Semiconductor Stocks Did Something Not Seen Since the Dot-Com Bubble Burst. What the Charts Show
The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has broken its weekly SMH/QQQ ratio to a 26‑year high, the strongest outperformance of the Nasdaq‑100 since the dot‑com bubble. The ETF has logged three major bullish waves—232% from 2020 lows, 239% post‑2022, and a current 207% rally from early‑2025—suggesting a secular uptrend that could push SMH to about $571. Nvidia exemplifies the sector’s explosive growth, with revenue projected to jump from $26 billion in 2023 to over $200 billion and a forward PE of 23.7×, which the author deems cheap. Inside Edge Capital plans to increase its semiconductor allocation based on this technical‑fundamental blend.
Small Caps Put on Their Best Monthly Showing Since 2020. Bank of America Says There's More Upside Ahead
Small‑cap stocks surged in April, with the Russell 2000 posting a 12% gain—the strongest monthly rise since November 2020 and outpacing the S&P 500’s 10.4% increase. Bank of America analysts attribute the rally to an earnings‑per‑share and manufacturing recovery and expect further upside....
REMX: Why Rare Earths Are Becoming The New Oil
The VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF (REMX) gives investors direct exposure to the escalating U.S.-China rare‑earth rivalry. The author recommends it as a roughly 5% satellite position in aggressive portfolios because of its concentration and asymmetric China risk....
TSPY Enters My Top 3 Buy Write ETFs
TappAlpha’s S&P 500 Growth & Daily Income ETF (TSPY) uses a buy‑write strategy that generates a 14.56% annualized distribution, largely from option premiums and capital gains. The fund’s return‑on‑capital (ROC) averages above 50% each month, giving it strong total‑return potential in...
PPLT: Downgrading Platinum After An Epic Run (Rating Downgrade)
Aberdeen Standard Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT) delivered more than 100% total return over the past year as platinum prices surged alongside gold and silver. The analyst now downgrades the fund to a Hold rating, arguing that the recent price...
PFFA's Juicy 9.5% Yield Will Help As We Head Toward A Recession
Virtus InfraCap US Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA) is highlighted for its 9.5% yield and defensive structure as recession fears rise. The fund’s diversified preferred‑stock holdings keep single‑issuer exposure low, with the largest position at 2.47% and the top ten at...
Tuesday's ETF with Unusual Volume: EDGU
The 3EDGE Dynamic US Equity ETF (EDGU) experienced a sharp surge in trading activity on Tuesday, with 544,000 shares changing hands—about 13 times its three‑month average volume of 42,000. The ETF edged up 0.9% despite mixed performance among its component...
Amazon AI Bets Look Good for This ETF
Amazon’s shares surged 28% in the past month as investors grew comfortable with its $200 billion AI spending plan through 2026. The AI push is boosting momentum for the leveraged Direxion Daily AMZN Bull 2X Shares (AMZU), which seeks double the...
Opportunity Abounds With This Japan ETF
The WisdomTree Japan Opportunities Fund (OPPJ) has surged 22.5% year‑to‑date, delivering more than four times the return of the S&P 500 and more than double the MSCI Japan Index, which itself lags the S&P 500 by 450 basis points. The ETF’s outperformance...
US-Listed ETF Inflows Surge to Near-Record $178B in April as Risk Appetite Roars Back
US‑listed exchange‑traded funds recorded a near‑record $178 billion of net inflows in April, the second‑largest monthly total on record. Equity ETFs led the surge with $139 billion, of which $108 billion flowed into U.S.‑focused funds, while technology ETFs alone attracted $12 billion. Fixed‑income ETFs...
State Street Investment Management and SBI Holdings Join Forces to Expand Index Investing in Japan
State Street Investment Management and Japan’s SBI Holdings have signed a non‑binding memorandum of understanding to create a joint venture focused on expanding index‑based investment solutions in Japan. The partnership will combine State Street’s global expertise in passive investing with...
ETF Inflows Enjoy Fastest Pace on Record in 2026: State Street
State Street reports U.S.-listed ETFs attracted $178 billion in April, the second‑largest monthly total on record and the fastest pace for 2026. A sharp risk‑on shift drove equity ETFs to pull in $139 billion, with technology alone accounting for $12 billion. Bond ETFs...
