State Street Global Advisors launched a new website to provide investors with a comprehensive resource for exchange traded fund (ETF) education. The new site, called ETF Fact or Fiction, features commentary, research and thought leadership from State Street Global Advisors and will detail nuances of the ETF product structure, address common questions and misconceptions and highlight key industry trends to help investors better evaluate ETFs.

Included among the materials available through the website are:

• Exchange Traded Funds: A Brief Introduction – a presentation that covers ETF basics and benefits, how ETFs compare and contrast to mutual funds, and the role of ETFs in building and maintaining a diversified portfolio;
• How ETFs are Created and Redeemed – an article that reviews the process through which ETF shares are created, redeemed, and traded;
• Separating ETF Facts From Fiction – a report that explores ETFs and the Flash Crash, ETF Tracking Error, the use of derivatives in ETFs, and the impact of securities lending by ETFs; and
• Securities Lending & ETFs: An Overview – a white paper that dissects the securities lending process, including its risks and benefits, and details best practices to mitigate key counterparty, collateral, and operational concerns.

"As the use of ETFs by individual investors continues to grow, improving investor education remains a core guiding principal for our SPDR^® ETF business," said James Ross, senior managing director and global head of SPDR Exchange Traded Funds at State Street Global Advisors. "The launch of etffactorfiction.com adds an exciting new dimension to our existing online educational resources at a critical time in the growth of the ETF industry."