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1.

The Best Growth Index ETF to Invest $100 in Right Now

2025-12-31 18:22:00 by Geoffrey Seiler, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

While the market is trading near all-time highs, that is no reason to delay starting to invest. In fact, waiting for a pullback can be one of the biggest traps that investors can fall into.

The reason is twofold. First, the S&P 500 actually hits new highs much more often than most people realize. According to JPMorgan, stocks hit new highs on about 7% of all trading days. On roughly a third of those occasions, the index never trades lower. Meanwhile, bull markets tend to last a long time, with the average bull market lasting five-and-a-half years over the past 50 years.

We recently crossed the three-year mark on the current bull market, so there could be more room to run. Meanwhile, the Carson Group found that every bull market in the past 50 years that has lasted three years has reached the four-year milestone as well. Its analysts also noted that when the market has made big rallies over a six-month period (up more than 35%), the market has also traded higher over the next 12 months, dating back to 1950.

The other reason not to wait for a pullback is that investors then have to correctly time the market a second time and start investing before the market turns. If you miss out, you're going to miss out on a lot of gains. Bull markets tend to perform best right after the turn, with an average gain of more than 13% in the first month and over 25% within the first three months.

Many of these gains come on days of big market rallies that follow big declines. If you freeze and miss out on these big market rally days, your returns will suffer. JPMorgan found that if investors missed out on the 10 best days during a 20-year period, their return would be cut nearly in half.

That is why I think that dollar-cost averaging is the best solution. This is simply investing a set amount regularly, like once a month, regardless of whether we are in a bull or bear market. This will remove market timing and help you build wealth over time. You can start with a small amount, say $100, and consistently invest in a top exchange-traded fund (ETF).

The Invesco QQQ Trust

One of my favorite ETFs to invest in right now is the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ). The ETF mirrors the performance of the Nasdaq-100 index, which is largely made up of growth stocks and artificial intelligence (AI) leaders. Its top 10 holdings, which make up roughly half of its portfolio, are comprised of the top companies leading the AI charge.

AI looks like it will be a huge technological shift, and right now, we are still in the very early innings. Unlike the dot.com boom and bust, the companies leading the charge this time are some of the largest tech companies in the world, with strong balance sheets that throw off huge free cash flow. This allows them to aggressively pursue the AI opportunity while remaining financially healthy.

Based on 2026 analyst earnings estimates, many of these stocks are trading at reasonable valuations given their growth, with forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios generally below 30 times. That's a far cry from dot.com bubble levels.

The Invesco QQQ, meanwhile, has a strong track record that is hard to match. Over the past decade, it's produced an average annual return of 19.3%, and over the last three years, it's generated a yearly return of 29.1%. Even more impressive is that it's outperformed the S&P 500 on a rolling-12-month basis nearly 88% of the time over the last 10 years.

If you have $100 and are looking to invest, this is a great place to start. A $100 investment will buy a partial share, so find a broker that supports fractional share trading.

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Invesco QQQ Trust. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Best Growth Index ETF to Invest $100 in Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool

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2.

Exchange-Traded Funds Drop as US Equities Fall After Midday

2025-12-31 18:08:44 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV fell, and actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) shed 0.4%.

US equity indexes fell in midday trading on Wednesday with real estate, energy, and materials pacing the declines.

Energy

IShares US Energy ETF (IYE) fell 0.8%, and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each lost 0.7%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) slipped 0.4%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) dropped.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) slipped 0.2%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) shed 0.4%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) fell 0.3%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) declined 1.1%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), gained 1%.

Commodities

Crude oil fand the United States Oil Fund (USO) each fell 0.3%. Natural gas dropped 5.4%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) dropped 5%.

Gold on Comex fell 1.1%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) lost 0.4%. Silver tumbled 9.4%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) slumped 6.2%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) fell 0.4%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) dropped.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) fell 0.4%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) each lost 0.4%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) eased 0.2%, and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) also declined; iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) added 0.3%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) fell 0.4%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) also eased.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) was down 0.4%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) lost 0.5%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) gained 0.4%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 0.2% lower.

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3.

Can These 3 ETF Losers of 2025 Rebound in 2026?

2025-12-31 14:00:00 by Sanghamitra Saha from Zacks

The year 2025 was upbeat for the market with the S&P 500-based ETF SPDR S&P 500 ETF SPY, SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF DIA and PowerShares QQQ ETF QQQ adding about 17.7%, 14.3% and 21.7%, respectively (as of Dec 29, 2025).

But not all ETF areas were winners during the year. There were some corners that lost in 2025 but have chances of rebounding in 2026.

Cloud Computing

WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund WCLD

YTD Performance: Down 5.28%

One-Month Performance: Up 4.81%

Global X Cloud Computing ETF CLOU

YTD Performance: Down 4.59%

One-Month Performance: Up 1.18%

Investment Thesis: Although Wall Street’s success is majorly linked to the tech stocks’ outperformance, the cloud computing corner of the tech ETF world failed to live up to investors’ expectations. Heavier-than-expected spending on AI infrastructure probably weighed on cloud computing behemoths’ shares in 2025. Cloud leaders are investing heavily in AI data centers and infrastructure, which can upset short-term profits.

Still, the ongoing AI boom is a plus for the space as AI should drive huge demand for cloud infrastructure (data centers, GPUs) for AI training/inference. Per Grand View Research, the global cloud computing market size is expected to witness a CAGR of 16% from 2025 to 2033. So, the segment can be a good buy-the-dip option.

Consumer Staples

Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Consumer Staples ETF RSPS

YTD Performance: Down 2.9%

One-Month Performance: Down 1.50%

First Trust Consumer Staples AlphaDEX ETF FXG

YTD Performance: Down 1.9%

One-Month Performance: Down 2.69%

Investment Thesis: Consumer staples stocks struggled in 2025, exhibiting a volatile trend. The segment held up well when market risks heightened but logged a steady slump once a sense of assurance returned to the market. The State Street Cons Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF XLP lost about 6% since late August.

We believe the Fed’s rate cuts since September have fueled risk-on sentiment and high-growth trades, shifting the spotlight away from staples stocks. Rising input costs due to tariffs likely added further pressure on the sector. A major turnaround in the consumer staples space appears unlikely in the early part of 2026, especially with upbeat market forecasts making the rounds.

India

Columbia India Consumer ETF INCO

YTD Performance: Down 3.0%

One-Month Performance: Down 1.82%

INQQ The India Internet ETF INQQ

YTD Performance: Down 7.2%

One-Month Performance: Down 5.3%

Investment Thesis: The India market was an underperformer in 2025. One of the biggest headwinds has been foreign institutional investors dumping Indian stocks. Trade war and geopolitical tensions probably played spoilsports. However, a moderation in selling has been noticed lately (per Economic Times). Tighter derivative trading rules leading to profit-taking also weighed on the Indian market.

However, things look brighter in 2026. The Indian GDP rose 8.2% in the September quarter of 2025, well above the market consensus of a 7.3% rise. It marked the sharpest annual growth rate since the March quarter of 2024, per Trading Economics.

According to a CNBC article, big tech is investing billions in India, attracted by its data center resources, large talent pool, digital users and market potential.According to Jefferies, as quoted on Reuters, India’s equities are expected to outshine the broader emerging-market economies in 2026, thanks to strong corporate earnings and a low current account deficit.

 

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Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports

First Trust Consumer Staples AlphaDEX ETF (FXG): ETF Research Reports

Columbia India Consumer ETF (INCO): ETF Research Reports

Global X Cloud Computing ETF (CLOU): ETF Research Reports

WisdomTree Cloud Computing ETF (WCLD): ETF Research Reports

INQQ The India Internet ETF (INQQ): ETF Research Reports

Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Consumer Staples ETF (RSPS): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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4.

