Exchange-traded Funds, or ETFs, are bundles of securities (like stocks or bonds, for instance) that are traded like stocks on exchanges like the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange).
The first ETF were Index Participation Shares that were introduced in 1989. Since then ETFs have exploded in popularity because of their accessibility, instant diversification, and tax advantages. In 2009 there are hundreds of ETFs on the market, with more added each month.
Historically, ETFs have been required to track, or attempt to mirror, an index like the S&P 500 or the Xinhua China 25. Rule changes in 2008, however, have opened the door for the first actively managed exchange-traded funds.
With ETFs that hold stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, and almost any other asset class you can imagine (including short and ultra short ETFs), the exchange-traded fund arena is one of the most interesting tranches of today’s investing world.
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