Volatility

This year's exchange-traded funds' inflows are marked by at least one obvious theme: flight to safe-haven assets. That explains the top asset-gathering ETF year-to-date is the SPDR Gold Trust (ETF) (NYSE: GLD) and why six of the top 10 asset-gathering ETFs are fixed income funds. Among equity-...

In a new report, Deutsche Bank analyst Rocky Fishman discusses the limited downside potential the firm sees in the VIX right now. According to Fishman, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the market will remain fearful and volatile in coming weeks. “We see limited downside to the...

Low volatility exchange-traded funds are doing what they are supposed to do this year. With the S&P 500 down 5 percent to start 2016, low volatility ETFs, such as the iShares MSCI USA Minimum Volatility ETF (iShares Trust (NYSE: USMV)), are proving notably less worse than the broader market....

As global equity markets have seen increased turbulence to start 2016, investors have been running to safe-haven destinations. That includes exchange-traded funds holding U.S. government bonds. Professional investors are expected to boost their usage of fixed-income ETFs with nearly two-thirds...

Major emerging markets equity benchmarks have already notched double-digit declines just three weeks into January after doing the same last year, and China is a big reason why. Significant capital outflows from China are pressuring the yuan and the currency's decline is, in turn, weighing on...

In December, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi disappointed global financial markets with smaller-than-expected additions and tweaks to the ECB's quantitative easing regime. Since then, European stocks and the corresponding U.S.-listed exchange-traded funds have not been immune to...

It took Tuesday's strong showing to lift the S&P 500 into positive territory for 2015, but for now, the benchmark U.S. equity index is sporting a year-to-date gain of less than 1 percent. That does not mean equity investors have not been rewarded this year. Select strategies offered by...

U.S. markets have become increasingly volatile in recent days as the Federal Reserve's December meeting approaches. Many believe that the bank is planning to raise interest rates at its final meeting of 2016, something that will likely have a negative impact on share markets. While some believe...

John Marshall of Goldman Sachs identified the 25 most "out-of-consensus opportunities" ahead of earnings season. Marshall noted that both call and put buyers benefited from the high volatility and low correlation theme last earnings season. Marshall added expectations this earnings season are "low...

Volatility is the buzzword of the year. It seems like every other day, the markets are moving at swings that are normally seen as indicators of the beginnings of months-long selloffs. This buzzword has percolated into every facet of the market. Credit traders are watching more closely as rates...

Beta is one of the most commonly-used measures of a stock’s volatility. It will often be calculated and considered as a way to determine the “safety” of an investment or a portfolio. The idea is that risk exposure can be reduced during a market downturn by investing in low-beta...

When times get scary, one approach to financial protection is to build a portfolio around solid, low-volatility, low-risk stocks. Sometimes, identifying volatility can be as simple as looking at a chart. For example, take a look at this chart comparing Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) to biotech...

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury experienced high volatility Wednesday when it traded down at 1.86 percent before moving back above 2 percent. The movement was due to weak retail sales and manufacturing data, as well as falling prices in equities and oil. Weirdest day ever in mortgage...

It's not very often that the market has huge down openings. In fact, it has been months since we had an open similar to the one on Thursday. Unless you are a brave contrarian, it can be very difficult to step in front of a moving train off the open. However, if you employ a sound strategy...