New Kids On The Block: A Look At Some New Market Vectors ETFs

This is the latest in the series by the ETF Professor about new ETFs that have come to market in 2010. This week's issuer in focus is Van Eck's Market Vectors. Remember, no preference is given to issuers or the individual ETFs the Professor examines. 1) Market Vectors Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF

. Inception date: Oct. 27 Performance since inception: 20% AUM: $183.3M Three-month average daily volume: 417,000 Investor Appeal Grade: A Perhaps if this piece had been penned a couple of weeks, REMX's appeal grade would be a tad lower, but there's no getting around the fact that rare earths, while not rare, are hot. Just look at REMX's AUM haul. Investors obviously like this ETF. 2) Market Vectors Egypt ETF

Inception date: Feb. 16 Performance since inception: flat AUM: $10.9M Volume: 8,100 Investor Appeal Grade: C In a year when emerging markets ETFs were all the rage, EGPT struggled to find its way into a lot of portfolios and the slack AUM and volume attest to that. With a bullish outlook for Egypt's economy in 2011, EGPT could be one to watch in the new year. 3) Market Vectors China ETF

Inception date: Oct. 13 Performance since inception: -4% AUM: $18.9M Volume: 55,7000 Investor Appeal Grade: C A big part of the problem with PEK is timing. Soon after the ETF's debut, emerging markets ETFs started to slide and then came China's continued efforts to rein in economic growth. PEK fills an interestng niche, giving investors exposure to China's "A" shares, which are basically off limits to foreign investors, but the ETF uses swaps and derivatives to accomplish that, not equities. We're taking a wait-and-see approach with this one. 4) Market Vectors India Small-Cap ETF

Inception date: Aug. 24 Performance since inception: flat AUM: $51.9M Volume: 95,200 Investor Appeal Grade: A- If not for the recent slide in emerging markets ETFs, a problem India has not been able to escape, SCIF's grade might be even higher. Clearly, investors like emerging markets small-cap ETFs, SCIF among them, but it will be interesting to see if SCIF can reclaim its bullish ways. Remember, this ETF has a direct rival and that battle could determine the fate of one of the funds because there may not be room for two India-specific small-cap ETFs.