VanEck Enters Canada, Appoints Industry Vet Kevin Gopaul as CEO
VanEck has created a new Canada division and appointed Kevin Gopaul as its CEO, bringing over 25 years of ETF expertise. Gopaul joins from BMO Exchange Traded Funds, where he helped scale the platform beyond $100 billion in assets. The move underscores VanEck’s strategy to tap Canada’s historic ETF market and expand its high‑conviction product suite. Additional Canadian product launches are slated for the coming months.
Beyond the Headlines, a Broader Opportunity Emerges
U.S. industrial activity is accelerating as private fixed investment in plant, equipment, and R&D reaches multi‑decade highs, sparking a productivity surge reminiscent of the 1990s. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will restore immediate R&D expensing, creating a $100 billion...
Metal, Chips, & Cash: Q1 ‘26 Additions to VictoryShares GFLW
VictoryShares Free Cash Flow Growth ETF (GFLW) completed its Q1 2026 reconstitution on March 20, adding gold miners Newmont (3.12% weight) and Coeur Mining (1.73%) alongside semiconductor‑infrastructure names SanDisk (3.23%) and Applied Materials (2.61%). The index’s rules‑based screen prioritizes free‑cash‑flow return on...
Bitcoin Mining: An Industry That Provides Exposure to Crypto & AI
Bitcoin mining has matured into a standalone industry that converts cheap or stranded energy into newly minted Bitcoin, with profitability driven by the cryptocurrency's price, block‑reward halvings, and electricity costs. Publicly listed miners such as Marathon Digital, Riot Platforms and...
Firms Staff Up EM Bond Desks as Demand Grows
Emerging‑market bond ETFs are seeing a surge in institutional demand, prompting asset managers to expand dedicated teams. Allspring Global Investments recently acquired a GIA Partners group to oversee $1.1 billion of EM assets, joining PPM America and Lazard in similar hires....
Value Is in the Eye of the Beholder
The article revisits Benjamin Graham’s classic value‑investing metrics—price‑to‑earnings (P/E) and price‑to‑book (P/B)—to assess today’s market. It notes the S&P 500’s forward P/E of 20.9 and P/B of about 5.5, both well above Graham’s thresholds of 15× earnings and 1.5× book value,...
Rare Earths Vs. Critical Materials: Navigating 2 Distinct Opportunities
Rare earth elements (REEs) are a specific subset of the broader category of critical materials defined by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which also includes lithium, cobalt, copper and uranium. While all REEs are critical, not every critical material...
Real Assets Guided Chart Pack
Orion Portfolio Solutions has released a Real Assets Guided Chart Pack that evaluates infrastructure, real estate, commodities and natural resources as portfolio diversifiers. The guide emphasizes inflation‑hedging potential, low correlation with equities and bonds, and durable income streams that can...
Active ETFs Blend Professional Management With Tax Efficiency
Actively managed ETFs have surged after a 2019 regulatory reform that streamlined their launch, now outnumbering passive ETFs in product count despite assets remaining largely passive. Asset managers are repackaging proven mutual‑fund strategies into ETF wrappers, offering investors professional oversight...
Rising Volatility Reveals Opportunities in Corporate Bonds
Rising market volatility, driven by higher energy prices and geopolitical tensions, is creating pricing dislocations in U.S. corporate bonds. Active managers can exploit these gaps, and American Century’s KORP ETF positions itself to do so by targeting a 5‑7 year...
An Interesting Corner of the High-Yield Bond Market Beckons
The VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF (ANGL) now manages about $3.07 billion and offers a 30‑day SEC yield of 6.69%, with current yields nudging above 7%. Fallen‑angel bonds—once investment‑grade, now junk—have historically outperformed the broader high‑yield market, and ANGL...
International Small-Caps Offer Plenty of Perks
The WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund (DLS) has demonstrated that international small‑cap equities can defy the stereotype of higher volatility. Over the past three years the $1.06 billion ETF posted an annualized volatility of 14.3%, well under the 20.8% seen in...
