Displaying items by tag: ETFs

Small-cap stocks, typically valued between $250 million and $2 billion, are regaining popularity among investors after years of underperformance. Economic growth plays a significant role in this resurgence, as smaller firms tend to benefit more from increased consumer and business spending. 

Additionally, the Federal Reserve's recent rate cuts are expected to lower borrowing costs, a crucial factor for small businesses that rely heavily on credit. Another driver of renewed interest is valuation—many analysts believe small caps are undervalued compared to their larger counterparts. 

For investors seeking exposure while mitigating risk, small-cap ETFs like Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK), iShares Morningstar Small-Cap Growth ETF (ISCG), and Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF (XSMO) offer diversification and professional management. 

Finsum: With economic growth in recent quarters, small caps may continue to gain traction in the coming years.

Direct indexing has emerged as a compelling investment approach, offering personalized portfolios and tax advantages. According to experts at Goldman Sachs, this strategy is gaining traction as investors seek tailored solutions. 

The industry has expanded rapidly, with direct indexing assets now totaling nearly $800 billion—more than fivefold growth in recent years. Financial advisors are increasingly integrating direct indexing into portfolios to enhance tax efficiency and customization. 

Unlike ETFs, which track broad indices, direct indexing enables investors to own individual stocks, optimizing tax-loss harvesting opportunities. As adoption rises, technology plays a crucial role in managing the complexity of these highly customized accounts.

Finsum: The technology gains have made a huge impact in the world of finance but particularly with new strategies such as direct indexing where it can have a substantial impact on the cost structure. 

After leading the stock market in 2024, the communications sector is once again the top performer in 2025. Despite the dominance of tech giants like Nvidia and Palantir, communications continues to excel, largely driven by Meta Platforms and Alphabet, which make up nearly half of the sector. 

The Vanguard Communication Services ETF offers investors an affordable way to gain exposure to these companies, though its holdings are heavily concentrated. 

Alphabet and Meta thrive on high-margin advertising models, unlike media and telecom firms that require heavy capital investments. Both companies are aggressively investing in AI and cloud infrastructure, yet their valuations remain attractive compared to other mega-cap tech stocks. 

Finsum: As long as these two firms continue their strong performance, the communications sector—and funds tracking it—could potentially keep outpacing the broader market.

Vanguard announced its largest-ever expense reduction, cutting fees on 87 funds by one to six basis points, translating into over $350 million in investor savings for 2025. The lower costs apply to a range of funds, including bond mutual funds, ETFs, U.S. and international equities, and money market funds. 

CEO Salim Ramji emphasized that reduced fees help investors retain more returns, aligning with the firm’s broader strategy to expand its fixed-income offerings. Chief Investment Officer Greg Davis highlighted the growing role of bonds in investor portfolios and the long-term benefits of compounding savings.

 Vanguard, managing $10.4 trillion as of November 2024, has consistently lowered investing costs since its founding by Jack Bogle in 1975. Competing with BlackRock, it remains one of the world's largest providers of low-cost ETFs, offering 428 funds globally, including 212 in the U.S.

Finsum: Advisors need a strategy to articulate the importance of fee structure to clients, because its integral to their portfolios and can strengthen relationships by providing clarity and demonstrating communication.

A spot Ethereum ETF is an investment fund that directly holds Ethereum, providing a regulated way for investors to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency. The SEC approved the first spot Ethereum ETFs in July 2024, following the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs earlier that year. 

Unlike Ethereum strategy ETFs, which rely on futures contracts, spot ETFs track Ethereum’s price more directly and often come with lower fees. A competitive fee war among issuers has led to aggressive price cuts and temporary waivers to attract investors. 

While these ETFs offer easier access for retirement accounts, they lack features like staking rewards, which are available to direct Ethereum holders. Despite their launch, Ethereum’s price saw little immediate movement, leaving the long-term impact of these funds uncertain, but a new presidency could create a lot of upside. 

Finsum: These ETFs are a great way to get crypto exposure, and while volatility is still very high, the Trump admin has already made it clear they are crypto friendly.