MarketWatch columnist Chuck Jaffe highlights the new AdvisorShares Dent Tactical ETF (NYSEArca: DENT) as his "stupid investment of the week." Jaffe reviews portfolio manager Harry Dent's track record and finds it lacking.

Read the full column here.

 

I've gotten a few questions from readers and colleagues about what sources I turn to for information about the markets, exchange-traded funds and related topics.

The list is long and varied, and ebbs and flows over time. But here are some of the sources (public, private and otherwise) that I turn to in my day-to-day reading. I'm sure I'm leaving out quite a few sites, but this at least is a partial list.

NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS

IndexUniverse.com and IndexUniverse.eu: It goes without saying that IndexUniverse.com and IndexUniverse.eu are the best sites on the Web for information about ETFs and how they are used in portfolios.

IndexUniverse.com

IndexUniverse.eu

Slate/The Big Money: Those two Web sites aside, I start my day at Slate.com, and its sister finance site The Big Money. I find the daily news summary (and weekly magazine summaries) the best meta-journalism on the Web. They offer

...

 

 

ETF Marketplace Ripe For Consolidation

In this sweeping review of the latest trends in exchange-traded funds, David Bogoslaw of BusinessWeek looks at everything from the rise in popularity of leveraged funds to new active portfolios.

You can read the story here.

 

Closing of 19 PowerShares A New Trend?

At MarketWatch.com, columnist Chuck Jaffe explores the impact of PowerShares' recent decision to close 19 of its ETFs. Is this the start of something new?

You can read the story here.

 

Investors Going Hog Wild Over Emerging Markets

Investors are piling into emerging markets, driving up stock prices and carrying valuations higher. Across developing markets as a whole, MSCI says that emerging markets are up an average 50% since mid-March, according to this overview by the Wall Street Journal. 

You can read the story here.

 

Price-Earnings Ratios Soar On U.S. Stocks

The WSJ also looks at domestic stocks. Using Morgan Stanley's analysis, the article notes that

...

There's been plenty of speculation on the sale of iShares. Finally, here's the truth.

We've got Matt Hougan and John Spence and Chuck Jaffe and the Wall Street Journal—and now even Murray Coleman all jumping in and speculating on what's going to happen with iShares. The truth is that none of them know—and even the people over at BGI probably don't know. But I do.

I just don't see it happening. Or rather, I do think that an eventual separation has become exponentially more likely ... I just don't think it happens immediately. 

First of all, let me point you to the best blog on the topic yet. It's Paul Amery's blog from over on the http://www.indexuniverse.eu/ site. Here are the Cliff's NotesTM of what Paul covered in his blog that few others have hit upon:

1. Barclays needs to tell

...

Reports are listing a San Francisco-based private equity firm as the leading candidate in the bidding war over ETF leader BGI.

That shouldn't come as a big surprise to those following the next evolution of a changing iShares brand.

In case you missed it, weekend stories in papers ranging from the Wall Street Journal to the Sunday Times reported that a list of finalists has emerged in the auction of Barclays Global Investors by its parent London bank. Insiders are indicating that Hellman & Friedman LLC could wind up as the leading candidate to assume control of BGI.

As pointed out in the WSJ, that's a private equity firm also based in San Francisco with a history of past relations with the asset manager. Other possibilities, according to the paper, are Bain Capital and other private equity rivals such as TPG and Apax Partners LLP.

Although we've heard some industry

...

 

Most ETFs Tax Efficient In 2008

Despite the huge distributions expected in some leveraged exchange-traded funds, most ETFs should wind up proving to be highly tax-efficient this year, concludes Ian Salisbury in the Wall Street Journal.

You can read the story here.

 

Arnott Talks Fundamental Indexing, Emerging Markets

Research Affiliates' Rob Arnott is the Q&A subject in Barron's this week. He discusses the importance of not chasing returns, sticking to your discipline and taking advantage of short-term dips in long-term favorite holdings.

Among those, Arnott is particularly high on prospects for Treasury Inflation Protected Securities and emerging markets - both stocks and bonds. He also believes convertibles have been overly punished and might benefit over time by hedge funds selling off convertibles.

You can read the story here.

 

Losers: Die-Hard ETF Supporters

In his Lumps of Coal awards for the funds industry in

...

There’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel— finally. Most of the really well respected, long term investors are advising their audiences to hang in there, to stop the panic selling, and to look for the great companies that have withstood the economic downturns of the past.

Buffet, Bogle, Gross, Schwab, and company offer sound advice— don’t run and hide, it’s time to hit the Wall Street Mall and go shopping! They’ve seen the indicators; they’ve been there before. So have many of you. Clearly, it’s time for action.

With IGV stock prices down 50% or more, and income securities as low or lower, Chuck Jaffe points out in MarketWatch that the case for loading up on managed Closed End Funds (CEFs) is a strong one. The great companies are in garage sale mode, and managed CEFs are selling at …

I'm surprised by the indiscriminate selling in commodities and commodity-related stocks.

Were there bubbles? Yes, but demand remains high and product shortages continue to exist.

For example, erratic deliveries of steel have caused an acquaintance of mine to put his employees on flexible work schedules. According to him, steel mills are not sticking to regular production schedules of the type of metal used for the packaging products that his company manufactures.

Not surprisingly, his customers are unhappy. But, because they lack a cost-effective alternative, they have no choice but to accept the higher prices and irregular production schedules.

Then there is fertilizer. Employees of fertilizer company Potash (POT) are on strike at a time when there continues to be a shortage of potash - a key ingredient for fertilizer. The company told Standard & Poor's that the strike should only affect non-agricultural customers. That may not sound like a

...