Author Archives: Site Administrator
The ProShares UltraShort Utilities ETF (SPD) Was Down 43.41% in 2014
The ProShares UltraShort Utilities ETF (NYSEArca: SDP) is a leveraged exchange traded fund that seeks to match 200% of the inverse daily performance of the Dow Jones US Utilities Index. In other words, the fund attempts to move twice as much as the index in the opposite direction on a daily basis. The fund seeks to invest at least 80% of… Read More »
The Direxion Daily Latin America Bull 3X ETF (LBJ) Down 44% in 2014
The Direxion Daily Latin America Bull 3X ETF (NYSEArca: LBJ) is a leveraged exchange traded fund that seeks to match 300% of the daily performance of the S&P Latin America 40 Index. In other words, the fund attempts to move three times as much as the index in the same direction on a daily basis. The fund seeks to invest at… Read More »
Many Inverse Treasury Bond ETNs and ETFs Down Over 23% in 2014
Treasury yields in 2014 continued to decline, even as the Federal Reserve System (The Fed) ended its bond-buying program in October, as expected. Due to the inverse correlation of bond yields and bond prices, as treasury yields decline, Treasury bond prices increase. Several inverse Treasury bond investment funds, some leveraged and some not leveraged,… Read More »
Leveraged Short Silver ETNs and ETFs Down Over 39% in 2014
Silver prices were volatile and under pressure throughout 2014, down almost 20% on the year. Several leveraged commodity-backed investment funds actively trade in the US in the form of exchange traded funds (ETFs) and exchange traded notes (ETNs). Leveraged ETFs and ETNs are set up to track the daily performance of an underlying index… Read More »
Leveraged Short Technology Stock ETFs Down Over 36% in 2014
Technology stocks were amongst the best performing stocks throughout 2014, with the overall sector up over 15% on the year. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), which make up over 25% of the technology sector, were up 40.63% and 28.43% on the year, respectively. Several inversely leveraged technology investment funds, however, which actively… Read More »
Many Volatility Index (VIX) ETNs Down Over 25% in 2014
US stocks saw periods of extreme volatility during 2014, but the average risk level, as measured by the VIX, was much lower than in previous years. Several investment funds that track volatility, both leveraged and unleveraged, actively trade in the US in the form of exchange traded notes (ETNs). ETNs are set up to… Read More »
Leveraged Inverse S&P 500 ETFs Down Over 25% in 2014
The S&P 500 Index had a very strong year in 2014 by gaining 11.39% for the year. Several inversely leveraged S&P 500-focused investment funds, however, which actively trade in the US in the form of exchange traded funds (ETFs), performed poorly in 2014. Leveraged ETFs are set up to track the daily performance of… Read More »
Leveraged Short Russel 2000 ETFs Down Over 28% in 2014
The Russell 2000 Index, which consists of the smallest 2,000 companies in the Russell 3000 Index, had the worst performance of any major US market index in 2014 by gaining 3.52% for the year. The Russell 2000, better known as small caps, experienced more volatility over the year, especially during broad market pullbacks, due… Read More »
Several Inverse Real Estate ETFs Down Over 24% in 2014
Real Estate stocks were amongst the best performing stocks throughout 2014, as average home prices increased and lending rates remained low. Several inverse real estate investment funds, some leveraged and some not leveraged, however, which actively trade in the US in the form of exchange traded funds (ETFs), performed poorly in 2014. ETFs are… Read More »
Many Oil ETFs and ETNs Down Over 29% in 2014
Global oil prices were weak throughout 2014 due to concerns over weak demand as well as a stronger US Dollar. In December alone, the price of crude oil in the US fell by 21.3%, and finished the year down more than 55% since June. Several investment funds that track the price of oil or… Read More »
