as part of a broader emerging market ETF. The Satrix MSCI India Feeder ETF now allows for a more specific investment choice, but what is the current value proposition, and what exposure does it...

From RMB to Ashburton and now FNB – what's in a name? We explore the recent changes for the former Ashburton ETFs and re-visit the full range of exchange-traded products options offered by the Firstrand Group under the "FNB" brand, many of which are unique on the JSE.

The idea to "own the market" by simply buying a Top 40 ETF has evolved over time, as first sector ETFs – financials, industrial, resources – and later factor-based ETFs, such as dividends, value and momentum – were added to the range. But until this week, ETF investors were not able to buy a single, broad-based JSE All Share index in ETF form. How have the broad-based market indices evolved over t...

"When will we get a Bitcoin ETF in South Africa"? This question is asked with remarkable regularity, especially whenever the prices of cryptocurrencies experience a strong run. So why have we not seen it in South Africa yet, despite several attempts by different ETF issuers? What are the regulatory constraints, and what needs to be put in place before this can become a reality?

Commodity ETFs, in some markets referred to as ETCs, derive their price entirely from the price of the underlying commodity, but physical commodities appear to have lost its lustre in recent weeks. Is this just a healthy pullback in a multi-year commodity super-cycle, or is there more to it? Most importantly, how can you invest in YOUR views using ETFs and ETNs?

Satrix recently listed its 22nd ETF on the JSE – a Global Infrastructure ETF. There is no doubt that the world is in desperate need of infrastructure investment, partly to replace old and outdated facilities, but also to build a "new" world that is fit-for-purpose. What is infrastructure? Why should you consider investing in it? What value can it bring to your investment portfolio?

ETFs and ETNs sound so similar, yet often the only thing they have in common, is that both are exchange-traded investment instruments. In a more recent development though, we now have ETFs that are wrapped in ETNs, thereby offering a combination of the two. How does this work in practise, what do you get when you buy one of these ETNs, and what is the difference between the so-called compo and qua...

Diversification in investment portfolios has always been a powerful risk mitigator, but Satrix has taken this concept one step further, and applied it to an investment focus on companies that rate highly on inclusion and diversity in the workplace. In this episode, we explore the Satrix Inclusion and Diversity ETF, and how it may impact on investments.

In this episode we take a closer look at the Sygnia Itrix Solactive Healthcare 150 ETF, and the investment case for healthcare exposure in long-term investment portfolios. How does this compare to other global ETF options already available on the JSE, and how can you decide if it deserves a place in your wealth-building strategy?

Listed real estate investments have been under quite a bit of pressure over the last year or two, and the global lockdown due to Covid pandemic just added insult to injury. Even global real estate stocks, although arguably more diversified than local investments, were weighed down by the strength in the rand which has appreciated more than 20% against the US dollar over the past year. But not all...

The returns we get from investments come in two parts – capital gains (or an increase in the price) and distributions, which could be either dividends or interest. It is easy to see the first part of this return equation, the price changes, from your investment platform or stockbroking account, but how do distributions work for ETFs?

Investors are often told to "do your homework", to "understand what you invest in before you do so", or even just "do your own research", but what exactly does that mean, and how should ETF investors evaluate an ETF to decide if it's right for you? In this episode we take a closer look at fact sheets, how to read it and identify the important information to help guide your investment decisions.

In this episode we turn our attention to an asset class that is at best not well understood by most investors, or at worst, a complete unknown, and that is African sovereign bond markets. We also discuss the ballot process required to change the investment strategy of an existing ETF.

In this episode we metaphorically dust off our passports to embark on a round-the-world-trip, through a quick reminder of the global ETF investment opportunity set available to South African investors on the JSE, in general, and then taking a closer look at the latest offering in this space, the CoreShares Total World Stock Feeder ETF (share code: GLOBAL).