Yesterday, markets reacted positively to the news that Iran and the US have agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire.

During this period, shipping traffic will be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz.

What did Iran and the US agree to?

According to The BBC, Trump said he had agreed to "suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks" if Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

As a refresher, The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. Any threat or disruption there raises fears of reduced supply and higher energy prices. 

In the past month, those concerns have rippled through global markets. Equities have largely fallen as investors worry about inflation, economic slowdown, and geopolitical instability.

However, following the ceasefire announcement, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) jumped 2.5%. Investors clearly perceived the news as the beginning of a potential resolution. 

Elsewhere, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) also climbed higher, shooting above its 200-day moving average for the first time since mid-March. 

While it's important to note that there are still plenty of hurdles still to come, it's worth revisiting the ASX ETFs that Betashares have listed as potential beneficiaries of a de-escalation in the Middle East. 

Betashares Msci Emerging Markets Complex Etf (ASX: BEMG)

According to Betashares Senior Investment Strategist Cameron Gleeson, history shows that emerging markets often perform strongly when global risk appetite improves and trade flows normalise.

A resolution of the crisis could see the US dollar weaken, which may provide a tailwind for emerging markets.

This ASX ETF provides exposure to large and mid-cap stocks across 24 emerging market countries.

Betashares Global Shares Ex Us Etf (ASX: EXUS)

This is the only ASX ETF which provides Ex-US, Ex-Australia developed global market equities exposure.

According to Betashares, Ex-US equities provide greater exposure to cyclical sectors like financials and industrials than the US equity market and, as such, greater exposure to a strong global growth environment.

This fund provides exposure to 900+ large and mid-cap companies from 22 developed markets excluding the US and Australia.

BetaShares Geared Australian Equity Fund (Hedge Fund) (ASX: GEAR)

This ASX ETF provides between 200-286% exposure to the daily returns of the S&P/ASX 200. This can magnify both gains and losses, and is only suited to investors with a very high risk tolerance.

According to Betashares, using leverage can amplify returns if equities rally following improving sentiment.

We've seen geared equity ETFs being used by investors during past periods of market volatility. For example, at the market lows after the Liberation Day sell off last year we saw increased buying of geared equity ETFs.

In that instance, as equity markets recovered those ETF products amplified gains for their investors. However, it's important to recognise that investing in a geared investment, rather than an ungeared investment, involves significantly higher risk, particularly during a period of elevated volatility.

The post 3 ASX ETFs that could be set to jump – Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Cameron Gleeson, Betashares, said geopolitical events like this can create sudden swings in markets. 

This has certainly been felt throughout March.

In a report released yesterday, he outlined two potential paths for markets: a prolonged conflict and disruption to global oil supply, or a de-escalation within a matter of weeks. 

He also highlighted several ASX ETFs that may help investors position their portfolios accordingly.

How does the current conflict impact ASX portfolios?

There are several reasons the current conflict in the Middle East is influencing markets.

The most immediate influence to markets is typically energy prices, which have had significant movement this past week on mixed messages from the Trump administration and Tehran's defiance. 

According to the report from Betashares, impact to global oil supply can quickly influence other areas of the economy like inflation expectations, central bank policy and the global growth outlook.

Here are two possible outcomes and how investors could adjust their portfolios.

Its important investors understand these scenarios are illustrative only and not predictions.

Potential path one: Prolonged conflict

Mr Gleeson said if tensions escalate and oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz face sustained disruption, energy prices may remain elevated for some time. 

According to the report, even if Trump succeeds in dismantling Iran's nuclear program and triggering regime change, the outcome could still create a power vacuum in which factions within Iran continue to threaten energy shipments.

If you are looking for the single most important indicator of risk in this crisis, it's the price of oil. Oil's reaction has been volatile, but some investors have tried to use it as a "geopolitical hedge" for when other asset valuations come under pressure.

The ASX ETF that offers the most direct exposure to changes in the price of oil is the BetaShares Crude Oil Index ETF – Currency Hedged (Synthetic) (ASX: OOO). 

The Motley Fool's Sebastian Bowen provided a thorough breakdown of the fund and its positioning relative to the current conflict earlier this month. 

Other ASX ETFs that may be worthy of consideration if you expect a prolonged conflict and ongoing oil crisis include: 

• BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: FUEL) – Provides exposure to some of the world's largest oil and gas producers, with significant production outside the Gulf region.
• BetaShares Global Agriculture Companies ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: FOOD)
• BetaShares Gold Bullion ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: QAU)

Potential path two: De-escalation

Mr Gleeson said alternatively, if tensions ease quickly and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz resumes uninterrupted, oil prices could retrace and the geopolitical risk premium embedded in markets may fade. 

In that environment, global equities and cyclical sectors could benefit from improving sentiment and a renewed focus on economic growth.

A rising tide lifts all boats and one might expect all equity markets to rally, but below we identify some of the higher beta opportunities for such a recovery.