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Lower Pre-Bell Wednesday on Last Trading Day of 2025

2025-12-31 13:54:43 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.1% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.2% lower in Wednesday's premarket activity on the last trading day of the year.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.2% before the start of regular trading.

US initial jobless claims totaled 199,000 in the week ended Dec. 27, compared with expectations for 218,000 and the prior reading of 215,000.

The weekly EIA domestic petroleum inventories report will be released at 10:30 am ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 0.9%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.2% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 1.3%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 0.3%.

Power Play:

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated 0.3%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) gained 0.2%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was down 0.1%.

Corcept Therapeutics (CORT) stock was down more than 33% premarket after the company said the FDA stated that additional evidence of effectiveness is needed to support a favorable benefit-risk assessment for the company's NDA for relacorilant in hypertension secondary to hypercortisolism.

Winners and Losers:

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.01%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was flat. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was up 0.5%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.01%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) retreated by 0.1%.

Nike (NKE) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell after CEO Elliott Hill disclosed a stock purchase.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.01%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.02%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.1% higher.

TeraWulf (WULF) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell after falling 2.4% in the previous session. The company said Monday that its joint venture subsidiary Flash Compute closed a $1.30 billion private offering of 7.250% senior secured notes due in 2030.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.2%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.3% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.02%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was down 0.1%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined by 0.3%.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) shares were up 1% in recent premarket activity after the company said it has begun volume production of its 2nm, or N2, technology.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.1%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was up 0.2%, while the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.03%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.1%.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.3% at $58.14 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down 4.2% at $3.81 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) advanced by 0.6%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) fell by 3.9%.

Gold futures for February retreated by 1.3% to $4,328.40 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures fell by 8.3% to $71.44 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was down by 0.3%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 5.4% lower.

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5.

Global Stocks Ease Into Year-End After Strong 2025 Gains

2025-12-31 11:51:00 by Khac Phu Nguyen from GuruFocus.com

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

Global equities edged lower on the final trading day of 2025, paring some of the gains that delivered a third straight annual advance, as light holiday liquidity weighed on sentiment. Shares in Australia slipped, while S&P 500 (SPY) and Nasdaq 100 (NASDAQ:QQQ) futures both dipped 0.1% after US benchmarks retreated overnight. Several Asian markets, including Japan and South Korea, were already closed for the year. Gold inched higher as silver dropped 2.6%, even as the MSCI All Country World Index still notched a 21% gain for 2025, supported by Federal Reserve rate cuts and sustained enthusiasm around artificial intelligence. Asian equities are heading for their strongest annual performance since 2017, while a Bloomberg gauge of the dollar fell 8.1%, its biggest annual decline since that year.

• Is SPY fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator.

Under the surface, 2025 delivered sharp divergences across asset classes. Precious metals posted standout gains, with gold and silver set for their best annual jumps since 1979, and silver outperforming most assets with a 155% surge. Bitcoin, by contrast, was poised for its second annual decline in four years. Oil headed toward its deepest yearly loss since the pandemic in 2020, pressured by concerns about a significant supply surplus that could shape trading into the new year. Equities reached record highs during the year as optimism around growth, earnings, and looser monetary policy helped markets rebound from an April slump triggered by tariffs announced under President Donald Trump, though momentum faded into year-end as valuations climbed and policymakers appeared more divided on the scope for further easing, according to the minutes of the Fed's December meeting.

Looking ahead to 2026, investors are weighing a resilient backdrop against signs of fatigue after strong returns. Strategists note that markets are entering the new year with tempered risk appetite, even as underlying support for US equities remains in place. Currency moves in Asia have also drawn attention, with the onshore yuan strengthening past the closely watched 7-per-dollar level for the first time since 2023. Seasonally, history offers some encouragement: MSCI's global equity gauge has risen an average 1.4% in January over the past decade and advanced in six of those years. Still, as one analyst put it, markets appear to be pricing in conditions that could be close to ideal, suggesting early-2026 performance may depend on whether economic data and policy decisions can keep pace with those expectations.

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6.

S&P Sees U.S. Auto Sales Slipping in 2026

2025-12-31 11:28:59 by Moz Farooque ACCA from GuruFocus.com

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

The U.S. auto market could hit a softer patch in 2026, with high prices and fading EV momentum starting to weigh on demand, according to S&P Global Mobility.

The firm expects U.S. auto sales to slip 2.5% next year to about 15.89 million vehicles. S&P says consumers are already cautious, and any price adjustments from automakers could further cool buying interest. Chris Hopson of S&P Global noted that affordability has been a stubborn issue for the industry over the past 2 years and remains firmly in place heading into 2026.

• Is QQQ fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator.

Electric vehicles are adding to the slowdown. After buyers rushed into EVs earlier this year to beat the expiration of tax credits, demand dropped sharply in Q4. Battery-electric vehicles accounted for just about 6% of sales in December, and S&P expects that weakness to carry into the first half of 2026.

For automakers and suppliers, the message is clear. Until prices come down and EV demand stabilizes, growth will be harder to find.

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7.

Exchange-Traded Funds Lower as US Equities Fall After Midday

2025-12-30 18:12:01 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV were lower, and actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) shed 0.1%.

US equity indexes fell in midday trading on Tuesday, with health, financial, and consumer staples among the top three decliners.

Energy

iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each added about 0.6%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) slipped 0.1%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) were softer.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) rose 0.5%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) added 0.3%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) fell 0.6%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) declined 0.8%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), gained 0.9%.

Commodities

Crude oil fell 0.2%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) rose 0.2%. Natural gas lost 0.6%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) advanced 0.2%.

Gold on Comex was up 1%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) added 0.7%. Silver climbed 9.8%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) rose 6.2%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) fell 0.2%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) were in the red.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) fell 0.2%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) lost 0.3%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) dipped 0.3%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) eased 0.2%, and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) also declined; iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) shed 1.2%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) fell fractionally. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) also eased.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) was up 1.2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) added 1.6%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) gained 1.5%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 1.3% higher.

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8.

Legendary Hedge Funds Are Piling Into These ETFs

2025-12-30 17:32:10 by Vandita Jadeja from 24/7 Wall St.

Hedge funds continued to make buy and sell transactions throughout the third quarter. The 13F filing reflected their moves and also highlighted a few favorites. Whether you follow the moves of billionaires or like to research and make your own choices, it doesn’t hurt to keep a watch on where the hedge funds are putting money. 

I believe standing by proven winners can pay off in the long term. Whether you’re looking to build a defensive portfolio or rotate some of your money into individual stocks, here are three ETFs worth considering. There’s a reason legendary hedge funds are loading up on State Street’s S&P 500 ETF (NYSE: SPY), Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ), and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSE:IVV). 

SPDR S&P 500 ETF

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF continues to dominate the market. It tracks the S&P 500 index and holds about 500 large-cap U.S. stocks.

SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% and a yield of 1.04%. The fund is heavily tech-focused with an allocation of 34.54% to the sector. This is followed by financials (13.44%) and consumer discretionary (10.50%). Its top 10 holdings form 46% of the portfolio and include the Magnificent Seven, such as Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Meta, Tesla, and Amazon.  

Point72 Asset Management increased its holding in SPY by 3.3%, and its total investment in the ETF stands at 5.89%. Tudor investment added a new position in SPY with 3,650,000 shares, forming 4.19% of the portfolio. 

SPY has generated a 1-year return of 14.85% and 3-year returns of 20.41%. The fund has gained 17.65% this year, and its NAV is $687.85. Despite the market uncertainty, the S&P 500 hit highs in the second half of this year, taking SPY higher. 

2025 has been nothing short of a roller coaster for the stock market, and SPY managed to thrive. It offers an average annual rate of return of about 10% in addition to ultimate portfolio diversification. 

