A January research paper from Ohio State University slammed specialty ETFs for poor risk-adjusted returns, high fees and lack of diversification, concluding that such funds “deliver a negative alpha of about –4%” annually.
“[T]hese [specialty] products compete for the attention of unsophisticated investors who chase past performance and neglect the risks arising from … under-diversified portfolios,” the paper states. “Specialized ETFs, on average, have generated disappointing performance for their investors.”
But Canadian ETF providers take issue with that notion, contending that ETFs with innovation themes are sustainable and that thematic funds can be beneficial when used appropriately. The returns of Canada’s top-performing thematic ETFs add credibility to that argument.
The Globe and Mail Contributed to The Globe and Mail Published February 16, 2021 Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account
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The Canadian ETF industry reached $260 billion in assets under management at the end of January. The Canadian ETF product line-up continues to expand. New solutions consist mostly of thematic ETFs to cater to changing investor needs.
In the ESG space, Harvest ETF and BMO both launched a clean energy ETF. The Harvest Clean Energy ETF (