ETFs Gone Wild

By Tom Bradley

It was announced last week that BMO is adding 8 new ETFs to its lineup. It now offers 30 ETFs, up from zero a year ago. With every new offering, BMO is getting narrower in its focus. The current batch gives the investor specific exposure to junior oil stocks, junior gas, U.S. banks and many more.

It reminds me of a quote I heard a few years ago, which I think was credited to John Bogle (the founder of U.S. mutual fund giant Vanguard and the founding father of indexing).

“As the splinters get thinner, they grow sharper, and the odds of folks hurting themselves with these pointed objects now approach one hundred percent.”

Related reading: Want an ETF? Stick with Vanilla The ETF Diaries - Part V: All Dress Up and Nowhere to Go The ETF Diaries - Part IV: As Splinters Get Thinner, They Get Sharper