Keeping Up with Exchange Traded Funds

SmallCap Stocks on a Winning Streak

The WSJ's Kristina Peterson is reporting that the S&P SmallCap 600 index finished higher again on Friday, exending the streak of positive runs to 10 days. That marks the measure's longest streak since Aug.

Going Long (or Short) on the Euro

Whether it's debt concerns in PIIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain) or anemic eurozone GDP growth, recent news about the euro has been negative—but maybe that's a positive for you.

Whatever your view, Market Vectors Double Long Euro ETN (URR) and Double Short Euro ETN (DRR) let you trade your view on the euro's direction.

Other ways to gain exposure to the Euro:

WisdomTree Dreyfus Euro Fund (EU)

CurrencyShares Euro Trust (FXE)

More Hidden Costs of Mutual Funds

Trading costs for mutual funds are typically not disclosed and higher than you might think.  That's the finding of two recent studies profiled in the WSJ article That Fund's Total Expenses Area Higher Than You Think.

A study of the top 100 mutual funds found that the median trading costs were 0.66% and the highest quintile averaged 1.99%.

A much larger study of U.S. stock funds found average trading costs of 1.44% overall and 2.96% in the top quintile.

The trading costs are in addition to the management fees, marketing expenses, sales loads and exit fees that funds charge investors.