UBS Asset Management Reduces Fees on Five ETFs and Expands Its Core Range
UBS Asset Management announced fee reductions on five of its Core ETFs and added a Euro Stoxx 50 fund to the Core range. The cuts lower total expense ratios to as low as 0.03%, positioning the products among the cheapest in...
Abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Active ETF Q1 2026 Commentary
The abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Active ETF posted a 3.19% gain in Q1 2026, outperforming its benchmark, which slipped 0.10%. Strong contributions came from Brazil’s Petrobras and Prio, helped by rising oil prices, while HDFC Bank weighed on returns. Management...
DFIV: Active Management In International Value With Proven Results
The Dimensional International Value ETF (DFIV) received a Buy rating from Crimson And Gold Research, citing its strong historical returns and superior risk‑adjusted performance. The fund’s portfolio leans heavily toward financials and energy while keeping tech exposure low, and it charges a...
DGRW: Superior Quality, Lower Returns Than The S&P 500
The WisdomTree US Quality Dividend Growth Fund (DGRW) aims to blend high‑quality, dividend‑paying stocks with growth characteristics similar to the S&P 500. In reality, the ETF overlaps 53% with SPY, shares comparable valuations, and offers a modest 1.47% dividend yield. Its...
VYMI: These 3 Qualities Will Drive This Fund's Outperformance
Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI) received a buy rating, highlighted for its sustainable dividend profile, growth momentum, and attractive valuation relative to peers and the U.S. market. The fund offers a low 0.07% expense ratio and a 3.47%...
Why I Am Downgrading TIP
iShares TIPS Bond ETF (TIP) was downgraded from Strong Buy to Buy after delivering a 6.6% total return since April 2025, outperforming cash and comparable Treasury ETFs. The downgrade reflects tempered optimism amid attractive breakeven yields of 2.71% (5‑yr), 2.5%...
Monday's ETF Movers: IHAK, REMX
The iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF (IHAK) jumped 2.3% on Monday, led by Sailpoint (+4.3%) and Onespan (+3.5%). In contrast, the VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF (REMX) slipped 3.2%, with Almonty Industries down 3.5% and Tronox Holdings down 3.1%. The...
Zephyr's Adjusted for Risk: Tokenization & ETFs - The End of Traditional Market Barriers?
Roxanna Islam of TMX VettaFi discussed fast‑growing ETF trends on Zephyr’s Adjusted for Risk podcast, highlighting the rise of spot Bitcoin ETFs since January 2024 and the consolidation of crypto flows into larger funds like iShares IBIT. She noted strong momentum in...
Europe’s ETF Boom Has a Huge Holdout: Spain
ETF adoption is booming across Europe, but Spain remains a notable outlier. Spanish households hold roughly €600 billion ($660 billion) in mutual funds versus about €300 billion ($330 billion) in listed securities such as ETFs and stocks. A unique tax rule called “traspasos” lets...
3 ETFs to Play the Enterprise Software Slump
Enterprise software stocks have entered a steep slump, with ServiceNow off about 40% and IBM down roughly 20% YTD as the sector wrestles with AI integration and SaaS uncertainty. The article spotlights three ETFs—iShares Expanded Tech‑Software (IGV), WisdomTree Cloud Computing...
How to Use Premium-Income ETFs to Turn Volatility Into Profits
Premium‑income exchange‑traded funds let investors earn option premiums by writing covered calls on a basket of stocks, often tech‑heavy, and pay monthly distributions. In Europe, 57 such ETFs manage about $5.6 billion, buoyed by roughly $1 billion of inflows this year. Trailing...
The Bitcoin ETF Recovery in Flows Is Real. It Is Just Not Complete Yet
U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs have pulled in $3.29 billion over the past two months, raising total net inflows since their January 2024 debut to $58.72 billion. This figure remains below the October 2024 peak of $61.19 billion, indicating that the recent rebound has not...
Why ETF Investors Should Always Check for Overlapping Holdings
ETF investors often assume that holding several funds guarantees diversification, but overlapping holdings can mask true concentration. When multiple ETFs own the same top stocks—such as Apple, Microsoft, or Nvidia—the portfolio’s risk becomes focused on a handful of names. This...