Invesco QQQ Trust

In the third quarter, billionaires couldn’t get enough of the Invesco QQQ Trust. Elliott Investment Management increased its position by 3.3% and took the total holding to 5.28%, while Citadel Advisors increased its position by 0.59% and took the total portfolio to 4.04%. Additionally, Point72 Asset Management increased its stake in QQQ by 1.56%. 

The fund tracks the Nasdaq 100 index, which includes the top 100 non-financial companies in the Nasdaq. The majority of these companies are tech giants, which are heavily involved in AI. This has helped the ETF gain 21.67% year-to-date and is exchanging hands for $620.87.

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.20% and has generated a total return of 117.2% in 3 years and 497.8% in 10 years. It has over 50% allocation to the technology sector, followed by 16% in communication services and 12% in consumer cyclical. Its top 10 holdings form 53% of the portfolio and include industry giants such as Nvidia, Microsoft Corporation, Apple, Broadcom, Tesla, Meta Platforms, and Netflix. 

The fund doesn’t have a high yield, but it offers capital appreciation. If you think that the tech sector will continue to drive the market higher, QQQ can be a smart choice. 

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

Billionaire Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates has increased his position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 4.83% and holds more than 1 million shares that form 10.62% of this portfolio today. He has steadily increased his position in the ETF throughout 2025. Further, Millennium Management has added 1,217,370 shares of IVV during the quarter.

IVV is the largest holding of Bridgewater Associates, followed by SPY. The ETF tracks the performance of the S&P 500 index and has a yield of 1.04%. It holds about 500 stocks and has the highest allocation towards the tech industry, followed by financials and consumer discretionary. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.03% and holds the Magnificent Seven in the top 10. It has $723.7 billion in assets under management. 

IVV has shown impressive capital appreciation and gained 17.61% in 2025, exchanging hands for $690.91. This is one ETF that can outperform several other Vanguard and Fidelity ETFs. IVV has generated a total 3-year return of 24.90% and a 5-year return of 16.43%. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF is a surefire way to participate in the overall stock market performance at little risk. 

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9.

6 ETF Predictions for 2026

2025-12-30 16:00:00 by Sanghamitra Saha from Zacks

The year 2025 began with post-election optimism and expectations of a strong first quarter. Instead, markets were hit by the rise of low-cost AI initiatives from China, the adverse impact on the U.S. Big Tech, Trump tariffs, sticky inflation, and persistently high interest rates. Stabilization in the market returned in the month of May after a tariff-led, turbulent April.

Market euphoria started to solidify from midyear, thanks to easing trade tensions. There have been three Fed rate cuts this year, with the first action starting in September. That momentum faded suddenly when the longest U.S. government shutdown brought the fourth-quarter economic progress to a halt, and overvaluation concerns intensified in the AI space.

Still, with all those worries, Wall Street has put up an upbeat show in 2025. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY has jumped 18.1% year to date (as of Dec. 26, 2025). The Nasdaq-100-heavy ETF Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 QQQ has surged 22.3%, and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA has advanced 15% in the year-to-date frame.

How Does 2026 Open Up to Investors?

Investors enter 2026 with notable concerns. While GDP growth has accelerated and inflation has eased, the U.S. economy is increasingly showing signs of a “K-shaped” recovery, as mentioned in a Yahoo Finance article. Higher-income households continue to drive spending and wealth gains, while labor market concerns remain.

Lingering worries include heavy spending in the AI space, rich equity valuations, mounting risks in private credit and corporate debt, and a host of geopolitical uncertainties – from the war in Ukraine and energy market tensions to still-uncertain U.S. trade policies. Most central banks will likely hold off on monetary policy easing in the near term. The Fed is unlikely to cut rates at the upcoming meeting and is expected to follow a data-driven approach thereafter.

Against this backdrop, below we make a few investment predictions related to the exchange-traded fund (ETF) arena for the year 2026.

Bet on S&P 500 – Bullish Wall Street Forecasts for 2026

Major Wall Street firms remain optimistic about the year ahead. The S&P 500 closed December 26 at 6,929.94. JPMorgan Chase and HSBC forecast the index reaching 7,500 by the end of 2026, while Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank project even stronger gains, with targets of 7,800 and 8,000, respectively, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.

Elevated multiples reflecting expectations for above-trend earnings growth, an AI-led capital spending boom, rising shareholder payouts, and easier fiscal policy are likely to drive stock market gains ahead, said JPMorgan’s chief equity strategist Dubravko Lakos-Bujas, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.

Such optimism puts focus on S&P 500-based ETFs including Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO , iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY (read: S&P 500 to Hit At Least 7,500-Mark in 2026? ETFs in Focus).

With AI overvaluation fears clouding investors’ sentiment, the S&P 500 offers a balanced way to stay invested. While Big Tech still accounts for roughly a quarter of the index, the remaining exposure covers multiple sectors.

2026: A Standout Year for Metals?

Commodities also enjoyed a standout year in 2025. Gold and silver surged to all-time highs as investors sought safety,while copper reached record levels amid supply chain disruptions and tariff-related uncertainty. Industrial usage also played its role in driving silver, platinum, and palladium higher in 2025. We expect the metal boom to thrive in 2026 (read: Will 2026 Be a Year of Silver & Copper ETFs?).

Agreed, after a staggering 2025, investors should be cautious about further gains. But then, fundamentals are strong for industrial metals. Meanwhile, China, the world's third-largest silver mining country, is expected to restrict exports starting in January (as mentioned in Yahoo Finance), adding to supply crunch in the red-hot AI industry.

ETFs like iShares Silver Trust SLV, United States Copper ETF CPER, GraniteShares Platinum Trust PLTM and abrdn Physical Palladium Shares ETF PALL are thus in focus currently.

2026: A Great Year for Banks?

After years of rate hikes and volatility, banks are entering a sweeter spot. Falling benchmark rates, a potential yield-curve steepening, strong deal activity, cheaper valuations and blockbuster earnings are setting the stage for bank stocks to shine in 2026, with ETFs like Invesco KBW Bank ETF KBWB already outpacing the broader market.

KBWB (up 9% over the past month) beat the S&P 500 (up about 1.5%) by a wide margin (read: Will 2026 be a Great Year for Banks? ETFs in Focus).

AI-Led Power Boom: Tap Solar & Alternative Energy ETFs

Solar is regaining its shine as the AI-driven power boom lifts demand for cheap, reliable energy. Costs for photovoltaic panels have fallen sharply over the last decade, while battery storage prices are also falling (per the International Renewable Energy Agency), making solar energy a cheaper option.

Apart from falling panel and battery costs, easing policy fears (as mentioned on Investopedia) and attractive valuations have sparked a sharp rebound, with solar and clean-energy ETFs like TAN and PBW delivering outsized gains in recent months. Invesco Solar ETF TAN and Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF PBW have surged 48.4% and 60% over the past six months (as of Dec. 26, 2025).

Don’t Shy Away from International Economies

International markets quietly outshone Wall Street in 2025 as tech concentration risks and lofty U.S. valuations weighed on domestic indexes. Cheaper valuations, broader sector diversification, and aggressive stimulus across Europe and Asia powered strong gains in ETFs like AIA, EZU and VEA, highlighting why global equities delivered a clear edge over U.S. markets. We do not expect the trend to reverse in 2026 (read: Top-Performing International ETFs of 2025).

Tech Remains Healthy Despite Rich Valuations 

AI investments will likely remain strong in 2026 as the tech boom isn’t over yet.Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya projects a 30% year-over-year jump in global semiconductor sales, pushing the industry past the historic $1 trillion annual revenue mark in 2026, as quoted on Yahoo Finance. First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF FTXL, and WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund WCLD can reap benefits out of this boom.

 

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Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports

Invesco Solar ETF (TAN): ETF Research Reports

iShares Silver Trust (SLV): ETF Research Reports

Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF (PBW): ETF Research Reports

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): ETF Research Reports

Invesco KBW Bank ETF (KBWB): ETF Research Reports

abrdn Physical Palladium Shares ETF (PALL): ETF Research Reports

First Trust NASDAQ Semiconductor ETF (FTXL): ETF Research Reports

WisdomTree Cloud Computing ETF (WCLD): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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10.

