Amplify Targets Tax-Efficient Income With New Municipal CEF Launch
Amplify ETFs launched the Amplify Municipal CEF High Income ETF (YYYM) on March 10, offering a fund‑of‑funds structure that aggregates 30 U.S. municipal bond closed‑end funds. The ETF tracks the Nasdaq Municipal Bond CEF High Income™ Index, emphasizing high yield, NAV discounts, and liquidity, and carries a 2.78% expense ratio. By wrapping these CEFs into an ETF, Amplify simplifies access to tax‑exempt monthly income for advisors and high‑tax‑bracket investors. The product complements Amplify’s existing income and thematic ETFs, extending its suite into tax‑efficient fixed income.
Market Flash – January 2026
Global equity markets began 2026 on a firm footing despite heightened geopolitical tension, with emerging‑market equities delivering an 8.85% return in U.S. dollar terms. In contrast, U.S. growth stocks slipped 1.51% while small‑cap and value segments posted solid gains. Bond...
Defense Stocks Up as Global Conflict Explodes: Watch These ETFs
A wave of geopolitical conflict in 2026 has reignited demand for defense and unmanned‑air‑vehicle technologies, sending defense‑related equities soaring. Drone‑focused ETFs such as the Rex Drone ETF (DRNZ) posted a 29.4% gain over the past three months, while broader defense...
Agriculture Leads Commodity Rally as CCNR Gains 18% YTD
The ALPS CoreCommodity Natural Resources ETF (CCNR) posted an 18.1% year‑to‑date gain, making it the top performer among ALPS funds as agriculture leads the next commodity rally. Analysts note that corn, wheat and soybeans are entering a mean‑reversion phase after...
AI Spending Trends May Drive Increased Investor Interest in GFLW
Artificial‑intelligence spending is accelerating, and the capital poured into chip makers such as Nvidia is expected to translate into higher revenue streams and, ultimately, stronger free‑cash‑flow generation. Nvidia currently represents roughly 3.1 % of the VictoryShares Free Cash Flow Growth ETF...
This Small-Cap ETF Can Ward Off Headwinds
The Invesco NASDAQ Future Gen 200 ETF (QQQS) is emerging as a contrarian small‑cap play amid AI‑driven volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. The fund allocates roughly one‑third to technology and nearly half to healthcare, giving it a strong biotech bias. Analysts...
4th Quarter Review: From Momentum to Selectivity
In the fourth quarter of 2025 U.S. markets extended gains while the margin for error narrowed across policy, valuation and data. Artificial‑intelligence demand remained robust, yet investors grew more selective, emphasizing balance‑sheet strength and near‑term cash flow. The Federal Reserve...
Oil Instability Powers Interest in Uranium & Nuclear Energy
Escalating Middle‑East tensions have pushed oil prices higher, reigniting concerns over energy security. The volatility is prompting policymakers and utilities to revisit nuclear power as a reliable baseload source, especially for power‑hungry AI data centers. Uranium, the core fuel for...
Chris Davis on Navigating AI & Index Concentration
Chris Davis warned advisors that soaring valuations and mega‑cap concentration mask hidden risk, urging a shift from short‑term market calls to durable working assumptions. He outlined a five‑category AI framework—platform winners, enablers, users, indifferent firms, and the walking dead—to guide...
Leverage Broadcom Guidance Beat and Nvidia OpenAI Strategy
Broadcom posted a fiscal Q1 earnings beat with $2.05 EPS and $19.31 billion revenue, then raised Q2 guidance to about $22 billion, surpassing analyst forecasts. Nvidia announced a $30 billion investment in OpenAI, likely its last pre‑IPO funding, reinforcing its hardware dominance in...
Equity ETFs Added $110 Billion in February – See the Leading ETFs
Equity exchange‑traded funds recorded $110 billion of net inflows in February, according to FactSet data. Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF (VOO) topped the list with $17 billion, followed by Invesco’s equal‑weight S&P 500 ETF (RSP) at $5.6 billion. Other top performers included Vanguard’s international (VXUS) and...
Expectations Bump Into Reality For The Nasdaq
The Nasdaq‑100’s fourth‑quarter 2025 earnings fell 0.3 % below consensus, marking a second consecutive quarter of modest results after years of strong beats. Investors are pricing in an aggressive 30 % EPS growth outlook for the next twelve months, making it increasingly...
Sit on This SOFA for a SoFi Rebound
SoFi Technologies posted a record $1 billion in fourth‑quarter revenue and double‑digit growth across fee‑based lines, yet its shares have slumped roughly one‑third since the start of 2026. The company’s 2026 outlook projects 30% year‑over‑year member growth, $4.655 billion in net revenue...
Investors Double Down on Robotics: ROBO Sees $225M Flow Surge
Investors are pouring money into the ROBO Global Robotics and Automation Index ETF as the rise of “physical AI” expands the addressable market for intelligent hardware. Assets under management jumped to $1.7 billion, driven by a $452 million year‑to‑date inflow, with $255 million...
AI Adoption Drives Investment Shift Beyond Chipmakers
Investors are widening AI exposure beyond chipmakers as generative AI reaches half of U.S. households within three years, a pace unmatched by prior technologies. Alger’s research splits the market into “enablers” that build hardware and software and “adopters” that embed...
Low-Cost Active ETFs Post Higher Success Rates, Morningstar Finds
Morningstar’s 2025 Active/Passive Barometer shows low‑cost active ETFs outperformed expensive peers, with 31% of the cheapest quintile beating passive averages over ten years versus 17% for the costliest funds. The data suggests fees, not manager skill, drive active success, especially...
International Dividend ETF IDOG Crosses $500M Milestone
ALPS International Sector Dividend Dogs ETF (IDOG) broke the $500 million AUM barrier, reaching $506 million, as international equities rally. Over the past year the fund delivered a 42.71% total return and attracted $99.47 million of net inflows, reflecting heightened appetite for overseas...
DUSA Crosses $1 Billion Milestone as Value Resurgence Gains Steam
The Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF (DUSA) has surpassed the $1 billion AUM threshold, marking a milestone for the nine‑year‑old active fund. The ETF follows a high‑conviction, benchmark‑agnostic strategy, holding just 25 large‑cap names that trade at a price‑to‑earnings multiple roughly...
Navigating the Unusual Twist in S&P 500 Factor Correlation
The S&P 500 is witnessing an atypical factor split in early 2026, with both high‑beta momentum (SPMO) and low‑volatility (SPLV) ETFs outperforming the broad benchmark. The momentum outperformance is driven by an AI‑focused earnings boom that has turned the index itself...
Are Drones the Key 2026 Tech Investing Trend?
2026 tech investors are urged to look beyond AI hyperscalers and consider drones as a diversified exposure to AI, robotics, defense, and commercial applications. VettaFi’s Rex Drones ETF (DRNZ), launched in October 2025, tracks a global index of drone manufacturers...
Bond ETF Bulls on Parade
In January 2026, fixed‑income ETFs attracted $56 billion of net inflows, pushing total inflows to over $105 billion across ETFs and mutual funds. Nearly half of the bond‑ETF money went into actively managed funds such as PIMCO’s PYLD and iShares BINC, while...
Crypto: US Outflows Extend Streak Amid Weak Volumes
Digital‑asset investment products saw a $288 million net outflow last week, extending a five‑week losing streak and bringing cumulative withdrawals to $4.0 billion. Trading volume fell to $17 billion, the lowest level since July 2025, indicating waning investor conviction. US investors led the outflows...
World Markets Watchlist: February 23, 2026
Global equity indexes show mixed year‑to‑date performance as of February 23 2026. Japan’s Nikkei 225 leads with a 12.9% rise, followed by the UK’s FTSE 100 (+7.6%) and Canada’s TSX (+6.5%). In contrast, India’s BSE SENSEX records the largest decline at –2.3%. The watchlist also...
IShares Moves Short-Term Bond ETFs to the Big Board
iShares has moved four of its short‑term fixed‑income ETFs—SGOV, SHV, PMMF and GMMF—from the electronic NYSE Arca platform to the NYSE’s hybrid floor model. The funds total roughly $96 billion in assets, with SGOV alone managing $75 billion and attracting about $6 billion of...
France’s Nuclear Pivot Serves as Catalyst for NUKZ
France has reversed its plan to close 14 reactors, opting instead to extend its existing fleet and build at least six new EPR2 units. EDF’s preliminary cost estimate for the first six reactors now stands at €72.8 billion, underscoring the scale...
Tech Trying Investors’ Patience, But The Sector’s Still a Must-Own
The Nasdaq‑100 has slipped about 1.8 % year‑to‑date, yet it still boasts an 82 % gain over the past five years, prompting investors to question tech’s short‑term outlook. Bank of America stresses that the sector’s fundamentals remain strong, citing a 23.33 % return...
This Biotech ETF Is a Catalyst-Rich Story
Biotech stocks and ETFs rebounded strongly last year, and the ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF (SBIO) is positioned to benefit from that momentum. SBIO tracks nearly 90 companies with drugs in Phase II or III trials, but it carries a modest YTD...
REIT Fears Could Give Way to Opportunity with This ETF
Commercial real‑estate REITs have recently slumped amid AI‑related worries, but the dip may create a buying window for investors. The NEOS Real Estate High Income ETF (IYRI) stands out with an almost 11% distribution rate and a 3.15% 30‑day SEC...
Why This International Dividend ETF Is Outperforming in 2026
The Franklin International Dividend Booster ETF (XIDV) posted an 8.95% year‑to‑date return, slightly outpacing the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) at 8.75%. XIDV follows VettaFi’s rules‑based dividend‑optimization index, targeting yields two to three times its parent benchmark without using...
ETF of the Week: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP)
The latest "ETF of the Week" podcast highlighted Invesco's S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP), hosted by VettaFi’s Todd Rosenbluth and Chuck Jaffe. RSP follows an equal‑weight methodology, giving each S&P 500 constituent the same influence regardless of market cap....
CoinShares Bitcoin ETF Guide Helps Advisors
CoinShares introduced a new education series, “Digital Assets: The Advisors’ Brief,” to help financial advisors understand Bitcoin ETFs. The guide highlights that spot Bitcoin ETF assets topped $27 billion in early 2025, underscoring growing client demand. Contributors note reduced volatility—under 50%...
BATT Charges Ahead as Storage Steals the Spotlight
The Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (BATT) has surged 14.5% year‑to‑date, outpacing the Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (LIT) and other pure‑play mining funds. Its 0.59% expense ratio and $117 million assets give investors exposure across the entire...
Stars Are Aligning for Energy Stocks: How Active Can Help
Energy stocks are enjoying a robust start to 2026, driven by rising data‑center power demand and deregulation. The T. Rowe Price Natural Resources ETF (TURF), an active fund launched in June 2025, posted a 13% year‑to‑date gain and a 23.2% return over...
ACES Positions for $1.4T Grid Upgrade Wave
The ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES) is positioned to profit from a $1.4 trillion U.S. grid‑modernization program slated through 2030, as utilities boost capital spending 12% in 2025 and are expected to increase it another 6% in 2026. Roughly 40% of...
Mitigate Concentration Risk in Tech, Energy With RSPT & RSPG
In a volatile market, Invesco’s equal‑weight ETFs RSPT and RSPG offer sector exposure while limiting concentration risk. Both funds track S&P 500 equal‑weight indexes, giving roughly 1.5‑2% weight to each constituent instead of the 40% dominance seen in cap‑weighted peers like...
Fast Recognition for This Gold Income ETF
The NEOS Gold High Income ETF (IAUI) launched in June 2025 and has quickly amassed over $367 million in assets as of February 2026. By writing covered‑call options on gold, the actively managed fund delivers a 30‑day SEC yield of 1.88%...
Floaters May Be Fantastic Alternative to T-Bills
Floating‑rate notes are gaining traction as a higher‑yielding alternative to Treasury bills, especially as short‑term rates rise. VanEck's IG Floating Rate ETF (FLTR) offers a 4.28% yield, low duration, and strong credit quality, making it attractive for income‑focused investors. The...
Active ETF Growth Narrows Gap With Passive
By year‑end 2024 the SEC recorded 1,531 active ETFs, closing the gap with 1,907 passive funds. Active ETFs, while holding just 9% of total ETF assets, expanded 300% in count and posted 65% annual AUM growth versus 19% for passive...
