ETF Spotlight: Powershares DB Agriculture

By Tom Lydon: Agriculture exchange traded funds can provide a convenient way for investors to play food shortages and higher commodity prices for staples such as wheat, corn, soybeans and sugar. The agriculture subsector is also a nice compliment to any commodity play within a portfolio.

ETF Database submits: Jefferies (JEF), an up-and-coming player in the commodity ETF space, has applied for SEC approval on two new commodity ETFs.

ETF Database submits: With the U.S. dollar soaring as of late on a wave of risk aversion, most commodities, which are usually priced in greenbacks, have suffered greatly as rising local prices have curtailed international demand.

Tom Lydon submits: iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX).Assets: $1.1 billion. Objective: The exchange traded note tries to provide access to U.S. stock market volatility through CBOE Volatility Index futures. Holdings: The fund divides roughly half of its holdings between the first and second near-month VIX futures contracts.

Tom Lydon submits: ETF Spotlight on iShares MSCI Japan Index Fund (NYSEArca: EWJ), part of an ongoing series. Assets: $7 billion. Objective: Tries to reflect the performance of the MSCI Japan Index.

Tom Lydon submits: ETF Spotlight on CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (NYSEArca: FXY), part of an ongoing series. The currency ETF is back near its March high, erasing the losses it suffered in the wake of Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami. Assets: $161.3 million.

Tom Lydon submits: ETF Spotlight on iShares MSCI Spain (EWP), part of an ongoing series. Assets: $219.9 million Objective: The iShares MSCI Spain Index Fund tries to reflect the performance of a broad index tracking Spanish stocks.

Tom Lydon submits: ETF Spotlight on ProShares UltraShort 20+ Year Treasury (NYSEArca: TBT), (part of an ongoing series). Assets: $6.1 billion