Pre-markets Flat on New Year's Eve Eve

2025-12-30 15:28:00 by Mark Vickery from Zacks

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock market indexes have gotten a tad “Scroogey” following the earlier-than-expected Santa Claus rally last week. Yesterday, we saw a half-point drop amid low volume as investors booked gains at the end of another strong year. We’re still +21% on the Nasdaq year to date, and up double digits on the major indexes elsewhere.

We have seen lots of good news in what early on was shaping up to be a problematic 2025. Early April “Liberation Day” tariff initiatives notwithstanding (as they got rolled back in a hurry following a week of plummeting market returns), we’re so far averaging +2.5% GDP growth following Q3’s +4.3%, which was the healthiest economy we’ve seen since Q3 2023. In fact, the +2.5% we’re riding currently is a notch better than the +2.4% we saw through all of 2024.

That’s not to say there aren’t concerns on the horizon. Even though we saw a CPI Inflation Rate come down 30 basis points (bps) in the most recent print to a reasonable (but still not optimum) +2.7%, many analysts believe we are looking at incomplete data, and the Inflation Rate may be revised upward — perhaps by more than 30 bps — just as tariff effects begin to hit U.S. trade goods.

The employment situation is another source of concern. Even though we see benign prints in Weekly Jobless Claims, these tend to mask the low turnout in new hires, which are roughly -100K from where they were a year ago. Even as the retirement boom cools to sub-100K per month, we still do not appear to be covering for those exiting the workforce. And we’re not even counting recent graduates who remain unemployed months or years after leaving school; they were never considered part of the workforce to begin with.
 

Home Prices Improve in Yesterday’s Reports

We saw both Pending Home Sales for November and Case-Shiller Home Prices for October yesterday, and both came in positive. For Pending Home Sales, we saw a surprise bump to +3.3% from the previous two months in negative territory, and +2.6% was the third-strongest in the past 12 months. Case-Shiller prices grew +1.1% this past fall, reversing three previous months of losses. This is good news for home sellers; not as much for those looking for further evidence that inflation is coming down.
 

What to Expect from the Market Today

After the opening bell, we’ll get a new installment from the Chicago Business Barometer. Here’s where we can use a bit of good news: last month’s +36.3% print was the lowest since May of 2024, and the 24th month below the 50-threshold between gain and loss. These numbers do tend to jump around a bit, but anything above +40% would likely be welcome.

The minutes from the last Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting are out as of 2pm ET today. These notes will highlight the differences in thinking regarding where interest rates ought to be headed: Fed Governor Stephen Miran — on loan from President Trump’s White House — for the thirds time in a row advocated a -50bps rate cut, while Fed Presidents from Chicago and Kansas City — Austan Goolsbee and Jeffrey Schmid — voted for no change to the Fed funds rate.

The smart money is currently on a pause at the next FOMC meeting in late January. The Fed skips February and moves to March with the subsequent meeting, so it will be anyone’s guess what happens then; so much is tied to inflation and employment reports, of which there with be several by March 18th. For today’s minutes, we look for confirmation of this sentiment, but of course will take note of any outliers.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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11.

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Lower Pre-Bell Tuesday Ahead of Fed Meeting Minutes

2025-12-30 13:47:07 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.1% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.1% lower in Tuesday's premarket activity, ahead of the Federal Reserve's release of its last policy meeting minutes.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.02%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.01%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.03% before the start of regular trading.

The Case-Shiller Home Price Index, and the FHFA House Price Index, both for October, will be released at 9 am ET.

The Chicago PMI will be posted at 9:45 am ET.

The Fed will release minutes of its Dec. 9-10 Federal Open Market Committee session 2 pm ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 0.9%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 2.1%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 0.2%.

Power Play:

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.2% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) were inactive.

T1 Energy (TE) shares were up over 5% in recent Tuesday premarket activity after the company said it has completed a $160 million sale of Section 45X production tax credits to an investment-grade buyer. The company also said it closed several transactions with Trina Solar and other parties to remain eligible for Section 45X tax credits in 2026.

Winners and Losers:

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.1%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) gained 0.03%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) advanced 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was flat.

Nio (NIO) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell after multiple news outlets reported that CEO William Li said at a customer event in China that the company expects Q4 vehicle sales to exceed 30 billion Chinese yuan ($4.82 billion).

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.1%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.1% lower.

Walker & Dunlop (WD) shares were up more than 5% pre-bell after the company said it has arranged a $464.5 million loan to finance Atma Miami by Aman, a 4.25-acre bayfront property in the city's Brickell district.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.01%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.1%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) and the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) were inactive.

Mesoblast (MESO) stock was up more than 3% premarket after the company said late Monday it has fully repaid its existing senior secured loan from Oaktree Capital Management and partially repaid its subordinated royalty facility from NovaQuest Capital Management after drawing $75 million from a new five-year facility.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.04%, while the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) were flat. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained 0.1%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 0.3%.

Applied Digital (APLD) shares were up more than 2% in recent premarket activity, while EKSO Bionics (EKSO) stock rose 42% after the companies said late Monday they entered into a non-binding term sheet to combine Applied Digital's cloud computing unit with EKSO to form a new accelerated compute platform called ChronoScale.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.3%.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.3% at $58.30 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained 1.3% to reach $4.04 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) advanced by 0.8%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) rose by 3.4%.

Gold futures for February gained by 1.7% to reach $4,417.70 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures rose by 7.1% to $75.44 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was up by 1.4%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 4% higher.

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12.

Top & Flop ETF Areas of 2025

2025-12-30 13:00:00 by Sanghamitra Saha from Zacks

The year 2025 began with post-election optimism and expectations of a strong first quarter. Instead, markets were hit by the rise of low-cost AI initiatives from China, the adverse impact on the U.S. Big Tech, Trump tariffs, sticky inflation and persistently high interest rates. Stabilization in the market returned in the month of May after a tariff-led, turbulent April.

Market euphoria started to solidify from midyear, thanks to easing trade tensions. There have been three Fed rate cuts this year, with the action starting in September. That momentum faded suddenly when the longest U.S. government shutdown brought the fourth-quarter economic progress to a halt, and overvaluation concerns intensified in the AI space.

Even in mid-December, the AI market continued to face a tug of war between optimism and caution. Oracle’s $10 billion data center project in Michigan hit a roadblock (per Financial Times, as quoted on Yahoo Finance) after funding talks with Blue Owl stalled, weighing on tech stocks like Nvidia and Broadcom, while Micron’s strong earnings and upbeat AI demand forecast lifted its shares, highlighting the market’s mix of possibilities and perils.

Still, with all those worries, Wall Street has put up an upbeat show in 2025. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY has jumped 18.1% in the year-to-date frame (as of Dec. 26, 2025). The Nasdaq-100-heavy ETF Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 QQQ has surged 22.3%, and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA has advanced 15% in the year-to-date frame.

Against this backdrop, below we highlight a few winning exchange-traded funds (ETFs) of 2025.

Inside the Gainers

Silver Miners

iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF SLVP – Up 220.3%

Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF SILJ – Up 202.1%

Silver prices have surged this year on supply tightness and high demand. Fed rate cuts, a weaker dollar and high industrial usage have boosted silver's demand. Mining companies often act as leveraged plays of the underlying metal. No wonder, SLVP has led 2025 gains as silver miners have topped (read: Best ETF of 2025 & Its 7 Winning Stocks).

