OPEC Tensions Sending Oil On A Ride; A Few ETF's To Play The Move

Matt Thalman - INO.com Contributor - ETFs


On Tuesday Iran wrote a letter to Saudi Arabia asking them to curtail their oil production by as much as 1 million barrels a day, which is much more than the Saudi's are willing to cut production according to Reuter's sources.

That news sent the price of oil down 3.91% while Brent fell 3.77% on Tuesday. This followed a meeting which sources say took place on Monday between Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries three largest producers. OPEC is set to meet Wednesday, November 30th to discuss plans on how and who will cut production in an attempt to increase the price of oil. The announcement that a production cut would come at the November meeting was announced weeks ago when OPEC meet briefly.

At the time some experts said a production cut would be hard to come by since none of the three big countries wanted to give up production, but despite doubt, the price of oil jumped to $50 a barrel on the idea that production would be reduced. Now that we are in the midst of the meeting and things don't look good for a production cut, oil is trading erratically and there is money to be made from the uncertainty.

While I certainly can't tell you which side of the trade you should be on, I can give you a few ideas of how to trade rising or falling oil prices moving forward. Continue reading "OPEC Tensions Sending Oil On A Ride; A Few ETF's To Play The Move"

3 ETFs Investors in Their 40s Should Buy

Matt Thalman - INO.com Contributor - ETFs


Ok, so maybe you are late to the ball game, or you have been fiercely investing your whole adult life but still feel like you don’t have enough, but want to protect what you do have. If your age starts with a -4-, you likely know what I am talking about. I recently wrote a piece discussing a few of my favorite Exchange Traded Funds geared for all investors. Now I am working through different age groups and pointing out some of my favorite ETFs that are more focused on each age group based on where investors are in their life cycle, their interests, and their investing temperament and goals.

Over the past few months, I began writing about different ETFs geared towards investors in different age groups. I have a piece for those in their 20's, a piece for those in their 30's, and today we are going to focus on ETF options for those in their 40's. One of the main difference between an investor in their 20's or 30's and someone in their 40's or older is 'time.' When you are young, you have all the time in the world, but as you get older, the time you have becomes more important.

So while a 20-year-old will and should take more risks with their investments, a 40-year-old needs to be slightly more conservative. But let's not forget you still have 20 years or more to save and give time for what you do have grow and then maybe another 30 years after that to live off your investment nest egg. So while you want to put a larger percentage of your money in safer bets, we don’t yet need to start a full-on conservation investment strategy.

With that information in mind, let's take a look at a few ETF's best suited for those in their 40's. Continue reading "3 ETFs Investors in Their 40s Should Buy"

3 ETFs Investors In Their 30s Should Buy

Matt Thalman - INO.com Contributor - ETFs


The best time to start investing, no matter you age is always now. But depending on your age, there are better investment options than others. I recently wrote a piece discussing a few of my favorite Exchange Traded Funds geared for all investors. Now I am working through different age groups and pointing out some of my favorite ETFs that are more focused on each age group based on where investors are in their life cycle and their interests.

A month ago I published a piece geared toward 20-year-olds, and today we are going to focus on ETF options that fit better for those in their 30's. By the time you turn 30, a few things have or will soon likely happen in your life. You will have begun progressing in your career, you are making more money than when you were in your early 20's, you may be a home owner or planning to become one, you either have started a family or again have plans to do so, and lastly maintaining your health. With those three things in mind, I have found a few ETFs that play into those life changes. Continue reading "3 ETFs Investors In Their 30s Should Buy"

How Does NOBL Compare To Others In This Category; SDY, VIG And WDIV?

Matt Thalman - INO.com Contributor - ETFs


Today I would like to answer a question posed by you, a reader. A few weeks ago I mentioned one of my favorite ETF's the ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (PACF:NOBL) and a reader named jab commented on the article and asked a question. Jab said,

"Thanks for the info on NOBL. Wasn't familiar with the term/category "dividend aristocrats." How does NOBL compare to others in this category like SDY, VIG, and WDIV?"

So, I would like to take some time and answer this question and give a little more detail on the different metrics I look for when trying to find the best ETF's to invest in when comparing similar category ETFs.

The four different ETF's we will be comparing today are the ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF, the SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (PACF:SDY), the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund (PACF:VIG), and the SPDR S&P Global Dividend ETF (PACF:WDIV). So, let's get to it. Continue reading "How Does NOBL Compare To Others In This Category; SDY, VIG And WDIV?"

3 ETFs To Buy If You Think Oil Will Continue To Rise Following OPEC's Decision

Matt Thalman - INO.com Contributor - ETFs


Last week the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC announced that the group had to come an "agreement" to reduce oil production. The new deal slated to cut production from an estimated 33.2 million barrels per day down to 32.5 million barrels per day.

While some Wall Street analysts don't believe the production reduction will actually happen, the fact remains that since OPEC made the announcement, the price of oil is up rather dramatically. Prior to the announcement oil was trading around the $44.50 range and has since jumped to the $50 range.

Many investors are looking at the price of oil and wondering how they can get a piece of this action. Let's take a look at three Exchange Traded Funds you can buy if you believe oil prices will continue to increase. Continue reading "3 ETFs To Buy If You Think Oil Will Continue To Rise Following OPEC's Decision"