Products March 17, 2011

WisdomTree Launches Asia ETF

WisdomTree has launched the WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund (ALD).
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The exchange-traded fund (ETF) is designed to provide exposure to Asian debt denominated in local currencies, excluding Japan, and has an expense ratio of 0.55%. The fund currently has $145 million in assets and is actively managed.   

“We are excited to launch the Industry’s first Asia Local Debt ETF and believe the capital surpluses and strong growth and yield potential of the Asian economies make for an attractive fixed income offering,” said Bruce Lavine, WisdomTree President & COO, in a press release.  

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More about WisdomTree is at http://www.wisdomtree.com.
Data & Research March 17, 2011

Schwab Survey Finds Charity to be High on Priority List

Seventy-nine percent of respondents to a Charles Schwab poll cite charitable giving as a priority, outranking a surprising number of other priorities.
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The quarterly Charles Schwab retirement survey asked respondents age 50 and over to rank their priorities on the path to retirement. First on the list of priorities is preserving savings (86%), but charitable giving outranked managing debt (77%), saving for the future (73%), owning a home (71%), building an emergency fund (66%), and helping children financially (61%).

“We know that investors want to be fit financially, but they also want to help others do well by giving back to support their communities,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab.

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Schwab also found that the majority of boomers see paying off their mortgage as an important goal and milestone in reaching retirement. Sixty-three percent of investors age 50 and older have either already paid off their mortgage or are planning to do so before they retire.

However, the difference in the cost of living and housing in metropolitan and outlying areas reveals a logical gap; 53% of those who live in less developed areas are more likely to have a mortgage that is paid off as compared to 39% of metropolitan residents.

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