Gold Miners

Global X Gold Explorers ETF GOEX – Up 199.3%

VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF GDXJ – Up 190.6%

Gold prices have gained about 70% this year (as of Dec. 26, 2025), due to the Fed’s rate cuts, surging central bank demand, especially from emerging economies, and the yellow metal’s safe-haven appeal. Trump’s trade tensions brightened the appeal for this haven massively, offering gold mining ETFs a great chance to sizzle.

Platinum

GraniteShares Platinum Trust PLTM – Up 165.3%

abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF PPLT – Up 165.1%

Platinum futures have surged above $2,400 per ounce lately, touching its strongest level, per Tradingeconomics. The World Platinum Investment Council forecasts a 2025 deficit of 692,000 ounces, marking a third successive annual shortfall. Industrial demand from the auto sector is also showing signs of recovery, thanks to the EU’s plans to ease the 2035 internal combustion engine ban, as quoted on Tradingeconomics.

Inside the Losers

We also highlight the investment areas that lost the most in 2025. These areas are mentioned below.

Marijuana

AdvisorShares MSOS Daily Leveraged ETF MSOS – Down 49.5%

Marijuana stocks fell in 2025 as hopes faded about U.S. federal reform. It showed no meaningful progress on legalization or banking access in the early part of 2025. High interest rates were also a negative. However, these stocks surged significantly in mid-December, thanks to reports of President Trump's plans to ease federal marijuana regulations by reclassifying it to Schedule III from a Schedule I (read: Cannabis ETFs Soar Double-Digits on Friday: Here's Why). 

Meme Stocks

Roundhill Meme Stock ETF MEME – Down 42.6%

Meme stocks represent a market force (per Roundhill Investments), where retail participation and fast sentiment shifts may take place, and with extreme volatility. Wall Street has seen a lot in 2025, from trade tensions to overvaluation worries in Big Tech. Investors probably preferred to rely on profitable, cash-generating firms over hype-driven names in an edgy investing backdrop.

Volatility

ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF VIXY – Down 41.9%

VIXY follows the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index, which measures the performance of a rolling long position in short-term VIX futures. It reflects market expectations of near-term U.S. stock market volatility. Now, despite several hurdles, Wall Street stayed steady in 2025. As a result, VIXY has underperformed in the year.

 

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Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports

ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY): ETF Research Reports

VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ): ETF Research Reports

abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT): ETF Research Reports

Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP): ETF Research Reports

Global X Gold Explorers ETF (GOEX): ETF Research Reports

AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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13.

Exchange-Traded Funds Drop as US Equities Decline After Midday

2025-12-29 18:11:18 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV fell, and actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) shed 0.7%.

US equity indexes dropped in midday trading on Monday as materials and consumer discretionary paced the sector declines.

Energy

iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each added 1%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) fell 0.7%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) slipped 0.8%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) lost 0.7%.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) dropped 1.2%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) fell 0.9%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) dropped 0.6%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) declined 1.8%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) gained 1.8%.

Commodities

Crude oil rose 2.2%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) gained 2%. Natural gas jumped 5.2%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) advanced 2.7%.

Gold on Comex fell 4.6%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) dropped 4.5%. Silver tumbled 7.8%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) plunged 9%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) rose 0.1%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) were little changed.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) fell 0.9%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) lost 0.3%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) dropped 0.6%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) eased 0.1%, and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) also declined; iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) shed 0.7%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) fell 0.3%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) also dropped.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) was up 0.3%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) added 0.2%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) dipped 0.1%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) fell fractionally.

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14.

Pre-Markets Lower on Low Seasonal Volume

2025-12-29 16:33:00 by Mark Vickery from Zacks

Monday, December 29, 2025

Our major market indexes have flattened on low seasonal volume of late, and are slipping in early trading in the third-final trading day of 2025. The Dow is currently -52 points, the S&P 500 is -20, the Nasdaq -123 and the small-cap Russell 2000 is -5 points currently. Year-to-date, we’re up anywhere from +13% in the Russell 2000 to +21% in the Nasdaq. This looks to be the third-straight year the Nasdaq is trading at +20% or higher. Not too shabby.
 

Home Price Reports This Week

After today’s open, we’ll get the latest Pending Home Sales report, for the month of November. In terms of inflation metrics cooling, this one has got to be fairly encouraging: year over year, over the last two prints, we’ve fallen -0.9% in September and -0.4% in October. Month over month, we’re actually up three straight: +4.2% in August, +0.1% in September and +1.9% in October.

This report will be followed by a new Case-Shiller Home Price Index on Tuesday, which has reported three straight months lower on the 20-city survey: -0.3% in July, -0.6% in August and -0.5% in September. These reports haven’t been delayed by the government shutdown or anything; Case-Shiller numbers are really just that far in arrears all the time.
 

What to Expect from the Stock Market This Week

While Wednesday is New Year’s Eve, it’s still a full trading session on Wall Street. We’ll also see Weekly Jobless Claims numbers hit the tape ahead of the opening bell that day. For Initial Claims, we’ve seen a drop of -50K from early September to the most recent print last week, currently sitting at a very accommodating +214K. This would be in-line with a narrative of a very strong labor force.

For Continuing Claims, after two weeks lower than 1.8 million, we ratcheted back up over 1.9 million, where we had spent the previous six months (without ever broaching the psychologically significant 2 million longer-term jobless claims). Again, these are numbers consistent with a healthy labor market — something we’ve decidedly not seen in the monthly jobs reports from ADP ADP and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Tomorrow will see the release of the minutes from the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting from earlier this month, when it was decided another 25 basis points (bps) would come off the Fed funds rate, to a current range of 3.50-3.75% for the first time in more than three years. There were three dissents at this meeting: Fed Presidents Schmid (Kansas City) and Goolsbee (Chicago) voted for no change; Fed Governor Miran once again voted for a -50 bps cut.

Thursday, markets are closed in observance of New Year’s Day, ushering in 2026, for which the first trading day will be this Friday. However, we continue to expect low trading volumes and perhaps modest risk-taking as we enter a new year of AI investment, tariff restrictions and a continually evolving global economic environment.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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15.

Gold and Silver Are on Fire—These Canadian Miners Ride the Wave

2025-12-29 14:33:00 by Dan Schmidt, MarketBeat from MarketBeat

Key Points

• Gold and silver continue to outperform stocks and cryptocurrencies.
• Canadian precious metals miners could offer a unique advantage in the industry if the USD strengthens against the CAD.
• Consider these three Canadian mining stocks for precious metals exposure in 2026.
• Interested in Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.? Here are five stocks we like better.

The biggest winners in your portfolio continue to be the oldest investments in existence. Gold and silver seemingly can’t be stopped, with the former up more than 70% year-to-date (YTD) and the latter posting a staggering gain of over 150% YTD. We’ve discussed the reasons why precious metals soared in 2025, and the rally still shows no signs of slowing down. Today, we’ll look at a different way to gain exposure, and it involves equities from our friends in the great white north. 

Canadian Miners Could Have Currency Tailwinds in 2026

The precious metals trade has been the strongest on Wall Street this year, outpacing gains from the S&P 500, the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ: QQQ), and Bitcoin. Investors often don’t complain about 18% gains in major stock indices, but precious metals have even beaten some of the tech sector’s most prolific AI hyperscalers in 2025. The outperformance of gold and silver highlights the uncertainty that persists in the geopolitical landscape. 

→ Broadcom's Insider Selling: A Big Red Flag, or Business as Usual?

Of course, investing in precious metals comes with drawbacks too. Holders of physical gold and silver face unfriendly taxation, and mining companies are often wracked with operational challenges and lengthy timelines. To invest in the mining sector, you need well-run companies with access to resources in trustworthy jurisdictions. But you also need macroeconomic tailwinds, and Canadian miners could have an additional weight removed from their sails in 2026.

