A well-known figure in the world of ETFs outlines everything investors need to know about this important investment vehicle. Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are one of the hottest investment products around and a staple in many portfolios. In "ETFs for the Long Run", Lawrence Carrel takes readers through the ins and outs of ETFs, including the history of ETFs, the tax benefits and minimal charges associated with ETFs, and an easy-to-read breakdown of the fundamental differences between ETFs and other investments. He also provides readers with the tools for trading and including ETFs in portfolios. Lawrence Carrel (New York, NY) is a well-known ETF expert. He created and wrote SmartMoney.com's "ETF Focus" column, a weekly look at the ETF industry from the individual investor's point of view. Carrel was also a founding member of "The Wall Street Journal Online", where he covered the stock market, edited breaking news and was one of the writers of the Cyber Investing column.
Preface.Acknowledgments.Chapter 1. ETFs The Newfangled Mutual Funds.How ETFs Stack Up Against Mutual Funds.Greater Flexibility.Lower Fees.More Tax Efficient.Greater Transparency.Create Precise Allocations.Invest in Alternative Asset Classes.One Caveat.Summary.Chapter 2. ETF History Lesson.How a New Type of Fund Was Born.Short History of the Amex.The Father of the ETF.Philly Strikes First.Back to the Drawing Board.Along Came a Spider.The Birth of an IndustryLet's Do It Again.What Tangled Webs We Weave.Building a Business.Shine On You Crazy DIAmonds.Arachnophobia?Wedding Bells.The Biggest ETF Launch.All in the Family.The First Assault.If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em.Builders and BondsFree Again.Chapter 3. The Evolution of the ETF.The Importance of a Broadly Diversified Portfolio.The Appeal of Investment Companies.Types of Investment Companies.Types of Mutual Funds.Running a Mutual Fund.The Creation of an ETF.Summary.Chapter 4. Index Fund-amentals.Why an Index?Fund Management Options.The Rise of the Index Funds.The Big Index Companies.Indexes from the Stock Exchanges.Summary.Chapter 5. Fee Bitten.Wall Street Produces Vintages.Looking for Low Management Fees.Summary.Chapter 6. The Better Mousetrap.How Can ETFs Charge So Little.Transparent Costs of Mutual Funds.Hidden Costs of Mutual Funds.The Creation Unit: How They Make ETFs So Cheap.So Long, Transaction Costs.So What Costs Do ETFs Have?When Would I Ever Buy a Mutual Fund?Summary.Chapter 7. The New Indexers.Missed Opportunity.Unfair Fight.BONY Builds a BLDR.My Name is Bond.Rydex Rides In.Vanguard Makes a Splash.There's Power in Them There Shares.Mutual Fund Scandal Helps ETFs.PowerShares Becomes a Powerhouse... and Other Important Developments of 2005.The Buy Out.Opening the Floodgates.The Fundamentalists.Grow, Baby, Grow.Summary.Chapter 8. The ETFs that Aren't ETFs.ETPs, ETVs, and ETNs.You've Got a HOLDR to Cry On.Exchange-Traded Notes.Commodity-based ETVs.Money Makes the World Go Round.Summary.Chapter 9. Putting The Trade in Exchange-Traded Funds.Discount Brokers.The Actual Trade.Going Long to Go Short.Options on ETFs.Summary.Chapter 10. Building Your Own ETF Portfolio.The Simplest Portfolio.Assessing Your Risk.Strategic & Tactical Asset Allocation.Foundation Portfolios.Not Following the Herd.Tax-loss Harvesting.Hiring an Investment Adviser.Summary.Chapter 11. The Future of ETFs.The NYSE-Amex Merger.Specialists and Seed Capital.Actively Managed ETFs.Entering the 401(k) Market.In Conclusion.Appendix A: How to Decide Which ETFs Are Best for You.Notes.About the Author.Index.