Top Performer Municipal Bond ETFs December 2012

The 10 top performer municipal bond ETFs December 2012 are Market Vectors High-Yield Muni ETF, SPDR Nuveen S&P High Yield Municipal Bond, etc.

Best Performing Muni Bond ETFs

Exchange Traded Funds or ETFs have gaining popularity among investors. Unlike mutual fund, they provide opportunity to invest and trade like stocks. You can buy ETFs from your brokerage. One of the popular ETF categories is municipal bond ETF.

The municipal bond ETF invests mainly in municipal bond either investment grade muni or high yield municipal. This fund provide tax free yield for investors. Typically it also has lower risk than other bond or stock ETF.

These top performer muni bond ETFs are sorted based on its YTD return. You may find other information such as expense ratio fee, portfolio turnover rate, management or index approach, performance, etc. You can find the fund review and comparison below.

The 10 top performer municipal bond ETFs up to December 2012 are:

1. Market Vectors High-Yield Muni ETF (HYD)
2. SPDR Nuveen S&P High Yield Municipal Bond (HYMB)
3. Market Vectors CEF Municipal Income ETF (XMPT)
4. Market Vectors Long Municipal Index ETF (MLN)
5. PowerShares Insured National Muni Bond (PZA)
6. SPDR Nuveen Barclays Capital CA Muni Bond (CXA)
7. PowerShares Insured California Muni Bond (PWZ)
8. PowerShares Insured New York Muni Bond (PZT)
9. iShares S&P CA AMT-Free Municipal Bond (CMF)
10. SPDR Nuveen Barclays Capital NY Muni Bond (INY)

Updated on 12/21/2012

Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund (VUSTX) Investor Shares

The Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund (Ticker: VUSTX) is part of taxable bond mutual fund. This investor shares fund invests in long duration government bonds.

Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Investor (VUSTX)

The investment objective of Vanguard Long-Term Treasury fund is to achieve a high and sustainable level of current income. This mutual fund utilizes its assets to purchase U.S. Treasury securities. These securities may include bills, bonds, and notes issued by the U.S. Treasury. It is expected to maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 15 to 30 years. The current fund’s NAV is $13.59 (11/27/2012).

Fund Profile

• Fund Inception Date: May 18, 1986
• Ticker Symbol: VUSTX
• CUSIP: 922031505
• Beta (3yr): 3.16
• Rank in category (YTD): 65%
• Category: Long Government
• Distribution: 2.53%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 0.20%
• Net Assets: $ 3.93 billion
• Number of Years Up: 20 years
• Number of Years Down: 5 years
• Average Maturity: 23.2 years
• Average duration: 15.6 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 229%

Updated on 12/20/2012

Best Performing Emerging Markets Stock Closed End Funds December 2012

Best performing emerging markets CEFs 2012 include Turkish Investment Fund, Mexico Fund, Morgan Stanley India, etc. These closed end funds invest in equities of companies in emerging markets region.

Top Performer Closed End Funds

Investor can invest in emerging markets sector through several channels. They can invest in ETF (exchange traded fund), mutual fund, stock, bond, and CEF (closed end fund). This article will look into the emerging markets closed end fund investment especially the best performing funds.

The emerging markets CEFs focus its investment in companies located in emerging markets region. These countries are Brazil, India, China, Turkey, South Africa, etc. Typically, the funds have higher growth rate than the developed countries fund such as US or European.

The top performing list is sorted based on its performance in 2012 (up to 12/13/2012). You can find the fund review, performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, fund’s NAV, management, leverage, fund’s sponsor, premium/discount info, etc.

The 10 best performing emerging markets CEFs 2012 are:

1. Turkish Investment Fund (TKF)
2. Mexico Equity & Income (MXE)
3. Mexico Fund (MXF)
4. Morgan Stanley India Investor (IIF)
5. First Trust/Aberdeen Emerging Opportunity (FEO)
6. India Fund (IFN)
7. Morgan Stanley East Europe (RNE)
8. Aberdeen Emerging Markets Telecommunications & Infrastructure (ETF)
9. Aberdeen Latin America (LAQ)
10. Herzfeld Caribbean Basin (CUBA)

Updated on 12/18/2012

Third Avenue International Value Fund (TVIVX)

Third Avenue International Value Fund (TVIVX) is an international stock mutual fund. This equity mutual fund invests in undervalued non-U.S. companies with small- and/or mid-capitalization.

