As Metals ETFs Expand (PPLT, PALL, PHYS)

The ETF universe for metals is getting larger in new assets.  ETFS Physical Platinum Shares (NYSE: PPLT) and ETFS Physical Palladium Shares (NYSE: PALL) are getting larger via share sales.  This is not having the same impact as another ‘share expansion ‘ which came out last week, but today’s news looks as though it will make the palladium and the platinum ETF products more liquid.  Last week came an offering from a Canadian gold trust called Sprott Physical Gold Trust ETV (NYSE: PHYS), and that sent shares further south as this is a trust rather than a true ETF.

ETFS Physical Platinum Shares (NYSE: PPLT) shares registered will increase from 4.78 million all the way up to 11.22 million, which is a gain of over 130% to its size.  ETFS Physical Palladium Shares (NYSE: PALL) shares registered  will increase from 12.88 million to 18.8 million, a gain of almost 50% in the share count.

Sprott Physical Gold Trust ETV (NYSE: PHYS) was listed as one of our Unusual Suspects because of its drop last week.  Sprott has actually nothing to do with these two share increases other than the notion that it fell out of bed as it is a trust.

The total assets under management for these two were listed as $871 million, with total assets across all four physically backed products now exceeding $1.5 billion as of May 27, 2010.

ETFS Physical Platinum Shares (NYSE: PPLT) shares are easily absorbing the added shares as the shares are up 0.27% at $154,81.  ETFS Physical Palladium Shares (NYSE: PALL) shares are absorbing he added shares easily as shares are up 0.26% at $46.04.

JON C. OGG