Dion’s Tuesday ETF Winners and Losers
Welcome to Don Dion’s Daily ETF Winners and Losers. Be sure to stop by each day to get a feel of who’s gaining and who’s losing when it comes to ETFs.
iShares Thailand Investable Market Index Fund(THD) 2.6%
Asian nations have dominated the winners today with both China and Thailand leading the pack. The iShares Thailand Investable Market Index Fund has flip-flopped quite a bit over the past few days as protestors continue to face off against the nation’s government. Though today’s rise has been comforting, political tensions in the area will likely keep this fund volatile for some time.
iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund(FXI) 1.4%
As evidenced by an impressive performance from the GlobalX China Financials ETF, the broad strength seen today from China can be largely attributed to the nation’s financial industry.
The Bank of Communications, the nation’s fifth largest lender by assets, has helped lift this sector today after posting a more than 5% increase in its net 2009 profit. In FXI, the Bank of Communications accounts for 4% of the index.
Market Vectors Vietnam ETF(VNM) -1.2%
Interestingly, while ETFs focused on Asian nations have commanded top positions today, there were also losers, with some of the heaviest losses across the ETF arena seen in VNM. The dip comes after Vietnam released its growth data and though it saw its economy expand nearly 6% in the first quarter of 2010, the growth numbers fell behind the data from the end of 2009. Inflation has also been a concern as well.
Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF(GDX) -1.2%
Gold prices have slumped today thanks to strength from the U.S. dollar as well as an optimistic consumer confidence report for March. Gold bullion has struggled against today’s positive news regarding the economy’s strength, and the junior gold miners have taken the biggest hit.
iShares MSCI Spain Index Fund(EWP) -1.3%
Euro country ETFs have taken a hit today in light of euro weakness as well as the continued confusion regarding the Greek bailout. Most of Europe appears supportive of a plan to provide Greece with support, but Germany remains a formidable roadblock standing in the way. The biggest loser among the ETFs designed to track the members of the 16-nation bloc is the iShares Spain Index Fund.
Market Vectors Steel ETF(SLX) -0.8%
The Market Vectors Steel ETF has lost some ground today despite news that top iron ore producers had convinced Japanese steelmakers to agree to a quarterly pricing schedule. Major ore producers underlying SLX including Rio Tinto and Vale saw slight gains on the news, but steelmakers around the globe felt the burn as investors fearing rising production costs fled the industry.
All prices as of 2:15PM EST
