Exchange Traded Funds Basics

Exchange Traded Funds (ETF)portfolios. Eg. Benchmark Goldbees fund replicates
ETF or Exchange Traded Funds are securities thatthe NAV as 1 gram of Gold, hence you can
are traded as stocks on the stock exchange. Anpurchase one gram of gold in demat form by
ETF holds assets such as stocks or bonds andbuying 1 unit of this fund and paying the
trades at approximately the same price as thebrokerage like any other equity purchase. This
net asset value of its underlying assets. Mostcharge would be much lesser than the packing
ETFs track an index.and bill charges that you pay to a goldsmith for
They offer the advantages of mutual funds whilepurchase of a 1 gram gold coin.ETF funds are
being traded as stocks in the secondary marketlow-cost securities flexible than mutual funds as
and can be bought and sold like any other stock.they charge lower annual expenses than index
Individual investors having a demat account canmutual funds. They first came into existence in
trade in such funds.the USA in 1993.
ETF funds are available in different forms and canETF in India listings include gold, silver and
be selected as per the requirements. Thesecurrencies. ETF funds are a new alternative to
include ETF bond funds, ETF Gold funds and manyinvesting in mutual funds as they also minimize the
more forms.risk involved in the investment in other finance
The prices at which they trade are roughly in linesolutions. Exchange traded fund lists have been
with the net asset values of their underlyingincreasing in India since their inception.