assets under management

Obviously, what you invest in can mean the difference between getting rich and losing your shirt. But where you place those investments can be even more important -- especially if you end up picking winners.

With nearly 900 exchange-traded funds holding more than $780 billion in assets, life in the ETF arena is a matter of survival of the fittest. With all these niche products, how can you tell if your ETF is a survivor or a soon-to-be financial failure?

Wealth – and the number of wealthy people – declined over the past year. Unsurprisingly, the worldwide recession that has hammered portfolios has caused the number of millionaires in the world to fall. Those that remain generally aren't as rich as they used to be. Among those dethroned...