Some ASX ETFs mentioned include: 

• Betashares Msci Emerging Markets Complex Etf (ASX: BEMG)
• Betashares Global Shares Ex Us Etf (ASX: EXUS)
• BetaShares Geared Australian Equity Fund (Hedge Fund) (ASX: GEAR)

He highlighted that historically, emerging markets have performed strongly when global risk appetite improves and trade flows normalise.

Additionally, Ex-US equities provide greater exposure to cyclical sectors like financials and industrials than the US equity market and, as such, greater exposure to a strong global growth environment.

The post Portfolio strategies for 2 potential Middle East scenarios – Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investors in the Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) will be among those paid today.

The gold miners ETF was one of the best performers of 2025, delivering a whopping total return of 149%.

MNRS tracks the performance of the Nasdaq Global ex-Australia Gold Miners Hedged AUD Index.

The 65% rally in the gold price last year, building on the 24% lift in 2024, was a big tailwind behind MNRS last year.

Investors in Betashares Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR) will also be paid today.

ARMR is benefitting from a big increase in global defence spending amid volatile geopolitics these days.

It tracks the VettaFi Global Defence Leaders Index and gave investors a total return of 48% last year.

Dividends to be paid today

Here are the dividends that investors will receive, rounded to two decimal places, today.

The Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) will pay $1.15 per unit with 60% franking.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT) will pay 47 cents per unit with 93% franking.

The Betashares Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR) will pay 32 cents per unit.

Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) will pay 3 cents per unit.

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA) will pay 67 cents per unit.

Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) will pay 6 cents per unit with 106% franking.

Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF) will pay 30 cents per unit with 22% franking.

The Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI) will pay 4 cents per unit.

Betashares Australian Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: FAIR) will pay 29 cents per unit with 65% franking.

But wait, there's more…

The Betashares Geared Australian Equity Fund – Hedge Fund (ASX: GEAR) will pay 45 cents per unit with 225% franking.

Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Active ETF (ASX: HVST) will pay 6 cents per unit with 74% franking.

The Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD) will pay 12 cents per unit with 66% franking.

Betashares Australian Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN) will pay 28 cents per unit with 89% franking.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY) will pay 9 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Resources Sector ETF (ASX: QRE) will pay 11 cents per unit with 101% franking.

Betashares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM) will pay 3 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Top 20 Equity Yield Maximiser Fund (ASX: YMAX) will pay 13 cents per unit with 31% franking.

Betashares Global Banks Currency Hedged (ASX: BNKS) will pay 11 cents per unit.

Betashares Global Energy Companies Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: FUEL) will pay 9 cents per unit.

The post Own MNRS or ARMR ETFs? Here's why it's a big day for you appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investors who own these Betashares ETFs below will receive their dividends on 19 January.

The ex-dividend date is today, and the record date is Monday.

How much in dividends will you receive?

Here are the dividends that investors will receive, rounded to the nearest cent, on 19 January.

The Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) will pay $1.15 per unit with 60% franking.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT) will pay 47 cents per unit with 93% franking.

The Betashares Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR) will pay 32 cents per unit.

The Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) will pay 3 cents per unit.

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA) will pay 67 cents per unit.

Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) will pay 6 cents per unit with 106% franking.

Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF) will pay 30 cents per unit with 22% franking.

The Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI) will pay 4 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: FAIR) will pay 29 cents per unit with 65% franking.

More ASX ETFs paying dividends soon

The Betashares Geared Australian Equity Fund – Hedge Fund (ASX: GEAR) will pay 45 cents per unit with 225% franking.

The Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Active ETF (ASX: HVST) will pay 6 cents per unit with 74% franking.

The Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD) will pay 12 cents per unit with 66% franking.

The Betashares Australian Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN) will pay 28 cents per unit with 89% franking.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY) will pay 9 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Resources Sector ETF (ASX: QRE) will pay 11 cents per unit with 101% franking.

Betashares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM) will pay 3 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Top 20 Equity Yield Maximiser Fund (ASX: YMAX) will pay 13 cents per unit with 31% franking.

Betashares Global Banks Currency Hedged (ASX: BNKS) will pay 11 cents per unit.

Betashares Global Energy Companies Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: FUEL) will pay 9 cents per unit.

Want to reinvest your ASX ETF dividends?

A distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) is available for eligible Betashares ETFs.

Betashares' registrar, MUFG Corporate Markets, must receive your DRP election by 5pm AEST on 6 January.

The post Own Betashares ASX ETFs? Here's your next dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, there are more than 380 funds to consider. That means investors can find everything from broad international funds, to niche thematic funds. 

While some investors prefer to closely monitor the stock market daily, there are others that may prefer to stash a bit of excess cash in a proven fund and trust the historical data that suggests long term investing pays off. 

If that sounds like you, here are three ASX ETFs you may want to consider that have brought proven returns over the long term. 

iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO)

This fund is designed to measure the performance of 100 multi-national, blue chip companies of major importance in global equity markets.

It has a straightforward approach to track the largest companies in the world. 

At the time of writing (unsurprisingly), its largest exposure is to the US market (80%). 