Kinder Morgan Earnings: Strong Q1 Results & Data Center Wins
Kinder Morgan reported a strong Q1 2026, beating adjusted EBITDA expectations and lifting its full‑year outlook by more than $250 million. The company trimmed leverage to 3.6× net‑debt‑to‑EBITDA and raised its quarterly dividend 2% to $0.2975 per share. A $10.1 billion project...
A Nasdaq Comeback
After a 167‑day climb, the Nasdaq‑100 eclipsed its October 2025 closing high and posted its longest streak of daily gains since 1992. The index had drifted sideways for five and a half months, enduring a 12.1% peak‑to‑trough decline—the longest tech slump...
Astera Labs Leads SMRF’s 21% Gain on AI Infrastructure
The ALPS Nautilus SMR, Nuclear & Technology ETF (SMRF) posted a 21.3% gain since March, outpacing all other ALPS funds as AI‑infrastructure spending surged. Astera Labs led the rally, jumping 77% on soaring demand for high‑speed connectivity chips that keep...
Pictet Grows U.S. Lineup With 2 Active EM ETFs
Pictet Asset Management launched two active ETFs on April 23, targeting emerging‑market debt and equities, to deepen its U.S. presence. The Pictet Emerging Markets Debt ETF (EMFI) offers USD‑denominated sovereign and corporate bonds, while the Pictet Emerging Markets Rising Economies ETF...
Private Credit Jitters: Spillover Into CLO ETFs?
The private‑credit market’s rapid expansion hit a snag as a software‑sector sell‑off sparked concerns over liquidity and transparency in a market exceeding $3 trillion. Because software accounts for roughly 15‑20% of direct‑lending portfolios, its volatility has raised questions about spillover risk...
ETF of the Week: WisdomTree Japan Opportunities Fund (OPPJ)
VettaFi’s Head of Research Todd Rosenbluth highlighted the WisdomTree Japan Opportunities Fund (OPPJ) on the latest “ETF of the Week” podcast with Chuck Jaffe. The fund seeks to capture growth in mid‑cap Japanese equities through a rules‑based, actively managed approach....
Major ETFs Face Tesla Earnings Test Amid AI Pivot
Tesla is set to report Q1 earnings after market close, with analysts forecasting adjusted EPS of $0.37 on $22.7 billion revenue. Morningstar’s new $400 fair‑value model pivots from traditional auto sales to robotaxis and humanoid robots, highlighting a $20 billion AI infrastructure...
With No End in Sight in Hormuz, Get Income ETFs Now
Income-focused exchange‑traded funds have surged since the 2019 ETF rule, and active managers are now positioning them as a hedge against market turbulence. American Century’s short‑duration SDSI and multisector MUSI ETFs charge 0.32% and 0.38% expense ratios respectively, delivering yields...
Market Wrap
Markets have been volatile this month as Iran‑related tensions lift the VIX to around 25, a level that signals moderate investor anxiety but not a crisis. Economic data remain upbeat: the Dallas Fed Weekly Index sits at 2.9, industrial production...
ETF Prime: Energy Stocks Surge on Iran Conflict
Energy ETFs rallied sharply as the Iran‑Israel conflict heightened geopolitical risk. The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) jumped 25% year‑to‑date before the strikes, peaked at 41%, and now sits near 24% after a pullback. Investors poured $4.5 billion into energy...
Inflation, Not Growth, Is the Issue—For Now
Oil‑driven inflation fears have pushed nominal Treasury yields higher, yet the real yield on the 10‑year Treasury has climbed 43 basis points since the Iran conflict began in February. Real yield, which strips out inflation expectations, mirrors the market’s view...
3 Ways ETFs Revolutionized Access to CLOs
Exchange‑traded funds have transformed how investors access collateralized loan obligations, moving the market from a niche institutional arena to a retail‑friendly platform. By packaging AAA‑rated and lower‑grade CLO tranches into ETFs, investors can trade exposure intraday on NYSE or NASDAQ...
It Might Be Time to Bank on These Bank ETFs
Bank-focused leveraged ETFs are back in the spotlight as earnings season ramps up. The Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X (FAS) seeks 300% of the Financial Select Sector Index, while its inverse counterpart FAZ targets 300% of the opposite daily move....
