Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)
An ETF, or exchange-traded fund, is a marketable security that tracks a stock index, a commodity, bonds, or a basket of assets. Although similar in many ways, ETFs differ from mutual funds because shares trade like common stock on an exchange. The price of an ETF’s shares will change throughout the day as they are bought and sold. The largest ETFs typically have higher average daily volume and lower fees than mutual fund shares which makes them an attractive alternative for individual investors.
While most ETFs track stock indexes, there are also ETFs that invest in commodity markets, currencies, bonds, and other asset classes. Many ETFs also have options available for investors to use income, speculation, or hedging strategies.