However unlike some other similar funds, it also offers international exposure to some of the largest companies outside the US. 

Its top 3 holdings by weight are: 

• Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA): 13.33%
• Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT): 12.18%
• Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL): 9.53%

It has risen 115.52% over the last 5 years, at an annualised rate of 19.19%. 

BetaShares Global Banks ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: BNKS)

As the name suggests, this fund aims to track the performance of an index (before fees and expenses) that comprises the largest global banks. 

It actively excludes Australian banks, which could make it ideal for investors who already have exposure to the big four. 

It includes exposure to the largest banks across countries such as: 

• United States (33.3% weighting) 
• Canada (14.0%)
• Britain (9.7%)
• Japan (8.6%)
• Spain (6.1%)

The fund has a 5 year p.a. Return of 20.18%. 

BetaShares Geared Australian Equity Fund (Hedge Fund) (ASX: GEAR)

This fund has a unique strategy, but has been a proven winner over the long term. 

According to Betashares, it is 'internally geared', meaning all gearing obligations are met by the Fund. The Fund combines funds received from investors with borrowed funds and invests the proceeds in a broadly diversified share portfolio consisting of the largest 200 equity securities on the ASX by market capitalisation (as measured by the S&P/ASX 200 Index).

The Fund's gearing ratio (being the total amount borrowed expressed as a percentage of the total assets of the Fund) is managed between 50-65% on any given day.

GEAR gives you the opportunity to make magnified gains when the Australian sharemarket rises on a given day, and magnified losses when the Australian sharemarket falls.

This strategy has paid off, bringing 5 year p.a returns of 21.99% for a total increase of 110.90%. For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has risen 50% in that same period.

The post Three "set and forget" ASX ETFs with proven track records appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

How about the new Betashares Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR), which only began trading in October last year?

If you're invested in any Betashares exchange-traded funds (ETFs), today you'll be rewarded with your next lot of dividends.

Here is how much you'll receive in your bank account by the close of business on Wednesday.

Dividends for A200, NDQ and ARMR ETFs

The A200 ETF tracks the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) before fees.

It provides exposure to Australia's top listed companies, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL).

A200 will pay $1.07576468 per unit with 56.21% franking.

ASX NDQ tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX) before fees.

This ETF provides exposure to global household names like Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA).

The ASX NDQ will pay 49.021982 cents per unit.

The ARMR ETF seeks to track the VettaFi Global Defence Leaders Index before fees.

ARMR provides exposure to up to 60 companies that derive more than 50% of their revenue from defence equipment or services.

The ETF's top holdings are Rheinmetall AG (ETR: RHM), Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR), and BAE Systems PLC (FRA: BSP).

ARMR ETF will pay a maiden dividend of 53.546615 cents per unit.

What about other Betashares ASX ETFs?

Here is a summary of the dividends that people invested in this selection of Betashares ETFs will receive today.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT) will pay 78.670012 cents per unit with 45.7% franking.

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA) will pay 2.7997434 cents per unit.

Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) will pay 62.133156 cents per unit with 9.65% franking.

Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF) will pay 27.862004 cents per unit with 21.31% franking.

The Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: RBTZ) will pay 28.781362 cents per unit.

Betashares Climate Change Innovation ETF (ASX: ERTH) will pay 4.524139 cents per unit.

The Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI) will pay 30.660703 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: FAIR) will pay 46.17632 cents per unit with 31.18% franking.

Here's a few more…

The Betashares Video Games and Esports ETF (ASX: GAME) will pay 14.695966 cents per unit.

The Betashares Geared Australian Equity Fund – Hedge Fund (ASX: GEAR) will pay 18.921508 cents per unit with 389.47% franking.

Betashares Geared U.S. Equity Fund – Currency Hedged (ASX: GGUS) will pay 87.057737 cents per unit.

The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK) will pay 43.465958 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN) will pay 21.176497 cents per unit with 57.69% franking.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY) will pay 67.851406 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Resources Sector ETF (ASX: QRE) will pay 10.181135 cents per unit with 82.43% franking.

Betashares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM) will pay 19.732154 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Top 20 Equity Yield Maximiser Fund (ASX: YMAX) will pay 13.102915 cents per unit with 40.39% franking.

The post Own ASX A200, NDQ, or ARMR ETFs? It's dividend payday for you! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Today, 425 ETFs are trading on the ASX and CBOE exchanges, according to the latest monthly ETF report from BetaShares.

Australian investors love ETFs for their ease and instant diversification.

Not to mention the single brokerage fee it takes to buy one big basket of ASX (or international) shares in just one transaction.

Here, we review newly published ASX data showing which ETFs holding ASX shares produced the best returns for investors in FY25.

Best 6 ASX ETFs for total returns in FY25

According to the data, here are the top six ETFs:

SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Financials ex A-REIT Fund (ASX: OZF)

The OZF ETF delivered a total one-year return of 30.76%. The historical distribution yield is 3.8%.

Its success in FY25 represents the ASX 200 financial sector's status as the No. 1 market sector of the year.

