Watch Out United States ETN Investors—Exchange Traded Notes Can Be Extremely Volatile!

While the popularity of exchange traded notes (“ETNs”) has surged, ETNs can be extremely volatile, and investors run the risk of losing their entire investment. ETNs reportedly hold $17.4 billion in assets, up from under $5 billion five years ago. Exchange traded notes issued by Credit Suisse have recently traded at prices that were far above and below the true value of the ETN (See “2 ETNs’ manic swings point out peril of use,” by Jason Kephart, InvestmentNews). The true value of an exchange traded note (or any fund) is the net value of the tracked (or held) index or other asset. But when an asset gets hot, like ETNs, it can get overbought, and when something happens to dry up demand, it can get oversold. All of this can happen fast enough to make your head spin.

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Watch Out Florida Fixed Income Investors—Exchange Traded Notes Are Dangerous!

Investor advocates are saying that more should be done to protect retail investors in Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs). There is growing concern that with the rising popularity of ETNs, investors and financial advisers are getting into these products without fully understanding them or the risks involved. ETN’s are bank-issued debt securities. They were first brought to market six years ago to allow sophisticated investors to place bets on different parts of the market. Recently, however, retail investors have also started trading ETNs to gain access to certain market segments, such as those involving gold, silver, or natural gas. ETN offerings have grown in number over the past few years, with 212 ETNs now found on exchanges.

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