Products September 9, 2010

Vanguard Adds Index Funds and ETFs

Vanguard has introduced eight new index mutual funds and nine new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on S&P domestic stock benchmarks.
Reported by

Among the new offerings are ETF shares of Vanguard’s flagship Vanguard 500 Index Fund. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (ticker: VOO) features an expense ratio of 0.06%, according to an announcement.

In addition to Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, Vanguard’s ETF family will expand to 55 offerings with the introduction of eight new equity funds and ETFs targeting the growth and value segments of the S&P 500 Index and the growth, value, and blend segments of the S&P MidCap 400 and SmallCap 600 Indexes. 

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“The new Vanguard index funds and ETFs offer our trademark low costs and tax efficiency, and aim for the utmost tracking precision. They will appeal to financial advisers and institutional investors seeking to build portfolios based on S&P benchmarks. In particular, the new ETFs will offer additional choices to investors and help Vanguard continue to build momentum in the ETF marketplace,” said Vanguard Chairman and CEO Bill McNabb, in the announcement. 

Vanguard also said that in the coming months, it plans to introduce 11 additional index funds with ETF Shares. On the equity side, Vanguard will add a suite of seven funds with ETF Shares to offer exposure to value, growth, and blend segments of the U.S. stock market based on the large-cap Russell 1000 Index series and the small-cap Russell 2000 Index series. A broad market fund and ETF seeking to track the Russell 3000 Index will also be offered.

On the bond side, Vanguard will offer three new municipal bond index funds with traditional and exchange-traded shares, tracking benchmarks in the S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index series. The expense ratio for Vanguard’s new municipal ETFs is estimated to be 0.12%.

Vanguard has also filed for a new real estate fund, which will be benchmarked to the S&P Global ex-U.S. Property Index. Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index Fund will offer Investor shares, Institutional shares, Signal shares, and ETF shares.

 

Diversions September 9, 2010

Airports Not an Excuse for Junk Food

Where to eat when you're on the go. 
Reported by

Portfolio.com has compiled a list of some of the best (and healthiest) places to eat at airports around the country.  Joe Brancatelli , the reporter who compiled this list, refers to it as “dwell time” – the time business travelers inevitably face, either by getting through security too quickly or by being stricken with a delayed flight.   

He says that several airports have been using restaurant consultants and are trying to spruce up their dining options based on the their findings: 

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  • Breakfast is surprisingly popular in airports, (perhaps to store up energy for a long day of traveling?) yet major airports are lacking in comfortable sit-down restaurants in the early morning.   
  • Upscale restaurants have not been doing well – “We may have overestimated our ability to convince travelers to sit down to have a multi-course meal just an hour or so before a flight,” one airport executive admitted to Brancatelli. “Finger foods like burgers, sandwiches, and wraps still outsell steaks and more complicated entrees. People want better food, not fancier food, and we may have confused the two.” 

The list includes restaurants within airports and those closeby in the following cities:

  • Atlanta 
  • Baltimore 
  • Boston 
  • Charlotte 
  • Chicago/O’Hare 
  • Chicago/Midway 
  • Cleveland 
  • Dallas/Fort Worth 
  • Denver 
  • Detroit 
  • Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood 
  • Honolulu 
  • Houston/Intercontinental 
  • Los Angeles 
  • Miami 
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul 
  • New York, LaGuardia 
  • New York, Kennedy 
  • New York, Newark 
  • Oakland 
  • Philadelphia 
  • Phoenix 
  • Salt Lake City 
  • San Diego 
  • San Francisco 
  • Seattle 
  • Tampa 
  • Washington, Reagan National 
  • Washington, Dulles 

For a complete list of the restaurants Brancatelli recommends in the country’s busiest airports, see “Fly Right, Eat Well: The Best Airport Dining Options.” 

 

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