This ETF has a management expense ratio (MER) of 0.34%.

The SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Financials ex A-REIT Fund closed FY25 at $30.52 per unit.

BetaShares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC)

The ATEC ETF delivered a total annual return of 30.44%. The historical distribution yield is 2.12%.

This ETF's second-place ranking is befitting, given that technology was the No. 2 market sector of FY25.

The ATEC ETF seeks to track the performance of the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) before fees.

In terms of capital growth, ASX tech shares outperformed US tech stocks by 2:1 in FY25.

This exchange-traded fund has a MER of 0.48%.

The BetaShares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF closed at $31.65 per unit on 30 June.

BetaShares Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN)

The QFN ETF delivered a one-year return of 30.17%. The historical distribution yield is 2.75%.

This ETF has a MER of 0.34%.

The BetaShares Financials Sector ETF ended the financial year at $18.12 per unit.

VanEck Australian Banks ETF (ASX: MVB)

The MVB ETF delivered a total annual return of 24.86%. The historical distribution yield is 4.13%.

This ETF has a MER of 0.28%.

The VanEck Australian Banks ETF closed at $42.86 per unit on 30 June.

Betashares Geared Australian Equities Complex ETF (ASX: GEAR)

The GEAR ETF delivered a total one-year return of 24.72%. The historical distribution yield is 1.45%.

This ETF has a MER of 0.8%.

The BetaShares Australian Quality ETF ended the financial year at $34.10 per unit.

VanEck Australian Property ETF (ASX: MVA)

The MVA ETF delivered a total annual return of 22.92%. The historical distribution yield is 4%.

Just one bank dominated the news for share price growth last year: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares (up 45%).

This ETF has a MER of 0.35%.

VanEck Australian Property ETF closed at $24.75 per unit on 30 June.

The post Top 6 ETFs holding ASX shares that produced the best returns in FY25 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investors who own these Betashares ETFs below will receive their dividends on 16 July.

According to the schedule, the ex-dividend date is 1 July, and the record date is 2 July.

Dividend pay day for Betashares ETF investors

Here is a summary of the dividend amounts that people invested in this selection of Betashares ETFs will receive on 16 July.

The Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) will pay $1.07576468 per unit with 56.21% franking.

Betashares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) will pay 49.021982 cents per unit.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT) will pay 78.670012 cents per unit with 45.7% franking.

The Betashares Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR) will pay 53.546615 cents per unit.

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA) will pay 2.7997434 cents per unit.

Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) will pay 62.133156 cents per unit with 9.65% franking.

Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF) will pay 27.862004 cents per unit with 21.31% franking.

The Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: RBTZ) will pay 28.781362 cents per unit.

Betashares Climate Change Innovation ETF (ASX: ERTH) will pay 4.524139 cents per unit.

The Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI) will pay 30.660703 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: FAIR) will pay 46.17632 cents per unit with 31.18% franking.

Nope, not done yet!

The Betashares Video Games and Esports ETF (ASX: GAME) will pay 14.695966 cents per unit.

The Betashares Geared Australian Equity Fund – Hedge Fund (ASX: GEAR) will pay 18.921508 cents per unit with 389.47% franking.

Betashares Geared U.S. Equity Fund – Currency Hedged (ASX: GGUS) will pay 87.057737 cents per unit.

The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK) will pay 43.465958 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN) will pay 21.176497 cents per unit with 57.69% franking.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY) will pay 67.851406 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Resources Sector ETF (ASX: QRE) will pay 10.181135 cents per unit with 82.43% franking.

Betashares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM) will pay 19.732154 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Top 20 Equity Yield Maximiser Fund (ASX: YMAX) will pay 13.102915 cents per unit with 40.39% franking.

Want to reinvest your ASX ETF dividends?

A distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) is available for all of these Betashares ETFs.

Betashares must receive your DRP election by 5pm AEST on 3 July.

The post Dividend alert: What Betashares ASX ETFs are paying and when appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Selfwealth data shows the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) was the most traded exchange-traded fund in FY24.

The VAS ETF seeks to track the performance of the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) after fees.

This means investors gain exposure to the market's biggest companies, such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (ASX: CBA), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), as well as small-cap stocks including Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) and Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW).

Other exchange-traded funds among the top 10 include those tracking the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), US shares and other international stocks.

As we've previously reported, ETFs are becoming more popular. ETF provider BetaShares says that as a group, ETFs trading on either the ASX or CBOE exchanges increased in size by 15.7% in 1H CY24.

As of 30 June, these ETFs represented a record $205.3 billion in assets under management.

Meantime, unlisted managed funds continue to see increased outflows. 

Exchange-traded funds are baskets of equities. Investors can buy and sell ETFs in the same way as individual shares. They provide easy diversification in a single trade for a single brokerage fee.

The 10 most traded ETFs of FY24 revealed…

Selfwealth has published a list of the 10 most traded exchange-traded funds of FY24.

The ETFs are ranked by trading volume.

The percentage of buy orders indicates which ones attracted the highest buying conviction.

