Article Vanguard Abandons Factor ETFs in U.K. December 9, 2020 Vanguard Abandons Factor ETFs in U.K. Vanguard’s U.K. outpost is closing its four global factor ETFs in February, according to the firm’s U.K. website. As you may recall, factor funds rely on factors like sales growth, dividend payouts, lower valuations or price momentum, instead of selecting stocks based on company … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Eight Vanguard Money Market Funds Reported Incorrect Yields November 11, 2020 Eight Vanguard Money Market Funds Reported Incorrect Yields Vanguard manages the world’s first trillion-dollar fund—and it got there in part by looking out for the little guy through low-cost index funds. But lately, they’ve demonstrated a disturbing tendency to not sweat the small stuff. Case in … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Vanguard International Manager Decamps October 28, 2020 Vanguard International Manager Decamps Vanguard is making some alterations. We recently learned they’ve decommissioned the namesake 18th-century British naval ship—the HMS Vanguard—from their logo after nearly four decades. Now it’s time for one of their international fund managers to set sail. After a busy summer of managerial … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article SPAC Attack October 14, 2020 SPAC Attack Start-up CEOs dream about their initial public offering (IPO)—that day when they can step up and ring the opening bell at the NYSE and (they hope) watch their company’s stock rocket up in value. In 2019, however, several of those rockets turned out to be duds for everyday names … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Fidelity Chases the Factor Fad September 30, 2020 Fidelity Chases the Factor Fad Never one to ignore a trend, Fidelity continues to embrace the rise of factor, or “smart beta,” funds. Earlier this month, Fidelity expanded its factor ETF lineup with the launch of a new strategy that blends several existing Fidelity factors into one package. Fidelity U.S. Multifactor … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article FAANGs Make Their Mark on the Indexes September 16, 2020 FAANGs Make Their Mark on the Indexes One question that’s bedeviled casual observers of the market and savvy investors alike is how exactly has the stock market managed to recover so quickly from a pandemic that’s still taking a toll on millions of ordinary Americans? It’s a complicated question to address. … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Vanguard Packs Another Manager Into International Explorer September 2, 2020 Vanguard Packs Another Manager Into International Explorer No lazy days at the beach for Vanguard this summer. The fund giant wrapped up a busy few months by rethinking the management structure of its $2.4 billion International Explorer fund last week, bringing Baillie Gifford onto a roster that already included Schroder … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article The Enduring Upside of the 60/40 Approach August 19, 2020 The Enduring Upside of the 60/40 Approach Keeping a “balanced” portfolio—60% stocks, 40% bonds—is one of the investing world’s most tried and true strategies for dealing with risk. But has this classic approach finally lost its luster? Given the ultra-low-yield environment of the current bond market, 60/40 has attracted some … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Vanguard Plans to Shutter U.S. Value Fund August 5, 2020 Vanguard Plans to Shutter U.S. Value Fund Last week, Vanguard celebrated the recent 20th birthday of one of its long-suffering funds by revealing plans to put it out of its misery. The fund behemoth announced that it has closed its $1.1 billion U.S. Value fund to new investors as it takes … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Vanguard Launching ESG Bond ETF July 22, 2020 Vanguard Launching ESG Bond ETF Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are as popular with investors as chocolate and peanut butter are with snackers—and Vanguard seems to have decided that they, too, are two great tastes that taste great together. After adding two stock-focused ESG ETFs … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Labor Department Proposes New Fiduciary Rule on Rollovers July 8, 2020 Labor Department Proposes New Fiduciary Rule on Rollovers You may have heard about the recent Department of Labor (DOL) ruling on retirement plan advisers. All these rules and regulations come down to one thing: Does your adviser put your interests first? Not necessarily. Here’s what you need to know. Back in … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Article Fidelity Gets Active With Stock ETFs June 10, 2020 Fidelity Gets Active With Stock ETFs Last week, Fidelity announced the launch of three actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs), becoming the largest issuer to offer “non-transparent” funds in an ETF package. These funds are distinctly different from the typical ETF. Unlike traditional ETFs, which disclose all of their holdings every day, … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right