While delving into some of the ETF fine points, here is another one to look at:
Bill,
Read the fine print in the last paragraph bottom of p2, of GLD "Fact Sheet"
The other element nobody seems to focus on is that ETF's are exempt from the Uptick rule for short-sellers. Hence, anyone desiring to connect a bear raid might find this attractive if they can get the tail to wag the dog...
"Exchange traded funds offer institutional investors unique opportunities to...
trade equity and bond market exposure as easily as stocks, throughout the day, buy on margin, sell short (even on a downtick) and use limit and stop orders."
(The foregoing excerpted from Amex re ETF's...http://www.amex.com/ )
John
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A fellow Café member notes:
With naked shorts, not only can they sell on a downtick, but they don't even need to borrow the security before they sell it. The idea behind this practice is that the short seller can create the security (with the ETF's ongoing creation/redemption feature) if they eventually need to deliver securities. It's an esoteric area, but ripe for abuse (and an ideal mechanism for the Gold Cartel).
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