→ Verizon: Out of the Doghouse and Into Your Dividend Portfolio

Canadian miners typically perform well when gold prices rise while the CAD/USD exchange rate falls. Since Canadian miners pay their expenses in CAD but sell their gold or silver in USD, a falling Canadian dollar creates a currency tailwind for Canadian miners. However, this wasn’t the case in 2025 when a weak USD buoyed other international currencies. Despite CAD strengthening against the USD, Canadian miners still outperformed. 

But now Canada’s GDP is shrinking, down 0.3% in October, and these economic red flags may prompt the Bank of Canada to cut rates faster than previously expected. In contrast, U.S. Q3 GDP was 4.3%, suggesting the Federal Reserve might take a more cautious approach to future rate cuts. If the Bank of Canada gets aggressive with cuts while the Fed holds, the CAD/USD pair should reverse course, putting the currency tailwind back in miners’ favor. If the USD strengthens against the CAD in 2026, Canadian miners should reap even larger benefits from their hauls.

→ The Application-Layer Rotation: 3 AI Pure Plays Poised to Win in 2026

3 Canadian Miners to Own as Precious Metals Continue Soaring

Currency tailwinds aren’t the only reason to own Canadian miners. Many of these companies have strong management teams and access to a wide range of “risk-free” jurisdictions. Canada is home to a wealth of mineral-rich terrain, and the government’s 2025 federal budget offers plenty of tax incentives for miners. Here are three Canadian mining stocks to add to your portfolio if you want precious metals exposure with a pinch of currency tailwinds.

Agnico Eagle Mines: Strong Growth Prospects for a Gold Pure Play

Gold is the primary mineral produced by Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (NYSE: AEM), one of Canada’s most prominent mining firms with a $91 billion market cap and more than $8 billion in annual sales. The company hauled in more than 867,000 ounces of the shiny stuff in Q3 2025, helping it surpass analyst expectations for both EPS and revenue.

Agnico’s size and stability make it an attractive stock for investors; its mines are located in safe jurisdictions such as Canada, Finland, and Australia, and record gold prices have enabled the company to invest in expansion. Agnico launched 120 new drill rigs in Q3, which could add more than 1.5 million ounces to its coffers in the coming years.

Pan American Silver: Acquisitions to Stabilize Performance

Pan American Silver Corp (NYSE: PAAS) operates out of Vancouver, but the location of its mines creates more volatility than AEM. PAAS drills in regions in countries like Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, and Mexico, which offer less geopolitical stability and therefore more risk to investors.

However, the company is attempting to address the problem with acquisition volume. Pan American previously acquired Yamana Gold to diversify operations, but the acquisition of MAG Silver’s Juanicipio mine has been a massive boon, allowing the company to boost production guidance to 22 million ounces in 2025. Pan American also reported record cash flow in Q3 2025, allowing management to raise the dividend.

Wheaton Precious Metals: High Margins and Flat Costs

If you want to eschew the hassle of mining, consider Wheaton Precious Metals Corp (NYSE: WPM). Wheaton doesn’t actually own or operate any mines. Instead, they provide upfront capital to miners in exchange for a percentage of the mining haul, usually at a low fixed price (known as a streaming business model). While this setup means WPM is less affected by movements in the spot prices of gold or silver, it also allows for a high-margin business with very predictable expenses. 

WPM has contracts with more than 40 miners worldwide, including companies operating in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Chile, and parts of Africa. It reported record revenue in Q3 2025, reiterating its full-year guidance of 600,000 to 670,000 Gold Equivalent Ounces (GEOs). But the real reason WPM can sustain its high valuation is thanks to its impressive margins: 55% net, the highest in the industry. And with the stock up nearly 120% YTD, investors seem to agree.

The article "Gold and Silver Are on Fire—These Canadian Miners Ride the Wave" was originally published by MarketBeat.

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16.

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Lower Pre-Bell Monday as Investors Await Fed Minutes

2025-12-29 14:04:17 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.3% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.5% lower in Monday's premarket activity, ahead of the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's meeting.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.2%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.03%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.04% before the start of regular trading.

The pending home sales index will be released at 10 am ET, followed by the weekly EIA domestic petroleum inventories report and the Dallas Fed manufacturing survey for December at 10:30 am ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 0.2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) retreated by 0.3%, Ether ETF (EETH) was 0.05% lower, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) fell by 1%.

Power Play:

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.04%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.02%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.03% lower.

DigitalBridge (DBRG) shares were up more than 10% pre-bell after Japan's SoftBank said that it has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge for about $4 billion.

Winners and Losers:

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.1% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was flat and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.

Sidus Space (SIDU) stock was up more than 11% before the opening bell after closing Friday 12% lower. The company said Friday it has priced its offering at $1.50 per share of Class A common stock to raise around $16.2 million.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.7%.

Energy Fuels (UUUU) stock was up more than 3% before Monday's opening bell after the company said it exceeded its previous guidance for finished uranium production, mined uranium ore production, and uranium concentrate sales for 2025.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) gained marginally by 0.04%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was flat. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was down 1.2%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.2%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was flat.

Coupang (CPNG) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell after the company said it will start a 1.685 trillion won ($1.18 billion) compensation program following a recent personal data breach.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.1%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was flat, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was flat.

Novo Nordisk (NVO) stock was down more than 1% premarket after Chinese media outlet Yicai reported that the company has cut the listing prices of its obesity drug Wegovy by about half in some Chinese provinces.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.5%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.3% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was flat. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was down 0.8%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell by 0.8%.

Nvidia (NVDA) shares were down more than 1% in recent premarket activity after Intel (INTC) said it sold about 214.8 million common shares to Nvidia for $5 billion in cash. Intel stock was advancing 0.2% in recent activity.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 2.5% at $58.17 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained 1.4% to reach $4.43 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) advanced by 2.2%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) rose by 0.1%.

Gold futures for February retreated by 1.6% to $4,480.80 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures fell by 3.5% to $74.63 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was down by 1.5%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 3.4% lower.

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17.

Best-Performing Country ETFs of 2025

2025-12-29 13:00:00 by Sanghamitra Saha from Zacks

Wall Street experienced significant volatility in 2025, while international markets remained relatively stable or gained momentum. Trade uncertainty under Trump’s administration has fueled concerns about rising inflation and a slowing U.S. economy, which has worked in favor of international markets. Agreed, international economies, too, faced uncertainties related to Trump tariffs, but the blow on their markets proved to be less severe than what it was for the U.S. market.

2025 Performance Scorecard of U.S. & International ETFs

Note that Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF MAGS is up 25.5% so far this year (as of Dec. 26, 2025), while SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY has gained 18.1%. The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 QQQ is up about 22.3% while SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA has advanced 14.9% in 2025 so far.

Vanguard Tax Managed Fund FTSE Developed Markets ETF VEA is up 31.6% this year. Meanwhile, iShares Asia 50 ETF AIA has jumped about 44% in 2025, and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF EEM has advanced 31.2%. iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF EZU has jumped 37.4%. iShares MSCI ACWI ex US ETF ACWX has grown by 29.7% in price. It means all these international indexes fared better than the key U.S. indexes in 2025.

What Drove International ETFs?

Diversified Exposure: Investors should note that the artificial intelligence (AI) behemoths of the United States — the magnificent seven stocks or the main driving factor of Wall Street in recent years — faced overvaluation concerns and investor worries about payoffs during the year, at times weighing heavily on tech-centric indexes. The Mag 7 group comprises about one-fourth of the S&P 500, while the tech stocks are also the heavier part of the Nasdaq 100.

In contrast, Europe’s STOXX Europe 600 has a more balanced structure, with its top 10 stocks making up only 17% of the index’s market cap, said Christoph Schon, lead principal of investment decision research at Danish investment management firm SimCorp, to CNBC recently. The STOXX Europe 600 has quite a diversified exposure.

Cheaper Valuation: Most international markets and ETFs were undervalued in comparison to U.S. stocks and ETFs. The P/E ratio (trailing twelve months) of  EZU stands at 17.83X (per Yahoo Finance), while its U.S. counterpart — Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) — trades at a P/E of 29.19X.

