Exchange Traded Funds are one of the most popular investment products in the world today. While similar to traditional managed funds or mFunds, in that they give investors access to a diverse range of securities, they are generally much more cost effective. Unlike traditional funds, they are able to be traded on the share market like any regular stock, which puts more control in the hands of the investor. Let’s look at how these funds work and examine some of the pros and cons.
An Exchange Traded Fund, commonly known as an ETF, is an investment fund that holds a collection of assets like shares, commodities or bonds. As its name implies, ETFs are traded on exchanges like shares, so they can be bought and sold at any time during the trading day, unlike other types of investment funds.
Essentially, ETFs allow investors to trade a range of assets as one package, rather than having to individually buy all the components – you could think of it as buying a whole portfolio in one step. Because an ETF contains a range of different assets, they are popular among traders and investors looking to diversify their portfolio.
An ETF may contain hundreds or thousands of shares across various industries, or it could be solely focused on one particular industry, sector or investment type. For example, a resource-focused ETF could contain stocks of various mining and logging companies throughout the industry.
EFTs are created by providers – usually large financial firms – who will consider which index, sector or commodity to track, before setting up the fund to emulate it. After it has been designed, it must be approved by its relative governing body before it can be traded on the market.
ETFs that track an index, for example, buy the underlying assets of the index in accordance with their weighting, in order to mirror its rise and fall. For instance, an ETF designed to track the ASX 200 will own shares in all companies listed in that index. If the Commonwealth Bank makes up 7 percent of the index, then the ETF provider will put 7 percent of the fund into Commonwealth Bank shares. The aim is to track the overall performance of the index through the fluctuations of the individual assets.
Typically, all the assets contained in an ETF are owned by the fund provider, who then sells shares in that fund to investors. Those who purchase shares in an ETF will own part of that fund, but not the actual assets themselves. Despite this, investors in an ETF that tracks a stock index get lump dividend payments, or reinvestments, for the stocks that make up the index.
With thousands of ETFs available, covering virtually every market around the world, the range of opportunities in this area are endless. Whether you are just starting as an investor or are a seasoned day-trader, the flexibility and diversity of ETFs means it's easy to find a place for them in your investment strategy. Understanding the type of ETF you are investing in and knowing how much money you are looking to invest are key to getting the most out of your investment.
To find out more, visit our Exchange Traded funds page.
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