Improved Returns Cast Mirage on ETF Market

It paid to be in real estate and gold in December, notably via the PowerShares Active Real Estate Fund(PSR Quote) and PowerShares Global Gold and Precious Metals Portfolio(PSAU Quote). You also would have made money shorting oil using the PowerShares DB Crude Oil Double Short ETN(DTO Quote).

But what made last month different was the various fund types that generated returns. (See the table at the end of this story.) There were country-focused funds such as the Nets S&P/ASX 200 Index Fund(AUS Quote) and the Claymore China Small Cap ETF(HAO Quote).

Others include the PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment Portfolio(PEJ Quote), which invests in companies including McDonald's(MCD Quote), International Game Technology(IGT Quote), Carnival(CCL Quote), Starbucks(SBUX Quote) and Walt Disney(DIS Quote). ...