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) has a P/E ratio of 16.40X. The ETF EEM trades at a P/E of 15.85X. iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) trades at a P/E of 10.79X. iShares India 50 ETF (INDY) has a P/E of 22.11X while iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) has a P/E of 10.69X.

Stimulus Abroad: The European Central Bank was on a rate-cut spree earlier in the year. Despite cutting rates at the start of 2025, the ECB halted policy easing due to trade uncertainty in the middle of the year. India and China have also been on a path of policy stimuli (either fiscal or monetary or both). Although the Bank of Japan has been hiking rates, the interest rate backdrop remains low.

In contrast, the United States took a different approach as the Department of Government Efficiency has prioritized budget cuts, reducing federal expenditures rather than expanding them. The Fed stayed put till August and has enacted three rate cuts since September.

 Top-Performing Country ETFs in Focus

Against this backdrop, below we highlight a few winning country-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) of 2025.

South Korea

iShares MSCI South Korea ETF EWY – Up 92.3%

Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (FLKR) – Up 88.0%

Accommodative monetary policy drove South Korea’s gains this year. Since October last year, the Bank of Korea has cut rates by a cumulative 100 bps to support economic growth. The BoK maintained its base rate at 2.50% in November for the fourth successive meeting, per Trading Economics.

South Korea’s economy grew 1.8% year over year in Q3 of 2025, faster than earlier estimates of 1.7% and the fastest growth since Q2 of 2024, according to Trading Economics. Plus, the BoK expects the economy to advance 1.8% year on year (vs. 1.6% previously) in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027. Upbeat chips and the IT cycle will boost growth more than previously expected, as quoted on ING.com.

Greece

Global X MSCI Greece ETF GREK – Up 79.2%

Stocks in Greece hit a 15-year high this year due to a combination of strong economic growth, an upgrade to developed market status, fiscal discipline leading to budget surpluses, and strong tourism.

Greece’s economy grew 0.6% sequentially in Q3 2025, following a downwardly revised 0.4% gain in the previous quarter, marking the strongest quarterly growth since Q4 2024, per Trading Economics. On an annual basis, Greece’s GDP increased 2.0% in Q3 2025, surpassing the downwardly revised 1.6% growth in Q2 2025.

South Africa

iShares MSCI South Africa ETF EZA – Up 77.9%

The South African economy grew 0.5% sequentially in Q3 2025, following an upwardly revised 0.9% growth in the prior period and marking the fourth successive quarter of expansion, per Trading Economics. The South African economy grew 0.5% sequentially in Q3 2025, following an upwardly revised 0.9% growth in the prior period and marking the fourth successive quarter of expansion.Growth in the mining industry likely acted as the catalyst.

Spain

iShares MSCI Spain ETF EWP – Up 77.5%

Spain’s gross domestic product grew 0.6% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2025, easing from a downwardly revised 0.7% expansion in Q2, in line with preliminary estimates. A resilient labor market has been a key strength of the Spanish economy, per Reuters. Spain’s key equity index touched its first record in 18 years in late October 2025, thanks to gains in banks.  

Poland

iShares MSCI Poland ETF EPOL – Up 76.7%

The Polish economy grew 0.9% sequentially in Q3 of 2025, marking the fastest expansion this year, following 0.8% growth in the preceding three-month period. Poland’s equity market has been among the world’s best performers this year, supported by its relative protection from the global trade war and chances of a spillover boost from Germany's significant fiscal stimulus and spending plans, as mentioned in the Financial Times.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM): ETF Research Reports

Global X MSCI Greece ETF (GREK): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF (EZU): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Poland ETF (EPOL): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Spain ETF (EWP): ETF Research Reports

iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA): ETF Research Reports

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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18.

SOXL vs. QLD: Which Leveraged ETF Delivers Bigger Gains for Investors?

2025-12-27 23:01:11 by Katie Brockman, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

The ProShares Ultra QQQ ETF (NYSEMKT:QLD) and the Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSEMKT:SOXL)  both aim to provide leveraged exposure to high-growth technology stocks, but their strategies diverge sharply. QLD offers 2x daily returns of the Nasdaq-100 Index, while SOXL targets 3x daily returns of the NYSE Semiconductor Index.

This comparison highlights their costs, recent performance, risk, portfolio makeup, and unique features for investors weighing aggressive tech exposure.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	QLD	SOXL
Issuer	ProShares	Direxion
Expense ratio	0.95%	0.75%
1-yr return (as of Dec. 27, 2025)	24.95%	44.62%
Dividend yield	0.18%	0.53%
Beta (5Y monthly)	2.42	5.32
AUM	$10.6 billion	$13.6 billion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

SOXL offers a higher yield and lower expense ratio than QLD, potentially appealing to those focused on cost efficiency within leveraged ETFs. That said, because leveraged ETFs perform best as short-term investments, yield and fees may not have a significant impact on your portfolio.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	QLD	SOXL
Max drawdown (5 y)	-63.68%	-90.46%
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years	$2,591	$1,491

What's inside

SOXL provides targeted, triple-leveraged exposure to the semiconductor industry, with 100% of assets in technology stocks. The fund only contains roughly 40 stocks, with top positions in Broadcom, Nvidia, and Advanced Micro Devices. Its daily leverage reset means returns may diverge from expectations over longer periods, especially during volatile markets.

In contrast, QLD delivers 2x daily returns of the Nasdaq-100, giving investors exposure not just to semiconductors, but also to a broader mix of technology (55% of total assets), communication services (15%), and consumer cyclicals (13%). Its largest holdings include Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft. Both funds feature a daily leverage reset, which can magnify both gains and losses due to compounding effects.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investors

Leveraged ETFs can amplify returns when the fund's underlying index is thriving, but they can also see much steeper downturns when the index falters. This makes them high-risk, high-reward investments, and they are only intended to be held short-term.

SOXL offers greater potential returns, aiming to triple the daily returns of the semiconductor sector. This industry is one of the most volatile in the market, but it's also proven to be incredibly lucrative in recent years.

QLD, on the other hand, mitigates some risk by tracking the broader Nasdaq-100 and only aiming for double its daily returns. With more diversification and smaller earnings goals, this ETF carries less risk than SOXL, but it also has less earning potential.

Over the last 12 months, SOXL has outperformed QLD. Yet with its much higher beta and deeper max drawdown, investors can expect more significant price swings with SOXL. That doesn't necessarily mean QLD is not risky, as all leveraged ETFs are more prone to volatility than standard funds. But between the two, SOXL is the more turbulent -- and potentially more lucrative -- choice.

Where you choose to buy will depend mostly on your risk tolerance. Funds like SOXL that boast 3x daily leverage are not for risk-averse investors, but if you're looking for a short-term play on the semiconductor industry, it could be a good fit. For others seeking a leveraged fund with a little less risk, QLD's broader focus and 2x daily leverage might be a bit more palatable.

Glossary

Expense ratio: The annual fee, as a percentage of assets, that a fund charges to cover operating costs.
Leveraged ETF: An exchange-traded fund designed to amplify daily returns, often using financial derivatives and debt.
2x daily returns: A strategy aiming to deliver twice the daily performance of a specified index.
3x daily returns: A strategy aiming to deliver three times the daily performance of a specified index.
Nasdaq-100 Index: A stock market index of 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange.
NYSE Semiconductor Index: An index tracking the performance of major semiconductor companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Beta: A measure of an investment's volatility compared to the overall market, typically the S&P 500.
Max drawdown: The largest percentage drop from a fund’s peak value to its lowest point over a specific period.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by a fund or stock, shown as a percentage of its current price.
Daily leverage reset: The process by which leveraged ETFs adjust exposure each day to maintain their target leverage ratio.
Compounding effects: The impact of daily returns building on each other, which can cause long-term results to differ from expected multiples.
Assets under management (AUM): The total market value of assets that a fund or investment company manages on behalf of investors.

