Market consolidation continues as AMEX and NYSE merge, shuffling some issues and creating different platforms for individual investors. 

While many Americans may be moving in with relatives as a result of the housing crisis, the 38 Vanguard exchange-traded funds are set to begin rooming, listing and trading together, due to the acquisition of the American Stock Exchange by NYSE Arca.

The consolidation of all Vanguard ETF trading on NYSE Arca will commence this Friday morning.

There are already four Vanguard ETFs—Vanguard Mega Cap 300 ETF, Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth ETF, Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Value ETF and Vanguard Total World Stock ETF—trading on the NYSE Arca.

There have been many recent "housekeeping" moves in the ETF market as a result of the acquisition of AMEX by NYSE Arca. In at least one respect, the move of the AMEX-listed ETFs to NYSE Arca represents an important historical footnote for the

With the help of its second share class of ETFs, VTSMX tops VFINX in terms of total assets for first time.

Ever since it opened, the Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFINX) has been the flagship for growth at the company started by John Bogle.

But some 32 years after it launched, the granddaddy of index mutual funds has now lost its mantle as the biggest at the indexing fund giant.

At the end of August, the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSMX) had attracted $107.5 billion in assets. That compares to $107 billion for the legendary VFINX, which tracks the S&P 500 index, according to Vanguard.

The first-ever retail index fund, VFINX was a big ingredient in propelling Vanguard founder and ex-chairman Bogle and his upstart fund shop to the top of the industry. It launched in August of 1976.

The total stock market approach, as championed by VTSMX,