Which ETF are investors most bullish on?

As you can see, the exchange-traded fund with the highest buying conviction was the IVV ETF.

This ETF tracks the performance of the 500 biggest listed companies in the United States via the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX).

The IVV exchange-traded fund turned out to be a smart choice, with US shares outperforming ASX 200 stocks in FY24.

The S&P 500 rose 22.7% in FY24 versus a 7.83% rise for the ASX 200 (or total returns of 12.1% if you include dividends).

Selfwealth said its Gen Z clients showed "the greatest relative interest in ETFs of any age group" in FY24.

The post Which ASX ETFs are investors most bullish on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF is an index-based ETF that tracks the performance of the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).

This gives VAS investors exposure to major stocks like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (ASX: CBA), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

ETFs are an increasingly popular investment vehicle for Australian investors.

Value of ASX exchange-traded funds exceeds $200 billion

ASX ETFs now represent more than $200 billion in assets under management, according to ETF provider BetaShares' half-year review.

Co-founder of Betashares, Ilan Israelstam, said: "The ETF industry continues to go from strength to strength, as investors increasingly adopt ETFs to build their portfolios."

One of the benefits of exchange-traded funds is they provide instant diversification in a single trade. 

Let's review the top 10 ETFs traded in June, according to SelfWealth.

Top 10 most traded ASX ETFs in June

Here are the top 10 most traded exchange-traded funds in June by volume (thus incorporating both buy and sell orders), according to Selfwealth Ltd (ASX: SWF).

We have also included the percentage of buy orders next to each exchange-traded fund.

Which ETF attracted the most buyer interest?

The iShares S&P 500 AUD ETF attracted the most buy orders among the top 10 most traded ETFs in June.

The iShares S&P 500 ETF is an index-based ETF that tracks the performance of the 500 largest United States companies comprising the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX).

It appears investors remain confident that US shares will continue to outperform the ASX 200.

In FY24, the S&P 500 rose by 22.7% while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifted 7.83% (or 12.1% with dividends included).

The IVV exchange-traded fund is among the 10 cheapest ETFs on the market.

We note that the ninth most traded ETF in June was the GEAR ETF.

GEAR delivered the best three-year returns among ASX ETFs, according to recently published data.

Check out the ASX global shares exchange-traded funds that delivered 50% to 70% returns last year.

The post Top 10 most traded ASX ETFs in June appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

About $198.3 billion is invested in ETFs, according to the latest update from ETF provider BetaShares.

ETFs are an increasingly popular investment method, providing instant diversification in a single trade. New figures from the ASX quantify the total returns of ETFs over the past three financial years.

In this article, we reveal the top five performers for total investor returns over the period FY22 to FY24.

Top 5 ASX ETFs for total returns

This article focuses on ETFs that invest only in Australian shares. They include index-based and sector-based ETFs, as well as those operating under a specific strategy designed by their ETF provider.

We've included each ETF's management expense ratio (MER), which is the fee you pay for each provider's management of the ETF.

Fees can vary widely between providers, so this is always worth checking out in your research.

According to the data, here are the top five ETFs:

BetaShares Geared Australian Equity (Hedge Fund) ETF (ASX: GEAR)

The BetaShares Geared Australian Equity (Hedge Fund) ETF returned an average of 12.79% per annum. The historical distribution yield is 2.25%. The MER is 0.8%.

The GEAR ETF's top three exposures are BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares at 9.8% weighting, Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (ASX: CBA) at 8.7%, and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) at 5.9%.

VanEck Australian Banks ETF (ASX: MVB)

The VanEck Australian Banks ETF returned an average of 12.79% per annum. The historical distribution yield is 5.46%. The MER is 0.28%.

The MVB ETF's top three exposures are National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares at 20.34% weighting, CBA shares at 20.02%, and Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC) at 19.89%.

SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Financials EX A-REIT ETF (ASX: OZF)

The SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Financials ex-REIT ETF returned an average of 11.86% per annum. The historical distribution yield is 4.6%. The MER is 0.34%.

The OZF ETF's top three exposures are CBA shares at 29.25% weighting, NAB at 15.42%, and Westpac at 12.98%. This financials ETF excludes real estate investment trusts (REITs).

BetaShares Australian Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN)

The BetaShares Australian Financials Sector ETF returned an average of 11.63% per annum. The historical distribution yield is 3.1%. The MER is 0.34%.

The QFN ETF's top three exposures are CBA shares at 29.2% weighting, NAB at 15%, and Westpac stock at 13%.

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY)

The Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF returned an average of 10.91% per annum. The historical distribution yield is 5.84%. The MER is 0.25%.

The VHY ETF's top three exposures are CBA shares at 9.89% weighting, BHP at 8.82%, and NAB at 7.75%.

The post Which Australian shares ASX ETFs have dished out the best returns over 3 years? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Leading ETF provider BetaShares estimates $4.8 billion of net inflows into ETFs in January to May alone this year. Fixed-income ETFs have received the most inflows at $2.5 billion, with Australian shares ASX ETFs attracting $1.6 billion of net inflows, and cash ETFs bringing in $688 million of net inflows.

