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
Sector ETFs
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
The XLP offers exposure to the consumer staples 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 downturn. XLP offers impressive liquidity, cost efficiency, and depth of exposure, making it one of the best ETF options for playing
This ETF gives investors an opportunity to achieve exposure to uranium, an important mineral that currently is inaccessible via futures. For investors looking to bet on increased demand for a raw material used widely in power production, URA is a nice option. URA often trades as a leveraged play on the underlying natural resources, meaning that this fund can experience significant volatility but can be a powerful tool for profiting from a surge in commodity prices.
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.
The XLC ETF is State Street’s Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC) is one of the newest additions to State Street’s popular legacy lineup of sector ETFs. It including many of the major communications, advertising & social media companies in its index. Given its heavy bias towards social media mega-cap stocks (which are often mistaken for Tech) this ETF has a heavy bias towards mega cap growth.
XLK includes market segments like IT services, wireless telecommunication services, and semiconductors to name just a few. The fund invests in the who’s-who of the U.S. tech sector, with major holdings in companies like Apple and IBM. The fund splits its assets mainly between the technology and communication services sectors, while allocating mainly to giant and large cap firms. One of the major strengths of this ETF is the fact that it does not single out a particular sector; rather it invests in companies from all across the technology sector.
MLPA seeks to replicate USA Oil master limited partnerships (MLP) asset class. MLPs have become very popular in recent years for primarily two reasons: (1) required quarterly distributions provide a steady stream of current income, and (2) because they are partnerships, MLPs avoid corporate income taxes at both the federal and state level as the the tax liability is passed through to the individual partners. By generating at least 90% of income from natural resource-based activities such as transportation and storage, an entity can qualify as an MLP
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.
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