Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
What is an ETF?
An Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) is a type of investment fund that is traded on stock exchanges, much like individual stocks. Introduced in the 1980s, ETFs are designed to track the performance of a specific index—such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average—by holding a basket of assets that mirror the components of that index.
ETFs offer a unique blend of features:
Diversification: Like index funds, ETFs provide exposure to a broad range of assets, reducing individual stock risk.
Liquidity and Flexibility: Because ETFs trade on exchanges, investors can buy and sell them throughout the trading day, just like stocks. They can also be bought on margin or sold short.
Lower Costs: ETFs typically have lower expense ratios compared to mutual funds, making them a cost-effective investment option.
In short, ETFs combine the benefits of diversification with the flexibility and simplicity of stock trading.
Top US ETFs by Total Assets (Symbol & Bloomberg Link)
Consumer Discretionary ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| MARKET VECTORS R | RTH:US |
| SPDR-CONS DISCRE | XLY:US |
| SPDR S&P RETAIL | XRT:US |
| ISHARES-DJ CN SR | IYC:US |
| VANGUARD CN DI E | VCR:US |
Consumer Staples ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| SPDR-CONS STAPLE | XLP:US |
| VANGUARD CN ST E | VDC:US |
| ISHARES-DJ CN GD | IYK:US |
| ISHARES S&P CONS | KXI:US |
| POWERSH-FOOD&BEV | PBJ:US |
Energy ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| SPDR-ENERGY SEL | XLE:US |
| MARKET VECTORS O | OIH:US |
| ISHARES S&P NRSI | IGE:US |
| US NAT GAS FD LP | UNG:US |
| ISHARES-DJ ENERG | IYE:US |
Financial Services ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| SPDR-FINL SELECT | XLF:US |
| SPDR S&P REG BAN | KRE:US |
| POWERSHARES FIN | PGF:US |
| SPDR S&P BANK ET | KBE:US |
| ISHARES-DJ FN SC | IYF:US |
Healthcare ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| SPDR-HEALTH CARE | XLV:US |
| ISHARES-NDQ BIOT | IBB:US |
| ISHARES-DJ HEALT | IYH:US |
| MARKET VECTORS P | PPH:US |
| VANGUARD H/C ETF | VHT:US |
Industrial ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| SPDR-INDU SELECT | XLI:US |
| ISHARES-DJ INDUS | IYJ:US |
| VANGUARD IND ETF | VIS:US |
| ISHARES-DJ A & D | ITA:US |
| POWERSH-AERO&DEF | PPA:US |
Materials ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| MKT VECT-GOLD MI | GDX:US |
| SPDR-MATERIALS | XLB:US |
| ISHARES-DJ BSC M | IYM:US |
| SPDR S&P MET & M | XME:US |
| VANGUARD MATER E | VAW:US |
Real Estate ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| ISHARES-DJ REAL | IYR:US |
| VANGUARD REIT ET | VNQ:US |
| ISHARES-REALTY M | ICF:US |
| SPDR DOW JONES R | RWR:US |
| SPDR DJ INTERNAT | RWX:US |
Technology ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| SPDR-TECH SEL S | XLK:US |
| MARKET VECTORS B | BBH:US |
| ISHARES-DJ TECH | IYW:US |
| MARKET VECTORS S | SMH:US |
| ISHARES-GLB TECH | IXN:US |
Telecommunications ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| ISHARES-DJ TELEC | IYZ:US |
| VANGUARD INF T E | VGT:US |
| ISHARES-GLB TELE | IXP:US |
| VANGUARD TEL S E | VOX:US |
| TELECOM HOLDRS | TTH:US |
Utilities ETFs
| ETF NAME | ETF SYMBOL |
|---|---|
| SPDR-UTIL SELECT | XLU:US |
| POWERSH-WATER RE | PHO:US |
| ISHARES-DJ UTIL | IDU:US |
| VANGUARD UTI ETF | VPU:US |
| ISHARES S&P GLOB | JXI:US |
□ ETFs
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