BetaShares says ETF investing has recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43% since they were first invented and launched in 2001.

New data from the ASX quantifies the returns of ASX ETFs over the past three financial years.

In this article, we take a look at the top five performers for total investor returns.

The top 5 ASX ETFs for total returns

For the purposes of this article, we're going to focus on the ASX ETFs that invest in Australian shares only, based on a certain strategy.

We're excluding the index-based and sector-based ETFs that do not have a manager executing a defined strategy.

This way, we get a peek at which ETF providers are performing best, and also which investing strategies are delivering the top results right now.

According to the data, here are the top five ASX ETFs:

The BetaShares Geared Australian Equity (Hedge Fund) (ASX: GEAR) ETF returned an average of 24.95% per annum. This includes reinvested dividends which have historically averaged a yield of 4.89%.

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY) returned an average of 17.13% per annum. This includes reinvested dividends which have historically averaged 5.04%.

The SPDR MSCI Australia Select High Dividend Yield (ASX: SYI) ETF returned an average of 14.62% per annum. This includes reinvested dividends which have historically averaged 5.76%.

Russell Investments High Dividend Australian Shares ETF (ASX: RDV) returned an average of 12.41% per annum. This includes reinvested dividends which have historically averaged 5.36%.

Russell Investments Australian Responsible Investment ETF (ASX: RARI) returned an average of 11.02% per annum. This includes reinvested dividends which have historically averaged 3.94%.

More about the No 1 ETF

ASX ETF BetaShares Geared Australian Equity Fund (Hedge Fund) gives investors a cost-effective way to access geared exposure to the returns of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

So, it's like an index fund for the ASX 200 but with a special strategy.

That strategy is to use leverage — or borrowed funds — to magnify returns.

The GEAR ETF currently has a leverage of 2.3x. That means it seeks a return of 2.3x the ASX 200 on a daily basis. But leverage goes both ways. It also magnifies losses in the same multitude.

The old saying is that leverage can provide 'an elevator to the ceiling — and the basement'.

Here is a chart documenting the performance of this Australian shares ASX ETF against the ASX 200 over the past three years.

The post Which Australian shares ASX ETFs are delivering the best returns for investors? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investment choices can provide insights into the mood of different investor demographics.

Data from broker Selfwealth Ltd (ASX: SWF) has revealed where investors have been putting their money in FY24 to date, from 1 July 2023 to 7 August 2023.

Most popular trades

Selfwealth has provided a list of ASX shares and investments that millionaire millennials have been trading in. It's sorted by the number of trades rather than the number of units or value of trades so that a few rich investors don't skew the results with large trades.

That said, here are the ASX investments with the most amount of trades:

BetaShares Geared Australian Equity (Hedge Fund) (ASX: GEAR) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that's betting on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) to rise. It borrows money to amplify the gains (and losses) made by the portfolio. Current gearing is 57%, which to some people may not be a comfortable level of borrowing for their own portfolios.

Global X Ultra Long Nasdaq 100 Hedge Fund (ASX: LNAS) is invested in 100 of the largest businesses on the NASDAQ 100 stock exchange while utilising futures contracts.

BetaShares Australian Equities Strong Bear Hedge Fund (ASX: BBOZ) is an ETF that enables investors to bet that the ASX 200 is going to fall by using futures. It uses leverage, which amplifies the returns and losses. Since its inception in April 2015, the ASX ETF has delivered an average return per annum of negative 20.3% to June 2023.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) is an ETF focused on 300 of the largest ASX shares.

BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF (ASX: CRYP) is an ETF that's invested in global companies that provide exposure to the cryptocurrency economy. In this portfolio are names like Marathon Digital Holdings, Riot Platforms, and Coinbase Global.

Stanmore Resources Ltd (ASX: SMR) is an ASX coal share that has seen its share price rise to a much higher level than before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Other interesting data points

Looking at the wider millennial cohort, not just the rich ones, the largest number of trades involved ETFs. They were: the VAS ETF, Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG), Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS), iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV), and Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

Miners made up some of the most popular investments by the wider millennial cohort, including Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG), Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO), and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

Non-millionaire baby boomers and Gen Xers liked trading in Core Lithium as well. It seems Gen X hasn't been doing much ETF trading. Millionaire baby boomers have, unsurprisingly, been trading a lot in ASX blue chips, and predominately selling the cash ETF Betashares Australian High Interest Cash ETF (ASX: AAA).

Meantime, millionaire Gen X investors have been interested in technology businesses like Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, and Quantumscape.

The post Top ASX shares wealthy young investors are buying right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

So what better time to examine the best ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) of the month so far.

The best-performing ASX ETFs of October so far

Global X EURO STOXX 50 ETF (ASX: ESTX)

First up today is an ETF from the newly renamed Global X ETFs (formerly ETF Securities). The Euro STOXX 50 ETF is a fund covering the 50 largest companies on the European markets. It holds companies like LVMH Moet Hennessey, SAP and L'Oreal.

