New York
ON a recent flight, Susanne Alexandor saw an advertisement for currency-hedged exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The promotion on the seat in front of her highlighted just how aggressively these strategies are being marketed to the masses.
"They are incredibly appealing for the retail space because the retail investor can separate out the market decision from the currency decision," said Ms Alexandor, a Toronto-based senior member of the investment team at Cougar Global Investments Ltd, which has about US$1.5 billion in assets under management and advisory for clients including high-net-worth individuals.
The money backs up the attraction: Currency-hedged ETFs in the US have taken in a record...