This Active Tech ETF Is Red Hot Despite AI Bubble Concerns
Goldman Sachs Future Tech Leaders Equity ETF (GTEK) posted a 17% year‑to‑date return, far outpacing the 3.6% average for the technology equity category. The active fund, now in its fifth year, uses a bottom‑up, high‑conviction approach, avoiding mega‑cap AI hyperscalers...
ETF Flows Top $500 Billion in First Quarter of 2026
ETF inflows topped $500 billion in the first three and a half months of 2026, driven by more than 300 new fund launches. ETFs captured 40% of total market trading volume in March, up from a 30% average in 2025. Semiconductor...
This Unique TIPS ETF Is Earning Its Stripes
The WisdomTree Inflation Plus Fund (WTIP) is a one‑year‑old TIPS ETF that differentiates itself by blending Treasury Inflation‑Protected Securities with a dynamic commodities basket and a modest 2.66% bitcoin allocation. In the wake of the Iran‑related energy price surge, the...
TIPS Bond Ladders: An Inflation Shield for Retirees
Retirees are especially vulnerable to inflation because they rely on fixed‑income streams, and traditional bond ladders can lose real value as prices rise. Treasury Inflation‑Protected Securities (TIPS) adjust principal with the CPI, offering a direct hedge. Northern Trust’s FlexShares 2035...
Why EPC Firms Are Key to Nuclear Growth
Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms are becoming central to the anticipated nuclear renaissance, prompting a wave of M&A activity. Recent deals—Natura Resources acquiring Shepherd Power, Studsvik buying Kärnfull Next, and Energy Capital Partners re‑acquiring EnergySolutions—secure the full nuclear value...
Why Defense & Energy Needs Are Repricing Critical Minerals
Steve Schoffstall of Sprott Asset Management highlighted that soaring global defense spending—now exceeding $2.6 trillion—is reshaping demand for critical minerals such as uranium, copper, and lithium. The shift expands the traditional electric‑vehicle narrative to include military applications, creating tailwinds for Sprott’s...
Shockwaves: How an Energy Crisis Spreads Across Commodities
A geopolitical flare‑up in the Strait of Hormuz has knocked out roughly 17% of global LNG capacity—about 12‑13 million tonnes per year—creating a multi‑year supply squeeze. The disruption ripples into aluminum, where gas shortages and physical damage delay output for six...
How Low-Fee Small-Cap Value ETF, ACSV, Has Outperformed Small Caps YTD
The American Century Small Cap Value Insights ETF (ACSV) has posted a 10.37% year‑to‑date return, outpacing both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones U.S. Small‑Cap Value Index, which is up 5.55% YTD. ACSV charges a zero‑basis‑point expense ratio and employs...
All-Robot Assault in Ukraine Boosts Drone Investing Case
Ukrainian forces announced they seized a Russian position using only ground and air robots, marking a milestone in fully autonomous combat. The claim, made by President Volodymyr Zelensky, underscores the rapid evolution of drone and robotics technology on the battlefield....
How Momentum ETF MFMO Has Outpaced Rivals & Volatility YTD
Momentum factor ETFs have emerged as strong satellite options amid a tech‑heavy, volatile market. The Motley Fool Momentum Factor ETF (MFMO) posted a 6.46% year‑to‑date gain since its December launch, outpacing Fidelity’s Momentum Factor ETF (FDMO), which delivered a 38.28%...
Solving the Covered Call Conundrum With Daily Options
ProShares highlighted the "covered call conundrum" in a webcast, noting that traditional monthly covered‑call ETFs often miss two‑thirds of market upside during rebounds. To address this, the firm introduced three daily‑options ETFs—ISPY, IQQQ and ITWO—that reset call positions each day,...
Private Credit Performance: A Deep Dive Into PCR
The Simplify Private Credit Strategy ETF (PCR) posted strong short‑term gains from March 31 to April 10, 2026, led by Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund’s 4.4% return (5.2% portfolio weight) and Oaktree Specialty Lending Corp.’s 5.9% rise. Year‑to‑date, Trinity Capital Inc. was the...