Kazakhstan’s AIFC Discussing Stock-Trading Links with Shanghai, Hong Kong
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is negotiating with Hong Kong and Shanghai exchanges to launch cross‑border stock‑connection schemes, likely beginning with ETFs denominated in tenge and yuan. Kazakh investors are keen on Chinese tech giants like Tencent and carmaker BYD,...
Morgan Stanley's Oldenburg: Bitcoin on U.S. Bank Balance Sheets Is Coming, Just Not Yet
Morgan Stanley’s new Bitcoin‑backed exchange‑traded product (MSBT) attracted over $100 million in its first six days, driven entirely by self‑directed clients. The bank advises a 2‑4% Bitcoin allocation, yet advisor adoption remains slow due to an education gap. Head of digital‑asset...
Anchor Loads Up Invesco BulletShares 2029 Corporate Bond ETF With 1.1 Million Shares Bought
Anchor Investment Management purchased 1,104,643 shares of Invesco's BulletShares 2029 Corporate Bond ETF (BSCT), bringing its total holding to 1,139,118 shares valued at roughly $21.3 million. The stake now represents about 1.8% of the fund’s assets under management. BSCT tracks a...
Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund: Collect An 8% Yield From The Expansion Of The AI Market
Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund remains a buy, trading at a 5.99% discount to NAV and delivering an 8.4% yield. The fund’s option‑writing overlay and concentrated tech exposure position it to capture upside from the expanding AI market while introducing...
ERC: Improved NAV Health But Not A Buy Yet
The Allspring Multi‑Sector Income Fund (ERC) now trades at a 6.9% discount to NAV while maintaining a 9.4% yield. Recent earnings have begun to outpace distributions, improving dividend‑coverage metrics but still relying heavily on net realized gains. The portfolio remains...
URAN’s Nearly 75% Gain Masks a Valuation Risk Most Investors Are Missing
The Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF (URAN) has delivered almost a 75% gain over the past year, buoyed by expectations that AI‑driven power demand and renewed government support will lift nuclear energy use. The fund’s portfolio is heavily weighted toward...
QDVO’s 32% Return Masks a Hidden Risk for Income Investors
Amplify CWP Growth & Income ETF (QDVO) posted a 32% total‑return over the past year while delivering monthly checks funded largely by covered‑call premiums. The fund’s portfolio is concentrated in mega‑cap tech names—NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft—none of which pay traditional dividends,...
PCF: Dividend And NAV Are Likely To Trend Lower (Rating Downgrade)
High Income Securities Fund (PCF) was downgraded to a sell as its net asset value continues to erode while distributions outpace earnings. The fund trades at a 12.63% discount to NAV, yet the 12.1% yield is unsustainable, prompting analysts to...
EVV: This Fund's Distribution May Continue To Decline Going Forward
The Eaton Vance Limited Duration Income Fund (EVV) offers an 8.97% yield by investing in short‑duration bonds to limit interest‑rate risk. Over the past 13 months the fund posted a 4.17% total return, lagging both peers and inflation. Recent NAV...
RWJ: A Deep-Value Small-Cap ETF
The Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF (RWJ) targets deep‑value small‑cap stocks using a revenue‑weighted index, resulting in an 11.6× price‑to‑earnings multiple that sits about 20% below the broader S&P SmallCap 600. The fund’s construction creates a pronounced tilt toward cyclical sectors, especially...
Volatility ETFs Seem Perfect for the Current Moment; Have They Performed?
Volatility ETFs have shown mixed results amid heightened market turbulence, with the VIX spiking to 31 in March before easing to 16.95. ZVOL posted negative YTD returns but delivered a hefty 70.56% distribution rate, while VIXY posted a 10.3% YTD...
Invesco’s Larosiliere Talks Income, Yield in 2026
At the VettaFi Q2 Market Symposium, Invesco’s Stephanie Larosiliere highlighted a resurgence in fixed‑income ETFs, noting that higher starting yields are opening income opportunities that were unavailable for most of the past decade. She pointed to the Invesco Total Return...