October seems to have been a killer month for European shares, with this ETF up a solid 9% since the start of October. Exchange rate movements have probably helped here too.

BetaSahres Geared Australian Equity Fund (ASX: GEAR)

Another ETF that has been enjoying October is this offering from provider BetaShares. The Geared Australian Fund is an interesting one. As its name suggests, it is a fund that employs a gearing (or borrowed money) strategy to amplify the returns of the ASX 200.

Since the ASX 200 has had a relatively strong month, this ETF has done even better, giving investors a return of 9.74% since the end of September.

But gearing cuts both ways, and we can expect a fund like this to rack up greater losses than the broader market during selling periods.

VanEck Australian Banks ETF (ASX: MVB)

Our third and final ETF is from yet another provider in VanEck. As the name suggests, the VanEck Australian Banks ETF tracks a basket of… well, bank shares. It only holds seven ASX shares in its portfolio.

These include the big four banks, like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA). But it also includes those outside the big four, such as Macquarie Group Ltd (AX: MQG) and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN).

It's been a cracker of a month for ASX banks, with this ETF up a very pleasing 11.07% over October so far.

The post These are the 3 best-performing ASX ETFs so far in October appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

One such ETF is the Betashares Geared Australian Equity Fund (ASX: GEAR) which gives investors a cost-effective way to access geared exposure to the returns of the ASX. What that means is it uses leverage — or borrowed funds — to magnify the returns.

Leverage is a strategy that uses borrowed funds from a broker in order to magnify investment returns. The ETF currently has a 2.06 times leverage, meaning it seeks a return of 2.06 times its benchmark index on a daily basis. According to Bloomberg data, this is the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

Before we go any further, we need to recognise that the equation works both ways. Whilst leverage magnifies returns, it also magnifies losses in the same multitude. Often the saying with leverage is that it can provide 'an elevator to the ceiling — and the basement'.

So, is this ASX ETF worth buying?

Depending on who you ask — as well as your personal financial situation — it certainly could be. For Ben Nash of Pivot Wealth, it's a no-brainer for every investor to include this ETF in their ASX portfolio.

"I love index investing generally and I think that this one is certainly not for the faint of heart, but by introducing borrowing to amplify returns you pick up all of the companies as they increase in size," he recently said to Livewire.

"Like with any index investment, the costs are reasonable and the performance is quite strong, with the focus on dividend yield. I think it's a good one for growth investors."

Nash would be right, too, in his comment on amplifying returns, as shown on the chart below. The GEAR ETF has outpaced the benchmark over the past 12 months to date.

However, it's a question of risk tolerance and just how much volatility you're willing to accept in your portfolio.

Can you handle the volatility?

There's actually a quick way in which we can examine how 'worth it' the GEAR ETF has been compared to the ASX 200.

To do that, we need to check in on each product's 'risk-adjusted' return, in other words – just how much return did we get for the amount of volatility we had to endure?

Let's pretend we invested in both 'indices' on 1 April 2021. On face value, we've recognised a 23.8% gain in GEAR, and a circa 8% gain in the ASX 200. Thanks, leverage.

However, as we can see on the chart above, GEAR was far more volatile over that time. Checking its risk-adjusted return via a measure called the Sharpe Ratio we see it scores 1.11, whereas the ASX 200 has a score of 1.17.

GEAR also has historical downside risk – the amount of 'down' moves in its share price – of 16.25% versus just 7.10% for the ASX 200 benchmark.

However, payoffs matter – we don't want to lose money, right? So, the benchmark has had 55.77% of the time in the green, and 44.23% in the red.

The GEAR ETF, on the other hand, has had more up periods at 57.69%, with just 42.3% of time spent in the red — more than two percentage points less than the ASX 200 benchmark.

Recent research from Man Group PLC (LON: EMG), the world's oldest hedge fund, noted the following:

There is a clear positive correlation between return and payoff: in other words, it matters less that a portfolio manager is right or wrong, rather that they know when they are right and wrong, and in both cases act with conviction by running winners and cutting losers.

With GEAR in the green almost 58% of the time this past year, that's something worth thinking about.

The post What is the Betashares Geared Australian Equity Fund and is it worth buying? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Leverage magnifies ASX returns… and risk

The last 15 or so months have been golden for investors going long on the ASX share market.

If you had invested in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) at the very bottom of the COVID-19 crash on 23 March 2020, you'd have returned 61.6%, which is not to be sneezed at.

However, BetaShares Geared Australian Equity (Hedge Fund) (ASX: GEAR) took the recovery returns to a whole new level. In the same time frame, the leveraged ETF has increased 182% in value, significantly outstripping the benchmark index.

But how? The difference is a thing called leverage. It's the same as when buying property – most people take out a loan so they can purchase a higher dollar-value property. Leverage in the stock market is essentially the same – but instead of a house, it's ASX shares.

