SMOG seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Ardour Global IndexSM (Extra Liquid). “Low carbon energy companies” refers to companies primarily engaged in alternative energy, including renewable energy, alternative fuels, and related enabling technologies (such as advanced batteries). The fund offers:
One-Trade Access to Low Carbon Energy: A dynamic industry driven by growing demand for clean and alternative energy sources
A Pure Play with Global Scope: Global companies must derive at least 50% of total revenues from low carbon energy (i.e., alternative energy) to be added to the Index
The VanEck Vectors
® Real Asset Allocation ETF (“RAAX”) and real assets broadly both finished the year on a positive note. RAAX returned +0.44% versus +4.97% for the Bloomberg Commodity Index and +4.82 for the Blended Real Asset Index. However, the total return for RAAX with the yearend distribution included was +6.53%, outperforming both indices during the month.[1]
The rally in real assets continued into December as investors continued to weigh the near-term risks of inflation. RAAX has been a huge beneficiary of this change in sentiment because of the ability of real assets to hedge against inflation. Regardless of where you stand on the “great inflation debate”, it seems unwise to ignore this risk and fail to position your portfolio accordingly.
The
VanEck Vectors Coal ETF (KOL) may no longer be trading as of December 22, but that only opens up opportunities for ETF investors to play a move away from fossil fuels. One fund to consider is the
With a Joe Biden administration ready to take over the White House, his emphasis on clean energy could negatively impact fossil fuels. With a potential move away from coal, this could have been an impetus for the fate of the KOL fund.
“The only coal-focused exchange-traded fund is closing at 12 years old, another sign of investors’ desire to withdraw from the industry,” a Barron’s article noted. “The VanEck Vectors Coal ETF, which went public in January 2008 under the ticker KOL, stopped trading this month and will return investors’ money on Dec. 22. It had about $35 million in assets. At its height in 2011, the ETF had $908 million, said Ed Lopez, head of ETF Product at VanEck Associates.”