What is an exchange-traded fund?
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a pooled investment whose shares are traded on an exchange. ETFs are bought and sold by a broker. In the U.S., ETFs can be found on the NYSE, or the NASDAQ.

Can I buy or sell ETFs?
ETFs are listed and traded with ticker symbols, the same way as individual stocks. They can be bought or sold throughout the day by a full service or discount broker. A brokerage commission to buy or sell will usually apply.

How long have ETFs been trading and available for investors to purchase?
ETFs were first introduced in the early 1990s in the United States and Canada and over the ensuing years the number of ETFs traded worldwide and the value of their assets under management have increased substantially. ETFs are now a global product tracking the performance of broad-based equity indices, sector specific indices and other asset classes such as fixed income, currencies and commodities.

How many ETFs are currently trading?
There are currently more than 700 individual ETFs available to purchase & trade.

How is an ETF different from a mutual fund?
ETFs offer investors intraday liquidity and are bought and sold with a brokerage account. Mutual funds are priced at the end of the day and cannot be bought or sold during regular trading hours. Also, ETFs are traded on a stock exchange, whereas mutual funds are bought and sold directly with the fund company or through a mutual fund trading platform.

Can ETFs be sold short?
Yes. One of the potential advantages of ETFs is that they trade on an exchange similar to a stock and if available may be sold short.