Banks have been gearing up for earnings season, with financial sector investors giddy about the prospective profits. The SPDR KBW Bank Fund (KBE) has pole-vaulted 10%+ year-to-date (through 1/13/10).
Yet President Obama recently announced a new deficit-reduction plan. Specifically, the president proposed taxing the “big banks” $111 billion over 10 years on Thursday, 1/14. That’s the “price tag” for bailing them out.
(Note: Some argue that the banks paid the government back with interest, and that the proposed tax is merely a way to curry favor with the voting public. Lobbyists have gone so far as to suggest it will hamper the ability of banks to lend.)
How has the SPDR KBW Bank Fund (KBE) handled the uncertainty? Through mid-day, 1/14, “financials” have taken the news in stride. KBE rose yet another 1.5% from the previous day’s close.
A cynical view of the price movement would note that the sector is just now looking to break through the resistance of mid-October highs; in fact, the 3-month return is less than 0%. By the same token, the SPDR KBW Bank Fund (KBE) tested and retested its lows throughout Q4, eventually surging upward.
Keep in mind, the U.S. is not the only one that is looking to punish financial institutions. The EU has called for a global financial transaction tax. Britain, historically known for “taxing,” wants to levy executive pay. Meanwhile, France is getting in on the act; Radio France Internationale reported a government bill that aims to tax 50% of bonus pay on 2,500 traders to raise $522 million.
(Side Note: Unethical financial cheats, dastardly drug pushers, immoral oil warlords, monopolistic utility kingpins, heinous food providers. Is there any business segment that a country’s general public doesn’t view as inherently evil? Just wondering.)
With the backlash against the financial crisis being a global phenomenon, how have the iShares Global Financials ETF (IXG) and the WisdomTree International Financial ETF (DRF) fared? Surprisingly well in 2010. Both compare favorably alongside the S&P Global 100 (IOO).
Disclosure Statement: ETF Expert is a web log (”blog”) that makes the world of ETFs easier to understand. Gary Gordon, MS, CFP is the president of Pacific Park Financial, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser with the SEC. The company and/or its clients may hold positions in the ETFs, mutual funds and/or index funds mentioned above. The company does not receive compensation from any of the fund providers covered in this feature. Moreover, the commentary does not constitute individualized investment advice. The opinions offered herein are not personalized recommendations to buy, sell or hold securities. Investors who are interested in money management services may visit the Pacific Park Financial, Inc. web site.
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