澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网

How To Evaluate ETF Performance

Part of the Series
Exchange-Traded Fund Guide for Beginners

Every 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:exchange-traded fund (ETF) investor wants their fund to have the best performance, but knowing which funds to pick can be challenging. ETFs usually track an index, sector, or commodity and can be purchased or s🙈old on an exchanℱge.

Key Takeaways

  • ETFs usually track an index, sector, or commodity and can be purchased or sold on an exchange.
  • The benefits of ETF investment include liquidity, portfolio diversification, and low entry costs.
  • ETFs can contain stocks, commodities, bonds, or a combination.
Standing woman looking at charts on two computer monitors

/ Getty Images

Benefits of ETF Investment

Investors choose various vehicles to place their money, such as mutual funds, stocks, or real estate. An ETF's appeal is wrapped around its 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:core benefits, which include 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:liquidity, portfolio 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:diversification, low entry costs, and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:transparency. An investor en꧑joys ac🦂cess to stocks across various sectors and low expense ratios.

ETFs can contain many investments, including stocks, commodities, bonds, or a combination. Before an ETF purchase, investors should review product structure, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:benchmark index selection, trading volume, and risk exposure.

Important

One of the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:top-performing ETFs in 2023 was iShares Expanded Tech Software Sector ETF (IGV).


Evaluating ETFs

Several variables affect an investor's portfolio. Fund expenses are an independent evaluative variable. Regardless of all other factors, it is always better if fund expenses are lower for conservative and risky investors, for domestic and international assets, and tax-free or taxable funds. ETFs with lower expense ratios help investors control what fees affect their investment choice.

Other factors to evaluate include liquidity, index tracking, and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:tax shelter. When buying ETFs, investors look for discounts. Unless the ETF is 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:actively managed, it is best if the fund has more 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:assets under management. Actively managed funds bring a host of other statistical qualifiers, such as alpha, excess return, or 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:value at risk (VaR).

Fund Composition

The most immediate portfolio-dependent factor is fund composition. It matters whether an ETF tracks the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Dow Jones Industrial Average or the Nikkei, holds bonds, or uses leverage. Investors cannot fully evaluate the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:underlying assets of an ETF without understanding their roles in their portfolio. An investor may not want to buy shares of an ETF tracking the S&P 500 if their 401(k) is made up of a mutual fund tracking the S&P 500. Trac💙king a different index and gaining exposure to new markets or reducing asset correlation.

Investors also consider the depth of holdings. For an individual who owns several different ETFs and wants specific sector concentration, a fund with fewer, more selective holdings may be chosen. An ETF's benchmark selection and tracking efficiency are important dependent factors. In some ways, the underlying index matters more than the size of the fund or its management team. An ETF's underlying index determines its performance but should also fit within an investor's 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:portfolio optimization strategy.

How Can Individuals Invest in ETFs?

ETF investment is available through online investing platforms, investment apps, or an individual's retirement account provider. Most offer commission-free trading.

What Is an Expense Ratio?

An expense ratio is the amount of a fund's assets used for operating expenses. An expense ratio is found by dividing a fund's operating expenses by the average dollar value of its 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:assets under management (AUM). Operating expenses reduce the fund's assets, reducing the return to investors.

What Is a Commodity ETF?

A 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:commodity ETF tracks the prices of a commodity or the commodity's corresponding index, which may include precious metals, such as gold and silver, or energy commodities, such as oil and gas.

The Bottom Line

An ETF can track the Dow Jones Industrial Average or another index and commonly hold stocks, commodities, bonds, or a mixture of investment vehicles. Investors evaluate the underlying assets of an ETF when creating their portfolio. The benefits of an ETF include liquidity, portfolio diversification, low entry costs, and transparency.

Article Sources
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.
  1. iShares by BlackRock. “.”

  2. U.S𝐆. Sꦫecurities and Exchange Commission. “.” Page 4.

  3. State Street Global Advisors. “.”

Ready to Take the Next Step?
The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace.
Part of the Series
Exchange-Traded Fund Guide for Beginners

Related Articles