New Approach to ETF Investing

    NEW YORK, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- AltaVista Independent Research, Inc.
today announced the debut of the first source of fundamentally driven
research on exchange traded funds (ETF). According to the company, its
online ETF Research Center together with its newsletter, ETF Advisor, give
subscribers original research and analytical tools that for the first time
allow investors to evaluate ETFs based on investment merit, not just past
performance.

    "Most ETF analysis available is really warmed-over mutual fund
research, focusing almost entirely on past performance and fees," stated
Michael Krause, president and founder of AltaVista. "The problem with
that," he continued, "is that it's backward looking. In contrast,
AltaVista's fundamental approach to ETFs offers investors forward-looking
analysis so they can evaluate funds based on investment merit, in much the
same way they'd evaluate individual stocks."

    Using the site's fund detail tool, a subscriber can drill down to
examine the aggregate earnings growth, price-to-earnings ratio, or dividend
yield of an ETF, for example, and then use the site's valuation tools to
easily compare those figures to other ETFs.

    The new research covers 29 ETFs including most of the largest broad
market, sector, and international ETFs, covering about 60% of U.S.-listed
ETF assets. Complete fundamental details are available on the following
funds:

    Broad Market ETFs:
    -- S&P 500 SPDR (SPY)
    -- Dow Industrials DIAMOND (DIA)
    -- iShares Russell 2000 (IWM)
    -- NASDAQ-100 (QQQQ)
    -- S&P MidCap 400 SPDR (MDY)
    -- iShares S&P SmallCap 600 (IJR)
    -- iShares S&P 500/Citigroup Growth (IVW)
    -- iShares S&P 500/Citigroup Value (IVE)
    -- PowerShares FTSE-RAFI US 1000 (PRF)
    -- iShares Dow Jones Select Dividend (DVY)
    -- PowerShares Equity High Yield Dividend Achievers (PEY)

    Select Sector SPDRs:
    -- Consumer Discretionary SPDR (XLY)
    -- Consumer Staples SPDR (XLP)
    -- Energy SPDR (XLE)
    -- Financials SPDR (XLF)
    -- Health Care SPDR (XLV)
    -- Industrials SPDR (XLI)
    -- Materials SPDR (XLB)
    -- Technology SPDR (XLK)
    -- Utilities SPDR (XLU)

    International ETFs:
    -- iShares MSCI EAFE Index (EFA)
    -- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (EEM)
    -- iShares MSCI Japan Index (EWJ)
    -- iShares MSCI Canada Index (EWC)
    -- iShares S&P Latin America 40 (ILF)
    -- iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 (FXI)
    -- iShares MSCI Brazil Index (EWZ)
    -- iShares S&P Europe 350 (IEV)
    -- iShares MSCI Australia Index (EWA)

    Fundamental data in the online ETF Research Center is updated daily in
order to facilitate easy fund comparisons and to help subscribers to take
advantage of changing market conditions. Investors can subscribe or get
more information on AltaVista's website at
    http://www.altavista-research.com.

    About AltaVista:

    AltaVista Independent Research, Inc., based in New York, provides
investment research on the growing field of exchange-traded funds.
AltaVista's approach combines the traditional tools of fundamental stock
analysis with in-depth knowledge of index investing to help investors
    evaluate ETFs based on investment merit. For more information contact
AltaVista at info@altavista-research.com or go to
    http://www.altavista-research.com.

    Contact: Michael Krause
    Phone: 646.435.0569
    email: michael.krause@altavista-research.com

    This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information,
visit http://www.ereleases.com.