Off to a good start

In their fifth year of existence, Europe's exchanged traded funds (ETF) continue their success story. Launched in April 2000 by Deutsche Börse and the London Stock Exchange, Europe's ETF market has enjoyed substantial growth and with 2005 off to a strong start, Europe has emerged as a serious player in the market. In the opening months of 2005, European ETF assets under management surged more than 17%. At the same time, the US market saw a 2% decline. Similarly, turnover jumped 97%, compared to the US's 31.7% increase. Structural and cultural barriers, however, make long-term ETF growth o...