Third Avenue International Value Fund (Ticker: TVIVX)

The investment objective of Third Avenue International Value fund is to seek long-term capital growth. The mutual fund utilizes its assets to purchase a portfolio of common stocks and convertible securities, of well-financed companies (high quality assets and low levels of liabilities) located outside of the United States. It invests primarily in developed countries. It is non-diversified.

Fund Profile

• Fund Inception Date: 12/30/2009
• Ticker Symbol: TVIVX
• CUSIP: 884116864
• Beta (3yr): 0.84
• Rank in category (YTD): 42%
• Category: Foreign Small/ Mid Value
• Distribution: 1.34%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 1.65%
• Net Assets: $ 1.19 billion
• Number of Years Up: 1 year
• Number of Years Down: 1 year
• Annual Turnover Rate: 24%

Updated on 12/17/2012

Top Performer Small Value Stock Mutual Funds 2012 (December Edition)

The top performer small value stock mutual funds 2012 (up to December 2012) are Schneider Small Cap Value, Chou Opportunity, Walthausen Small Cap Value, etc.

Best Performing Small Value Funds

Small value mutual fund is part of domestic stock mutual fund or U.S. stock mutual fund. This small value fund focuses its assets in undervalued small U.S. companies. The market capitalization is typically lower than $300 million. This equity fund usually provide higher dividend yield than growth fund. The companies usually have low price ratios and slow growth in term of earning growth, book value, & cash flow.

These top performing funds are sorted based on their performance up until December 10, 2012. You can find the fund review, expense ratio, objective, risk, how to buy, yield, year to date performance, etc.

Top performer small value stock mutual funds 2012 are:

1. Schneider Small Cap Value (SCMVX)
2. Chou Opportunity (CHOEX)
3. Walthausen Small Cap Value (WSCVX)
4. Huber Capital Small Cap Value Investor (HUSIX)
5. CSC Small Cap Value Investor (CSCSX)
6. Hodges Pure Contrarian Retail (HDPCX)
7. Bridgeway Ultra-Small Company (BRUSX)
8. Robeco Small Cap Value II Investor (BPSCX)
9. Hotchkis and Wiley Small Cap Value A (HWSAX)
10. Undiscovered Managers Behavioral Value A (UBVAX)

Updated on 12/12/2012

Columbia Acorn International Fund (LAIAX)

Columbia Acorn International Fund (Ticker: LAIAX) is an international stock mutual fund. The mutual fund invests in non-US companies with small and mid-size market capitalization.

Columbia Acorn International A (Ticker: LAIAX)

The Columbia Acorn International fund aim is to provide long-term capital appreciation. The fund utilizes its total assets to purchase equities of foreign companies in developed markets. It invests in developed countries such as Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom and in emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil. It mostly focuses in the common stock of small- and mid-sized companies with market capitalizations under $5 billion at the time of investment.

Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 10/12/2000
• Ticker Symbol: LAIAX
• CUSIP: 197199847
• Beta (3yr): 0.88
• Rank in category (YTD): 43%
• Category: Foreign Small/ Mid Growth
• Distribution: 0.15%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 1.30%
• Net Assets: $ 6.47 billion
• Number of Years Up: 7 years
• Number of Years Down: 4 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 32%

Updated on 12/13/2012

Best Performing Inflation Protected Bond Mutual Funds in December 2012

The 10 best performing inflation protected bond mutual funds are PIMCO Real Return Asset fund, Lord Abbett Inflation Focused, Harbor Real Return fund, etc.

Top Performer Inflation Protected Bond Funds

Another popular taxable bond mutual fund category is inflation protected bond fund. This inflation protected bond mutual fund invests mainly in debt securities that adjust their principal with the rate of inflation. These bonds are issued by U.S. Treasury typically, corporations, and other non-U.S. government entities. The fund also provides regular income for investors.

You will find each individual fund review from this top performer funds. Other fund information such as fund performance, expense ratio, and yield or dividend can be found below. The list is sorted based on its year to date performance in 2012 (up to December 10, 2012).

Best performing inflation protected bond mutual funds 2012 (up to December 10th, 2012) are:

1. PIMCO Real Return Asset P (PRTPX)
2. GMO Inflation Indexed Plus Bond III (GMITX)
3. Lord Abbett Inflation Focused A (LIFAX)
4. PIMCO Real Return A (PRTNX)
5. JHFunds2 Real Return Bond 1 (JIRRX)
6. Harbor Real Return Institutional (HARRX)
7. DFA Inflation-Protected Securities I (DIPSX)
8. VALIC Company I Inflation Protected (VCTPX)
9. Columbia Inflation Protected Securities A (APSAX)
10. Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Investor (VIPSX) 

Updated on 12/13/2012