It's important to note, applying leverage magnifies both returns and losses. If the benchmark index falls, a leveraged investment will fall more. And whether you're making money or losing it, you'll still have to pay interest on the loan amount.

According to BetaShares, one advantage of its GEAR ETF is the lower cost of borrowing. The fund makes this possible by using its size to borrow at cheaper rates than those available to individuals. This cost is wrapped into the 0.8% per annum management fee charged.

Not everyone is a fan

Despite delivering market-beating returns since the crash, not everyone is cheering for leveraged ETFs. In fact, Stockspot founder Chris Brycki thinks they shouldn't be classed as ETFs at all:

I don't think they should be classed as ETFs, they are basically dangerous structured products. Even if you get the direction right, these are terrible products to use because the compounding of daily returns makes them not appropriate as investments.

Even BetaShares managing director Alex Vynokur advises leveraged ETFs should not be used as a standalone investment. Instead, he says the product could be considered more of an insurance policy within a diversified portfolio.

The post This ETF put investor returns into top gear during the recovery appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

According to BetaShares, the ETF industry broke multiple records in November including total funds under management, largest dollar growth in funds under management, highest monthly net inwards flow and highest annual growth.

The industry reached an all-time high market capitalisation of $78.7 billion in November, which was further boosted to $92.3 billion after Magellan Global Fund (ASX: MGF) joined the sector on its conversion to an "open class" structure.

Excluding the Magellan aberration, funds under management grew $4.9 billion, which smashed the previous monthly record of $4.1 billion set in January.

About half of that growth came from asset appreciation and the other half from inward flows, which set a new monthly record of $2.5 billion.

"Including the Magellan conversion, industry growth over the last 12 months has been 52%, representing absolute growth of $31.6 billion over this period," reported BetaShares.

Best performing Aussie ETFs right now

The five ETFs with the biggest returns in November were dominated by US shares and commodities.

The share market generally had a fantastic month, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rising 10% and S&P 500 Index (INDEXSP: .INX) jumping 11%.

The top two ETFs were hedge funds.

BetaShares Geared US Equity Fund Currency Hedged came out on top with a remarkable 27.8% performance. ETFS Ultra Long NASDAQ 100 Hedge Fund wasn't far behind on 26.1%.

Who are the most popular ETF providers?

Vanguard and BetaShares continue their dominance of the ETF market, attracting the largest amount of inward flows this year.

Magellan with its fund conversion has moved up to 7th with $422.7 million coming in to it so far in 2020.

Platinum retains its crown as the least popular provider with more than $48 million taken out, with ACBC storming into second place in November.

Top 5 ETF providers: most money in

Bottom 5 ETF providers: most money out

The post Australian ETFs just smashed multiple records appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investors put in the highest-ever amount of dollars into local ETFs in October, but some products fared far better than others.

A BetaShares report showed cash, bond and fixed interest ETFs featured prominently among the top 10 ETFs that saw the largest inflow of cash last month. 

This perhaps indicated some anxiety with investors about the US election result and sky-high share valuations.

Top 10 hottest Australian ETFs

ETF pioneer Vanguard dominated the top of the charts. 

Its Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS), Vanguard Global Aggregate Bond Index (Hedged) ETF (ASX: VBND), Vanguard Msci Index International Shares Etf (ASX: VGS), and Vanguard Australian Fixed Interest Index ETF (ASX: VAF) collectively brought in about $478 million for the company.

But the most attractive fund of October, iShares Core S&P/Asx 200 Etf (ASX: IOZ), alone pulled in a stunning $326 million of investor funds.

Top 10 coldest Australian ETFs

At the other end of the charts, foreign assets seemed to go out of favour with Australian ETF investors.

The trend could be a validation of the successful suppression of COVID-19 in Australia while the northern hemisphere copped a third wave as it headed into the colder months.

iShares Edge MSCI World Multifactor ETF (ASX: WDMF), iShares MSCI South Korea ETF AUD (ASX: IKO), BetaShares US Dollar ETF (ASX: USD), iShares Europe ETF AUD (ASX: IEU) and Platinum International Fund (Quoted Managed Hedge Fund) (ASX: PIXX) all suffered significant outflows.

BetaShares itself had $34.8 million pulled out of its BetaShares Australian Resources Sector ETF (ASX: QRE), which was the 2nd highest amount.

It's often hard to pinpoint the exact reasons for outflows from a particular ETF, BetaShares head of strategy Ilan Israelstam told The Motley Fool.

"Investors will have their own motivations for increasing or reducing their positions," he said.

"On QRE in particular, our suspicion is that most of the selling was due to investors taking profits, given QRE was up around 34% from its lows in March."

Betashares and AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) recently closed down a trio of ETFs they jointly operate due to a lack of investor interest. Those funds will trade on the ASX for the last time on 4 December.

The last two months have been the only time in history that the Australian ETF industry saw more than $2 billion come inwards each month.

Local ETFs collectively manage $73.8 billion, which is another all-time record.

The post 10 hottest (and coldest) Aussie ETFs right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.