Ways To Money

Hewlett-Packard’s reduced full-year profit hurt the Dow on Tuesday as the stock lost more than 7%, but strength in JP Morgan and the bank exchange traded funds helped offset some of the damage.

Technology ETFs felt a headwind Tuesday from Hewlett-Packard.

However, an ETF following large tech stocks listed on the Nasdaq closed slightly positive Tuesday while the major indicators slipped and traders keyed on Dell earnings and slowing momentum in Apple shares.

Bank ETFs were higher Tuesday in the face of a down market, benefiting from a 2% rise in JP Morgan as the company held its annual shareholder meeting. Chief Executive Jamie Dimon told shareholders the economy could be at the beginning of a self-sustaining recovery, Reuters reported. The JP Morgan CEO also apologized for mistakes the bank made in handling foreclosures, Bloomberg reported. SPDR KBW Bank ETF closed up 1.63% on Tuesday. JP Morgan is the top holding at 8.6% of the portfolio.

Stocks have been under pressure this week as the Dow shed more than 100 points Tuesday, but so far ETFs that profit from higher market volatility aren’t signaling widespread investor fear. However, investors have been shifting their sector preferences and this could be a more subtle indication of a change in mood. The

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Equity exchange traded funds rebounded Thursday as Kohl’s led the retail sector to new highs.

ETFs that invest in retail stocks rose Thursday after Kohl’s reported higher quarterly net income and boosted its full-year outlook. Kohl’s shares added 4% in the wake the department store operator’s quarterly update. Sector ETFs that hold the stock such as Retail HOLDRS and Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR were significantly higher Thursday.

Retail HOLDRS

Traders are using options contracts on ETFs to bet on strength in technology stocks and the U.S. dollar, Street One Financial said Thursday. Tech ETFs were pressured by weakness in Cisco as the company’s outlook left Wall Street disappointed.

The U.S. dollar has gained some strength with commodities markets falling on profit taking and higher margin requirements. A weaker euro has dragged on the commodities market and ETFs are moving on the news. PowersShares DB US Dollar Bullish Fund has been catching a bid lately while the euro weakens.

An $11 billion ETF indexed to the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up about 10% so far this year but its gains have been capped by weakness in blue chips Bank of America , Microsoft and Cisco . The three

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Global X Funds may be giving investors a bite of something they have been waiting for, as a new fishing focused exchange traded fund is baited up.

Global X Fishing Industry ETF will hold 20 stocks with an expense ratio of 0.69% and track the Solactive Global Fishing Index. The index is comprised of selected companies globally that are engaged in commercial fishing, fish farming, fish processing or the marketing and sale of fish and fish products, so says the ETF Professor for International Business Times.

This international ETF play includes the following:

• Norway and Japan account for over 58% of the new ETF’s weight while Chile, South Korea and China combine for over 27%. Spain, Malaysia and Peru account for the rest of FISN’s weight.
• In 2008, CNN reported the fishing industry employed 200 million across the globe and generated $80 billion in revenue. China’s fish consumption has grown at an average growth rate of 5.7% per year, since 1961.
• In 2030, the industry will need an additional 27 million tons of production to maintain current levels of consumption.

Consumer staples exchange traded funds could get a boost Tuesday from Herbalife , which reported better-than-expected earnings and boosted its full-year outlook.

The company “continued to provide strong growth to both the top and bottom line growth in the first quarter,” said Michael O. Johnson, Herbalife’s chairman and CEO, in the earnings release. Net sales rose 28.5% from the year-earlier quarter.

“Momentum continues to be broad-based across reporting regions, with emerging and established markets still each growing volumes in the double digits,” said Jefferies analysts.

Herbalife said shareholders approved a 2-for-1 stock split. The record date for the split will be May 10, the company said.

Herbalife is the largest holding in First Trust Consumer Staples AlphaDEX Fund at 5% of assets.

First Trust Consumer Staples AlphaDEX Fund

Many people each day receive emails or letters in the mail for credit cards offers. Determining if one should accept such a solicitation may overwhelm someone if he or she does not know for what purpose a card should be used or how his or her credit works.

Their credit history and score go a long way in determining what kind of credit offers will be extended to them. Those with good or excellent credit will frequently receive offers for accounts with high or no spending limits, as well as low interest rates. These offers reflect a person’s credit trustworthiness.

For people who do not enjoy higher credit scores, they might receive offers that require security deposits. This predetermined amount of money helps secure the line of credit. It also can be used for paying back vendors should a client default on payments or miss payment at any time. These solicitations typically are extended to people with average or poor credit.

They can also receive unsecured offers that may feature higher annual percentage rates and interests on balances. Some of these cards may also require an average issuance fee. Regardless, for people seeking to reestablish credit, money experts recommend that they accept one of these offers and then use the card wisely. They also recommend that the customers pay off each month what they owe, rather than letting the balances continue each month.

People who have never yet established credit can also receive offers. T

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