Stocks & Equities

Who Are the ETF Giants?

Posted by Mark Kolakowski

on Thursday, 4 July 2019 9:39

Persistent underperformance by active managers is spurring the growth of passive index funds and ETFs. A study of 4,600 U.S.-based equity, bond, and real estate funds with a collective $12.8 trillion in AUM revealed that only 24% beat passive alternatives during the 10 years ending Dec. 31, 2018, per Morningstar Inc. The same study found that passively-managed large cap equity mutual funds and ETFs surpassed active funds in AUM for the first time, as of the same date.

While ETFs are mainly viewed as a low-cost vehicle for individual investors, they also are gaining traction with institutional investors. Nearly 25% of institutional money managers’ portfolios were in ETFs by late 2018, per research by Greenwich Associates. Professional investment managers are increasingly seeing ETFs as a cost-efficient tool for managing risk and making quick portfolio shifts….CLICK for complete article

Arizona Blocks Nike After Kaepernick-Complaint Sparks Virtue-Signaling Sneaker Ban

Posted by ZeroHedge

on Tuesday, 2 July 2019 9:06

Just a week after Nike appeared to bow to Chinese authorities’ demands, halting the sale of a range of sports shoes in China after its Japanese designer showed support for Hong Kong protests in an Instagram post; the sportswear company has been implicitly banned from Arizona after nixing the launch of its “Betsy Ross Flag” sneakers after former football player Colin Kaepernick complained.

As The Wall Street Journal reports, the sneaker giant created the Air Max 1 USA in celebration of the July Fourth holiday, and it was slated to go on sale this week.

The heel of the shoe featured a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag.

After shipping the shoes to retailers, Nike asked for them to be returned without explaining why, the people said. The shoes aren’t available on Nike’s own apps and websites.

“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,” a Nike spokeswoman said.

After images of the shoe were posted online, Mr. Kaepernick, a Nike endorser, reached out to company officials saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery, the people said.

Some users on social media responded to posts about the shoe with similar concerns. Mr. Kaepernick declined to comment…..CLICK for complete article

Dividend Stocks

Posted by Aaron Dunn

on Friday, 28 June 2019 8:35

Aaron Dunn explains why not including dividend stocks in your portfolio is a destructive strategy. -ed.

Profit and Pot Stocks

Posted by Aaron Dunn

on Thursday, 27 June 2019 11:22

Aaron Dunn of Keystone Financial discusses the risks surrounding the cannabis sector and where there is potential for long-term success. – ed.

VCs Are Pouring Billions Into Cannabis As Legalization Looms

Posted by Alex Kimani

on Wednesday, 26 June 2019 9:11

With marijuana still classified as a Schedule I drug by the U.S. federal government, few institutional investors have been willing to write checks to cannabis companies. Despite the barriers, this hasn’t stopped the rise of a new clique of sector-specific firms that have a deep understanding of the nuances and challenges of investing in such a highly regulated and fragmented market.

The value of venture deals in the cannabis space has really taken off over the past few years, from a couple of hundred thousand bucks to billions of dollars currently.

PitchBook Data, a SaaS company that delivers data for private capital markets, started keeping tabs on the marijuana industry in 2012. Back then, the sector only recorded two VC deals worth a combined $300,000.

Fast forward to 2017 and venture capital funds flowing had multiplied more than a hundredfold to $378 million. A year later, the sector reached an important milestone with VC deals hitting the $1-billion mark….CLICK for complete article