Dollar's Turnaround Slows Currency ETFs & ETNs

Retired economics and finance professor Ray Hendon is well-known among elite bloggers, including those at Bogleheads.org and IU.com's own discussion boards from time to time.

The good professor, who is known for penning intriguing pieces on fixed income and currencies, has a new analysis out at Seeking Alpha  that sizes up the latter. He observes that after a rush of new exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded notes in early 2008, the rebound by the U.S. dollar has dampened the fire that made currency funds white-hot last year. 

You can read this story here. (You can also find some excellent economic recaps on his own blog site here.)

Time to Buy Switzerland?

This entertaining piece from Barron's looks at the plight of Switzerland and its currency situation. It considers an exchange-traded fund, the iShares MSCI Switzerland Index (NYSE: EWL), and a closed-end fund.

You can read the story here.

Managers Buying ETFs To Hedge Bets

At Investor's Business Daily, Trang Ho surveys a trio of ETF investment newsletter writers (two are also advisers) to see what opportunities are around considering current market conditions. 

Perhaps more interesting than their choices is the reasoning behind such moves. 

You can read the story here.

Analysts See GLD Demand Gaining

With doubts about a Treasury plan to bail out banks growing, so is demand for the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD) and the yellow metal. 

Some analysts see gold breaking through the $1,000-an-ounce mark later this year, according to this Wall Street Journal  report. 

You can read it here.