Matt Kaufman on the Calamos Approach to Autocallable ETFs
Amid a volatile macro backdrop, Calamos Investments is promoting autocallable ETFs as a yield‑focused alternative to traditional bonds. The firm’s suite—CAIE, CAIQ and CAGE—wraps structured autocallable notes in an ETF wrapper, offering liquidity, transparency and tax efficiency while linking payouts...
SCHD: Go Back To Bed, Why You'll Sleep Well At Night
Schwab’s U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) continues to serve as a low‑volatility core holding, delivering steady income and modest capital growth rather than aggressive upside. Recent rebalancing shifted its sector mix, raising consumer staples and healthcare to 19% each while...
How Dividend Growth Tech ETF TDV Avoids Concentration Risk While Outperforming
The ProShares S&P Technology Dividend Aristocrats ETF (TDV) blends tech growth with a disciplined dividend‑growth strategy to give investors exposure without over‑weighting the sector’s megacap names. The fund tracks an equal‑weighted index of companies that have raised dividends for at...
Friday's ETF with Unusual Volume: HDV
The iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV) saw a surge in trading on Friday, May 1, with 1.2 million shares changing hands—about five times its three‑month average volume. The ETF slipped roughly 0.3% despite the activity. Qualcomm and Exxon Mobil drove...
Amid TIPS Disappointment, This ETF May Be Bond Investors’ Best Friend
Advisors face a fixed‑income dilemma as Treasury Inflation‑Protected Securities (TIPS) underperformed despite rising inflation, while Treasury yields climbed in Q1. The WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund (USFR) – a $17 billion ETF with a 12‑year history – has outperformed the Bloomberg...
Friday's ETF Movers: SKYY, URA
On May 1 the First Trust Cloud Computing ETF (SKYY) outpaced peers, climbing about 4.3% after its top holdings Five9 surged 26.3% and Atlassian jumped 23.9%. In contrast, the Global X Uranium ETF (URA) slipped roughly 1.8%, weighed down by Encore Energy’s 7.1%...
Active Tech ETF GTEK Up 25% YTD
Goldman Sachs Future Tech Leaders Equity ETF (GTEK) has delivered a 25% gain year‑to‑date, far outpacing the technology equity category’s 8.5% average. Over the past 12 months the fund posted a 65.5% total return while charging a 75‑basis‑point expense ratio....
LQD, SWAN: Big ETF Outflows
ETF Channel reported the week’s biggest outflows in two high‑profile funds. The iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) saw 24.9 million units destroyed, an 8.1% decline from the prior week. The Amplify Blackswan Growth & Treasury Core ETF...
BKCH: The Blockchain Thesis For 2026
The Global X Blockchain ETF (BKCH) has shifted from a crypto‑centric proxy to a broader focus on blockchain infrastructure and AI‑enabled firms, tracking the Solactive Blockchain Index. Regulatory clarity from the GENIUS Act and growing institutional interest bolster its outlook,...
BGT: The 13% Dividend Yield Is Not Supported By Earnings
BlackRock Floating Rate Income Trust (BGT) continues to trade at a steep discount as its 13.1% dividend yield is not backed by earnings. Distributions for the 2025 period are nearly twice the fund’s net investment income, highlighting a payout gap....
TCAI: Own The Support Structure, Not The AI Makers
The Tortoise AI Infrastructure ETF (TCAI) focuses on the physical assets that power the AI boom, such as energy, data centers, and networking infrastructure. With a 0.65% expense ratio and $117 million in assets under management, the fund is positioned as...
UTG's Hidden Risk: The 2026 Earnings Trap No One Is Pricing In
Reaves Utility Income Trust (UTG) now sits in a gray zone between income and growth, offering neither a compelling dividend yield nor clear earnings upside. Recent gains stemmed from AI‑linked merchant power stocks, which have increased portfolio concentration and exposed...
SETM: The Critical Materials Trade Has Already Re-Rated, And Most Advisors Still Aren't Looking
The SETM fund has surged roughly 135% over the past twelve months, driven by exposure to uranium, copper, lithium, rare‑earths and silver miners and refiners. The rally coincides with heightened geopolitical tension, including China’s expanded rare‑earth export controls and the...