Following is a tally of ETFs and ETNs that began trading in the last week or so (we've linked to the relevant prospectus whenever possible).  

• PowerShares NASDAQ NextQ PNXQ: The fund will track the NASDAQ Q-50 Index, which consists of the 50 NASDAQ-listed firms that are next in line to be added to the NASDAQ 100 Index. Here is a holdings list as of April 3, 2008. The fund costs 0.70%.
• PowerShares FTSE NASDAQ Small Cap PQSC: This fund will track the FTSE NASDAQ Small Cap Index, which represents the smallest 10% (by market-cap) of the NASDAQ Composite Index. The fund levies a 0.70% expense ratio.
• E-Tracs ETN Family: UBS launched its own family of ETNs, which will trade under the "E-Tracs" banner. The new ETNs include a diversified commodities strategy, and various components thereof, including energy, gold, industrial metals, silver, agriculture, livestock, and food. With the exception of gold (0.30%) and silver (0.40%), all of these ETNs will cost 0.65%. UBS--yes, the same UBS that's  seeking a CHF 15 billion capital infusion for its ailing balance sheet--is the issuer behind these notes.
• PowerShares Global Nuclear Energy PKN: This ETF joins Market Vectors' Global Nuclear Energy as the only two of their kind. Per the prospectus, this fund will invest in 100 or so names, nearly three-quarters of which are based abroad.
• Elements MLCX Livestock ETN LSO: This note will track an index that "comprises rolling futures contracts...on two physical commodities: live cattle and lean hogs." That brings to three the number of livestock ETNs that have launched in the past five months. It'll cost 0.75% per annum. Credit Suisse is the issuer.
• Elements MLCX Precious Metals ETN PMY: This note will track an index pegged to four precious metals--gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. What does chrome have to do to get some love, we wonder? The note will levy a 0.75% expense ratio. Credit Suisse is the issuer.
• Elements MLCX Gold ETN GOE: The note will track an index pegged to gold. It'll cost 0.65% per annum. Credit Suisse is the issuer.
• Elements Credit Suisse Global Warming ETN GWO: This note will track an index that provides exposure to "stocks of companies that have an increased focus on products or services related to minimizing global warming". The portfolio invest equally in 50 stocks. The note will cost only 0.375% per annum, which is roughly one-half that of most other stock-index-linked ETNs. Credit Suisse is the issuer.
• IShares MSCI Israel Capped Investable Market EIS, IShares MSCI Turkey Investable Market TUR, IShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market THD: The first three ETFs devoted exclusively to these markets. The funds cost 0.68% apiece.
• IShares MSCI All Country World ACWI: This fund puts the whole world--the portfolio spans 40-plus developed and emerging countries and nearly 3,000 stocks--in your hand. It levies a 0.35% expense ratio.
• IShares MSCI All Country ex-U.S. ACWX: Similar to its sibling, this fund excludes domestic stocks. It also costs 0.35% per annum.
• IPath Optimized Currency Carry ETN ICI: This ETN is pegged to the returns of an index that essentially employs a leveraged currency trading strategy. In a nutshell, the index borrows in currencies that are yielding less and invests in those that are yielding more--aka the "carry trade". The index is limited to a basket of 10 currencies, utilizes forward currency contracts, and rebalances monthly using a "constrained mean variance optimization technique."
• Ultra Telecommunications ProShares LTL and UltraShort Telecommunications ProShares TLL: Aggressive bulls and bears might take a shine to these new ETFs, which provide leveraged long and short exposure, respectively, to a basket of telecom stocks. Suffice it to say, they're not for the faint of heart.

By our count, 56 ETFs have launched thus far in 2008, with commodity (twenty) and currency (ten) funds being most common. ETNs have accounted for roughly one in every two launches this year.

I've found Middle East and Africa funds, Eastern Europe with Turkey and Israel, but they are not where the petro-dollars are going. Any leads for Persian Gulf funds/etfs?

Hi yargneb.

To my knowledge, there are no such ETFs. I even looked at some of the foreign-listed ETFs and couldn't find any with significant stakes in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, or the UAE.

Sorry I don't have better leads for you.

Regards,

Jeff Ptak

Morningstar, Inc.