ETF Stats for October 2010: ETF Count Declines

New product creation slowed to its lowest level in 14 months.  Only four new ETFs were launched in October while six were closed.  The net decline of two ETFs was offset by the introduction of three new ETNs, allowing the total product count to increase by one.  The month ended with 1,068 (957 ETFs and 111 ETNs) listed for trading on US exchanges.

Trading activity picked up from September's pace with dollar volume exceeding $1.3 trillion for the month.  With 21 trading days, this works out to $62.2 billion per day, an increase of about 2.2% from the prior month.

The number of ETFs in the Billion Dollar Club, those averaging more than one billion dollars in daily trading activity, declined from eight to seven this month.  Products averaging more than $100 million per day came in at 63, a decrease of one from September.  At the other extreme, the quantity of products on ETF Deathwatch increased to 154.

Assets in ETFs and ETNs increased 4.4% for the month and now sit at $940.4 billion, an 18.9% increase for the year-to-date period. 

Data sources:  AUM from National Stock Exchange, daily prices and volume of individual ETPs from Norgate Premium Data, fund counts and all other information compiled by Invest With An Edge.

New products launched in October (in chronological order):

1. Credit Suisse Merger Arbitrage Liquid Index ETN (CSMA) (Can Merger Arbitrage Be Indexed?)
2. JPMorgan Quarterly Double Short US Long Bond Treasury Futures ETNs (DSTJ) (New JPMorgan Inverse Treasury ETNs Provide Dual Reset Mechanisms)
3. JPMorgan Quarterly Double Short US 10-Year Treasury Futures ETNs (DSXJ)
4. Market Vectors China A-Shares ETF (PEK) (PEK Already Trading At Substantial Premium)
5. ETFS Precious Metals Basket Shares (GLTR) (GLTR: A Precious Metals Basket With Fixed Ounce Weightings)
6. AdvisorShares Cambria Global Tactical ETF (GTAA) (ETF Version Of The Ivy Portfolio)
7. Market Vectors Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF (REMX) (REMX Is More Than Rare Earth)

Product closures/delistings in October:

1. GlobalShares FTSE All-Cap AsiaPac ex-Japan (GSZ) (Old Mutual GlobalShares to Shutter)
2. GlobalShares FTSE All-World ex-US Fund (GSO)
3. GlobalShares FTSE All-World Fund (GSW)
4. GlobalShares FTSE Dev Countries ex US (GSD)
5. GlobalShares FTSE Emerging Markets (GSR)
6. JETS Dow Jones Islamic Market International Index Fund (JVS) (JETS Islamic ETF to Cease Trading in October)

Product changes in October:

1. iShares S&P North American Technology-Semiconductors Index Fund (IGW) became iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index Fund (SOXX) (Semiconductor ETF Goes From IGW to SOXX)

 Announced Product Changes for Coming Months:

1. PowerShares closing 10 ETFs 12/14/10 (PowerShares Closing 10 ETFs in December)

Previous monthly ETF statistics reports are available here.

Disclosure covering writer, editor, publisher, and affiliates: No positions in any of the securities mentioned. No positions in any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned.  No income, revenue, or other compensation (either directly or indirectly) received from, or on behalf of, any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned.