XLF contains diversified financial services; insurance; commercial banks; capital markets; real estate investment trusts; thrift & mortgage finance; consumer finance; and real estate management & development. XLF contains the who’s-who of the financial players in the domestic economy, including JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and others. This makes it an ideal play on the U.S. financials world, which has not always been stable.
Sector ETFs
IBB biotech sub-sector of the health care industry, serving up access to a group IBB is primarily focused on U.S. stocks, though a smattering of international firms adds some degree of international diversification. This biotech ETF casts a considerably wider net that the other ETF options for exposure to the space, investing in more than 100 stocks. That feature can be particularly important in the biotech space, where company-specific developments can send a single stock soaring. IBB is somewhat top-heavy, but generally
The XRT ETF offers exposure to the U.S. retail industry, a targeted sub-sector of the consumer discretionary space that may have appeal for investors looking to bet on increased consumer consumption in the domestic market. XRT is probably too targeted for any investor with a long-term buy-and-hold strategy, Filled with numerous home furnishings & decor companies as well as some automotive dealership groups as well
XLU utilities sector is a low volatility and relatively high distribution yields, is useful for establishing low risk equity exposure or for enhancing the current returns generated by the equity side of a portfolio. XLU is probably most appealing to those implementing a sector rotation strategy or looking to establish a tactical tilt towards this low beta sector of the U.S. market. Those building a long-term, buy-and-hold portfolio will likely achieve utilities exposure through broad-based equity funds
XLRE tracks a market cap-weighted index of REITs and real estate stocks, excluding mortgage REITs, from the S&P 500. XLRE represents the new real estate sector concentrated portfolio of mostly large-caps . XLF provided roughly $3B in AUM in the form of REITs to XLRE in return for its shares, which were then distributed to XLF shareholders, thus providing a massive boost to XLRE’s AUM.
XLB U.S. materials sector provides indirect exposure to commodity prices through the stocks of companies engaged in the extraction or production of natural resources. Because the materials sector often accounts for a small portion of broad-based benchmarks, XLB may be a useful tool for long-term investors looking for more balanced exposure to the U.S. equity market. It can also be handy for those looking to implement a shorter-term tilt towards the materials sector. Like most Sector SPDRs, XLB’s appeal lies in its cost efficiency and liquidity; it is among the cheapest funds in the Materials
This ETF is focused on the U.S. homebuilding industry, and as such offers exposure to a corner of the domestic economy that tends to be cyclical in nature. In addition to pure play homebuilders, this fund includes companies related generally to the homebuilding industry, such as Pier One. For investors seeking exposure to the homebuilding industry–or the closest thing to it available in an ETF wrapper–we think XHB is the best option out there. This fund is more cost efficient than other options such as PKB or ITB, and the equal weighting methodology ensures exposure is spread evenly across component companies.
IWM ETF is one of several offering exposure to the Russell 2000 Index, a widely followed measure of small cap U.S. stocks. Given this investment objective, IWM may be useful in a number of different ways; more active investors may use this fund as a way to establish short-term exposure to a risky asset class when risk tolerance is expected to climb, while IWM can also be appealing as a way of accessing an asset class that should be included in any long-term, buy-and-hold portfolio.
XLV ETF is one of the most popular options for gaining exposure to the U.S. health care sector, and as such might be an attractive option for investors looking to tilt exposure towards lower risk industries. XLV is among the cheapest ways to gain access to health care companies, and offers impressive depth of holdings as well. XLV can be a good option for a sector rotation strategy or as a means of establishing a long term tilt towards the health care sector.
The XLY offers exposure to the consumer discretionary sector, making it an appealing option for investors looking to implement a sector rotation strategy or tilt exposure towards corners of the U.S. market that may perform well during a recovery. XLY offers impressive liquidity, cost efficiency, and depth of exposure, making it one of the best ETF options for playing the consumer discretionary sector.