Four ETFs Launched by FocusShares

December 17, 2007

SAN DIEGO (ETFguide.com) - FocusShares is the newest player in the burgeoning exchange-traded fund (ETF) business.

The New Jersey-based company launched four FocusShares exchange-traded funds (ETFs), that track the performance of indexes developed by the International Securities Exchange (ISE).

Among the new funds are the FocusShares ISE SINdex Fund (Ticker: PUF), which tracks the performance of casino operators and gaming facilities, producers of beer and malt liquors, distillers, vintners and producers of other alcoholic beverages, and manufacturers of cigarettes and other tobacco.

The timing for the introduction of the FocusShares ISE Homebuilders Index Fund (Ticker: SAW) seems curious, especially since the sector has been so hard hit by a downward swoon in the U.S. residential real estate market. The fund includes stocks of residential construction companies and prefabricated house manufacturers, a portfolio of homebuilder stocks.

The FocusShares ISE-CCM Homeland Security Index Fund (MYP) measures the performance of the companies engaged in the business of contractual work with the department of Homeland Security, law enforcement agencies, or providing products or services for intelligence and warning.

The oddest offering of the group is the FocusShares ISE-Revere Wal-Mart Supplier Index Fund (Ticker: WSI). The fund contains stocks of companies that derive a substantial portion of revenue from retail giant Wal-Mart Stores.

"We are very pleased to launch the FocusShares family of ETFs with four unique and compelling portfolios," said Erik Liik, President of FocusShares. "Each of these portfolios will appeal to investors seeking exposure to targeted investment themes."

According the prospectus all of the funds have annual expense ratios of 0.60 percent, with the exception of SAW, which charges 0.35 percent.

The funds are listed on the NYSE Arca.