Exchange-Traded Funds

Beyond the world of stocks and bonds lies another category of assets: alternative investments. Learn about commodities and other alternative types that may be available to retail investors.

Hey, trader! Do you know all the trading tools in the thinkorswim® platform from TD Ameritrade? Some of our trader pros share their favorite features and how to use them.

What are contango and backwardation? It’s all about the future: whether deferred-month futures contracts are priced higher than the front months. Learn why a market might be in contango or backwardation.

Use thinkorswim to analyze exchange-traded funds, find stocks that are trading above a 200-, 100-, or 50-day simple moving average, and look up stock symbols quickly.

Markets—and the economy in general—tend to run in cycles, and each phase tends to favor certain sectors. Learn how sector investing can help investors seek specific objectives.

When market volatility throws a wrench into diversification strategy, some investors consider alternative investments. Here’s a look at the world beyond stocks and bonds.

Growth stocks versus value stocks—a case can be made for both. But which way should an investor's portfolio lean these days?

A good defense is the best offense, right? It’s sometimes true for investing as well. Here’s what investors should know about defensive investing and defensive sectors.

Gaming isn’t just for fun; it’s becoming a big business as well. If you’re looking for ways to approach potential esports investing opportunities, here are some things to consider.

Learning to invest can be like learning your way around a new city. Familiarize yourself with things close to home, then branch out.

Financial Literacy Month is a good time to think about your financial wellness. Throughout the month, TD Ameritrade will be sharing education ideas and resources to help grow investors’ financial literacy.

If you want to invest in a high-priced stock and can only afford to buy a few shares, you may want to consider other investment choices that give you similar exposure without paying the high price tag.

Investing in silver can be a defensive strategy, especially when equity markets are trending lower or when interest rates are low.

Are you a shareholder and want to have some say in a company’s decisions? Vote your proxy.

When ETFs lose (or make) more than the market they’re tracking, you might be holding an inverse or leveraged ETF.

For long-term investors, $0 commissions for online trades can be a double-edged sword. Cheaper trading can make it easier to diversify, but it can also be an extra reason to be cautious.

Are you looking to include gold in your portfolio? Learn about the different alternatives and their pros and cons.

Large caps might get a lot of attention, but small-cap stocks are still a popular investment subset. And it’s important to track them separately from their larger siblings. Learn about small-cap stocks and the Russell 2000 Index.

Index funds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Actively managed funds versus passive management. What do all these terms mean? Here’s a breakdown for investors.

Start the new year off right by making resolutions for your portfolio. Consider evaluating your portfolio regularly, trimming off unwanted assets or liabilities, learning new investing skills, saving regularly, and planning early.

The crude oil market is dynamic and global, and it touches all of us as consumers—and as investors, too. Qualified account owners have a new way to play the oil market: weekly options on futures.

What is a smart-beta ETF? Explore what qualifies as a smart-beta fund and what systems define this type of ETF.

In these times of stock market volatility, many investors are looking for yield in fixed income and dividend stocks. However, there’s risk in these investments, too, so know what you’re getting into.

Your HSA can be used during retirement. Learning about contribution limits, withdrawal rules and tax implications can help you be strategic in deciding how your HSA might fit into retirement planning.

Fake news and misinformation about a company can negatively impact share prices, and even if it’s a temporary price move, investors can get caught flat-footed. Here’s how you can help protect yourself and your portfolio.

Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds incur expenses, which can be passed on to the fund’s investors. The expense ratio, expressed as a percentage, represents the annual fee a fund charges its investors or shareholders.

When your broker or financial advisor recommends that you read an investment or fund prospectus, it’s for a good reason. A prospectus can offer clues to help you assess an investment’s risks.

Looking to target income in a portfolio, but you'd also like to participate in any growth potential and aim for diversification? You might consider dividend ETFs. Here's why.

New to income investing? Learn about three approaches: dividends from equity holdings, interest from bonds and fixed-income securities, and income from a multi-asset portfolio. Each comes with its own potential benefits and risks.

What positive practices in environmental friendliness, corporate governance, and positive employee relations make different companies qualified to be called “socially responsible”?

With TD Ameritrade offering an expanded list of ETFs available for overnight trading, investors can react to tariff-related and other overseas news as it happens.

As trade war fears heat up between the U.S. and some of its major trading partners, some investors may be looking for tariff protection. Here are some things to consider as you aim for a “trade-war-proof” portfolio.

Thinking of futures as just another asset class, let's start with the basics: how to use capital efficiently, speculate, and hedge with futures.

Looking for volatility exposure? Learn about volatility products including VIX options.

Learn how the put/call ratio is calculated and how to use the P/C ratio as an indicator of stock market sentiment.

Traders have special considerations at tax time, including Schedule D, Form 8949, Section 1256 contracts, and collectibles tax treatment. Here are a few tips for tackling the extra filing.

Investors seeking to profit from a market downturn or looking for portfolio protection have several shorting alternatives. Here are three of them.

Considering exchange-traded funds (ETFs)? Understand fit, style, and value before you shop.

There are some important things to keep in mind when deciding how to invest for shorter term goals.

ETFs may be used to produce a stream of income, and offer potential benefits of portfolio diversification.

Socially responsible investing, which lets you align your portfolio with your values, has grown in popularity in recent years, bolstered by product innovation. Learn more here.

Your investment decisions could impact your tax bill. Learn about the basic rules and some strategies to help maximize after-tax returns and potentially reduce the amount you owe.

What’s the difference: ETF vs mutual funds? Exchange-traded funds and mutual funds are two avenues chosen by some investors to pursue diversification. Learn more here.

Learn how retail investors, even those with limited funds, can pursue a diversified portfolio mix using exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investing in ETFs can provide exposure to a wide variety of markets, sectors, and asset classes.

Use the Income Estimator on tdameritrade.com to learn about stocks that have historically paid dividends.

Want to find a balance in your portfolio between stocks and funds? Learn why exchange-traded funds could be worth a look.

Junk bonds—or high-yield bonds—can be quite risky, but may still have a place in a portfolio.

Learn about the VIX and other volatility indexes and how some investors use them to assess potential risk.

Diversification is your safe harbor for investments, and exchange-traded funds might be one port to drop anchor.

Learn about dividend risk, which options might be candidates for early exercise, and how you can potentially prepare for it.

Investment in alternative energy companies and ETFs may offer rewards, but also come with risks. Here are some considerations.

The world’s information, and the infrastructure that supports it, is shifting to cloud-based computing and the companies that provide it.

ETFs have matured but they’re not done evolving. Morningstar’s Scott Burns urges income-seeking investors to expand their minds and their research.

Intermarket analysis and far-reaching ETFs can help you tackle global markets.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) allow individual investors a shot in the big world of emerging and frontier markets. Risks apply.

Ask yourself if your investing goals and personality traits favor active or passive strategies—or combining the best of both in a smart beta approach.

Only pros care about interest-rate trading, and bonds are boring, right? Not so fast. There’s more to them than meets the eye. Pros don't have all the fun.

The rising costs and spotty track record of actively managed funds leads some investors straight to indexing. Others are looking for their stock market savior.

A winning well -thought- out investment plan requires you need to dig deeper to get an edge on the crowd. Here’s a few secondary ways to play big themes.