Hopes Mount for Sustainable Bitcoin Rally
Bitcoin surged 8.1% to trade above $74,000 as of April 14, sparking optimism among investors and the CoinShares Bitcoin ETF (BRRR). Analysts highlight the $75,500 threshold, where roughly $20 million of short positions could be liquidated, potentially amplifying the rally. Open interest...
Analyzing the Top 5 Contributors to THNQ’s 9.3% Rally
The ROBO Global Artificial Intelligence ETF (THNQ) posted a 9.3% total return in the past month, outpacing the broader market as investors pivot toward AI infrastructure. Nebius, Lumentum, Credo Technology, Astera Labs and Raspberry Pi were the top five contributors,...
Navigate the New Financial Landscape With BCFN
Baron Capital’s Baron Financials ETF (BCFN) offers an actively managed, high‑conviction portfolio of roughly 40 technology‑focused financial companies. Managed by Josh Saltman, the fund seeks firms that leverage data, digital payments and AI to capture growth beyond traditional banking. BCFN...
Bitcoin Miner ETFs: The Shift Beyond Mining
Bitcoin miner ETFs have outperformed spot Bitcoin ETFs year‑to‑date, driven by a shift toward AI, high‑performance computing and data‑center services. The sector’s market‑cap now sits around $70 billion, with IREN alone exceeding $15 billion. Two pure‑play ETFs dominate: CoinShares Bitcoin Mining (WGMI)...
ALPS Electrification ETFs Target AI Energy Demand
ALPS Advisors introduced two thematic ETFs to capture the electrification infrastructure needed for AI‑driven data‑center growth. The ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF (ELFY) provides equal‑weighted exposure to utilities, uranium, copper and two additional sectors, preventing any single stock from dominating performance....
Tactical Satellite Positioning: Diversify With a Battery Technology ETF
The Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (BATT) has surged 18.3% year‑to‑date, starkly outperforming a flat S&P 500. Its outperformance stems from a heavy weighting in upstream battery‑material miners and processors, which have benefited from tightening supply and robust demand. Top...
Active Financials ETF Holds Sector Earnings Leaders
T. Rowe Price’s Financials ETF (TFNS) is heavily weighted toward companies projected to drive a 15.1% earnings surge in the financial sector for Q1, according to FactSet. The fund’s top positions include Berkshire Hathaway, Visa, Mastercard, and sizable stakes in...
VanEck Highlights AI Infrastructure at Exchange 2026
At Exchange 2026 in Las Vegas, VanEck’s head of product management Ed Lopez highlighted the firm’s focus on AI infrastructure across metals, energy and emerging markets. He noted that the VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF (REMX) was named Thematic...
Inflation: A Molehill, Not a Mountain
U.S. consumer prices jumped 3.3% year‑over‑year in March, driven largely by a sharp rise in oil and gas costs. Core inflation, which excludes volatile energy and food, increased only 2.6% YoY and 0.2% month‑over‑month, below market expectations. Other gauges such...
What Johnson & Johnson Earnings Signal for Healthcare ETFs
Johnson & Johnson reported first‑quarter revenue of $24.1 billion, topping the $23.6 billion consensus, and earnings per share of $2.70 versus $2.66 expected. The beat was driven by robust performance in its MedTech division and strong oncology drugs such as Darzalex, offsetting...
View From the EDGE® April 2026: A Two-Week Ceasefire, but Uncertainty Remains
Chief Investment Strategist Fritz Folts and Deputy CIO Eric Biegeleisen discuss 3EDGE's latest market outlook following a two‑week cease‑fire in the Iran conflict. They assess how the pause in hostilities could temper immediate volatility but leave underlying geopolitical risk intact....
Trade Bank Earnings Beats or Misses With FAS and FAZ
Q1 earnings from Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup beat or met expectations, highlighting resilient net interest income and a rebound in investment‑banking activity. The strong results have turned the financial sector from a survival stance to a growth...
How a Quality Screen Helped This International Equities ETF Beat the Average
The American Century Quality Diversified International ETF (QINT) leverages a quality‑focused screen to target mid‑cap global stocks with solid fundamentals, delivering a 41.4% total return over the past twelve months. Its 34‑basis‑point expense ratio and emphasis on less volatile firms...