there is a decay factor

    SRS mech systems

    Posted by te22 on 6th of Jul 2009 at 04:26 pm

    there is a decay factor in the 2x and 3x ETFs that can make the returns asynchronous: SRS was down 5.2% today, while URE was up 3.9% and IYR was up 2.1%.

    SRS/URE

    Posted by mamaduck on 6th of Jul 2009 at 04:41 pm

    The decay factor only applies if you hold them overnight. However, intraday, there are also discrepencies depending between 2X, 3X and underlying index.

    One more thing. URE closed at 3.43 and a penny move there is a much bigger percentage of the trade than in SRS. Any slippage and commission will be magnified. Also any move is slower to come. If instead of SRS short you took URE long today on the 15 minute, you would have made 1.7% vs. 2.5% (assuming no slippage or commission). Difference would have been larger with slippage and commission.

    I see.  Thanks.  I suspect

    Posted by beta on 6th of Jul 2009 at 04:35 pm

    I see.  Thanks.  I suspect that there are some like me that have to buy URE anyway.  I trade inside a SEP IRA and cannot short.  So when SRS or FAZ trigger short I buy URE or FAS.  Thank God for short ETF's.  I would not have made much money last year without them. 

    I would suggest that you use

    Posted by te22 on 6th of Jul 2009 at 10:27 pm

    I would suggest that you use URE, or even IYR, rather than FAS, as they are the securities that most closely mimic shorting SRS. 

Newsletter

Subscribe to our email list for regular free market updates
as well as a chance to get coupons!