Interesting Reasons Why Pain May Be Contained For Ireland ETF

The Professor can feel the busy-bodies, know-it-alls and assorted other naysayers getting ready to respond to this missive about the now infamous iShares MSCI Ireland Capped Investable Market Index Fund

. There's no point in boring you with the details of all the macro issues weighing on EIRL and the proud Irish people for that matter, but before penning EIRL's obituary consider this: The pain this ETF endures may be contained for two simple reasons: Options don't trade on it and it cannot be shorted. iShares lists its optionable ETFs on its Web site and the Professor did some leg work, too. He called three options brokers and five online brokers to confirm the option/short information on EIRL. All said the same thing. No options. Not shortable. So it would appear that the A) The Professor wasted a ton of time making eight phone calls or B) The pundits saying EIRL is way to short Ireland are wrong.