Katie Brockman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

SOXL vs. QLD: Which Leveraged ETF Delivers Bigger Gains for Investors? was originally published by The Motley Fool

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19.

TQQQ vs. QLD: Which High-Risk, High-Reward Leveraged ETF Is the Better Buy for Investors?

2025-12-27 11:20:01 by Katie Brockman, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

Both the ProShares Ultra QQQ ETF (NYSEMKT:QLD) and the ProShares UltraPro QQQ (NASDAQ:TQQQ) are designed for investors seeking amplified exposure to the Nasdaq-100 Index using daily leverage resets.

While QLD aims for two times the daily return, TQQQ pushes this further to three times, which impacts both potential gains and losses. This comparison focuses on cost, risk, and performance to help clarify which approach may appeal more, depending on risk tolerance and investment horizon.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	QLD	TQQQ
Issuer	ProShares	ProShares
Expense ratio	0.95%	0.82%
1-yr return (as of Dec. 22, 2025)	28.60%	30.72%
Dividend yield	0.18%	0.72%
Beta (5Y monthly)	2.42	3.69
AUM	$10.6 billion	$30.9 billion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

TQQQ is slightly more affordable on fees and provides a substantially higher yield, which may appeal to those seeking income alongside leverage. That said, because both of these ETFs function best as short-term investments, fees and yield may not be the most important factors to consider.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	QLD	TQQQ
Max drawdown (5 y)	-63.68%	-81.65%
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years	$2,564	$2,500

What's inside

TQQQ holds 101 positions and seeks to deliver three times the daily performance of the Nasdaq-100 Index, with a focus on technology (55% of total assets), communication services (17%), and consumer cyclical (13%) sectors. Its top holdings include Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft.

TQQQ’s daily leverage reset means returns can diverge significantly from the underlying index if held long-term, especially in volatile markets.

QLD, by contrast, offers two times daily leverage on the same index, with very similar sector weights and top holdings. Both funds reset leverage daily, which can amplify both gains and losses over short periods. However, TQQQ’s higher leverage means that risk and reward are further magnified.

Investors should be aware that neither fund is intended for long-term buy-and-hold strategies due to compounding effects and the risk of large drawdowns.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investors

QLD and TQQQ track the Nasdaq-100, so their portfolios are very similar. Both are heavily focused on the tech industry, and they offer the same top holdings and sector allocations.

The primary difference between them is their leverage factor. QLD aims to earn two times the daily return of the underlying index, while TQQQ targets three times daily returns.

TQQQ's higher earnings target means it can be the more lucrative investment of the two, but it's also prone to deeper drawdowns and more significant volatility -- as seen with its substantially higher beta and max drawdown over the last five years.

In theory, TQQQ's higher risk should result in higher returns. In recent years, though, that risk hasn't always paid off. Its 12-month returns are only marginally higher than QLD's, and it's actually underperformed QLD over the last five years.

Keep in mind, though, that both of these funds are designed to be short-term investments -- held only a few days at the most. If you buy and sell at the right time, TQQQ's higher leverage factor could result in considerably higher earnings. But with its higher risk level, there's also a greater chance of locking in more significant losses if held long term or if the underlying index underperforms.

Glossary

Leverage: Using borrowed funds or financial instruments to amplify potential returns (and losses) of an investment.
Daily leverage reset: The process of adjusting a fund's leverage exposure back to its target level at the end of each trading day.
Drawdown: The percentage decline from a fund's peak value to its lowest point over a specific period.
Assets under management (AUM): The total market value of assets that a fund or investment company manages on behalf of clients.
Expense ratio: The annual fee, as a percentage of assets, that a fund charges to cover operating costs.
Beta: A measure of an investment's volatility compared to the overall market, often the S&P 500.
Dividend yield: The annual dividend income expressed as a percentage of the investment's current price.
Nasdaq-100 Index: A stock market index comprising 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange.
Max drawdown: The largest observed loss from a fund's peak to its lowest point over a specified time frame.
Compounding effects: The impact of gains or losses building on previous returns, which can significantly affect leveraged fund performance over time.
Sector weights: The proportion of a fund's assets allocated to different industry sectors.
Total return: The investment's price change plus all dividends and distributions, assuming those payouts are reinvested.

Katie Brockman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

TQQQ vs. QLD: Which High-Risk, High-Reward Leveraged ETF Is the Better Buy for Investors? was originally published by The Motley Fool

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20.

Exchange-Traded Funds Mixed, US Equities Lower After Midday Friday

2025-12-26 18:13:45 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV fell. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was fractionally higher.

US equity indexes were lower in midday trading Friday amid record moves in precious metals.

Energy

iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) dropped 0.7% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) fell 0.6%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 0.3%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) gained 0.2%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) added 0.1%.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) was down 0.5%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) rose fractionally.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) slipped 0.4%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) fell 1.2%, and its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) gained 1.3%.

Commodities

Crude oil dropped 1.9%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) was 2% down. Natural gas climbed 3.6%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) gained 3.7%.

Gold on Comex rose 1.1%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced 0.9%. Silver climbed 6.6%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) gained 6.1%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) dipped 0.1%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) also edged lower.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) fell 0.4%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) rose fractionally, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) was down 0.3%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) fell 0.2%, and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) also declined; iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) shed 0.9%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) fell 0.4%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were in the red.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) was down 0.7%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) was fractionally lower, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) dipped 0.5%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) lost 0.2%.

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21.

Best-Performing Areas in a Blockbuster Year for Stocks

2025-12-26 16:40:00 by Neena Mishra from Zacks

2025 has been a blockbuster but volatile year for financial markets, shaped by multiple crosscurrents: sustained enthusiasm around artificial intelligence, tempered by growing bubble concerns; escalating trade disputes; and rising geopolitical tensions.

The S&P 500 is up 19% year to date, the Dow Jones has gained 16%, while the Nasdaq-100 has jumped 23%. Technology and Communication Services are once again the best performing sectors, with gains of 26% and 22%, driven mainly by impressive advances in the shares of NVIDIA  NVDA and Alphabet GOOG.

Gold and silver have posted exceptional gains this year. The SPDR Gold Shares GLD and the iShares Silver Trust SLV have surged 72% and 158%, respectively. Precious-metals mining ETFs rank among the year’s top-performing investment products, as higher metal prices translated into stronger profitability.

Critical materials such as uranium, lithium, copper, nickel, manganese, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements have also seen sharp increases in both prices and demand. Demand continues to rise as these materials are essential inputs for electric vehicles, batteries, electronics, data centers, and defense systems.

Around the world, rising geopolitical tensions are fueling a boom in defense spending, as countries move to upgrade their capabilities with AI, autonomous drones, and advanced cyber defenses. European defense stocks have surged in 2025 as many countries ramp up military budgets, partly in response to pressure from Trump.

Please watch the short video above to learn more about the top performing ETFs.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) : Free Stock Analysis Report

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

iShares Silver Trust (SLV): ETF Research Reports

Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP): ETF Research Reports

Global X Gold Explorers ETF (GOEX): ETF Research Reports

Global X Disruptive Materials ETF (DMAT): ETF Research Reports

Sprott Critical Materials ETF (SETM): ETF Research Reports

Select STOXX Europe Aerospace & Defense ETF (EUAD): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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22.

3 Tech ETFs To Load Up on Before 2026

2025-12-26 16:37:54 by Vandita Jadeja from 24/7 Wall St.

As we come to the close of 2025, tech stocks are gaining pace, and they’ve remained one of the best performing in the industry. The stock market was driven higher by the strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI), which led tech stocks to new highs. While the year was beneficial for investors who held tech stocks, 2026 may not be a repeat. There are terrific tech companies, but there’s no guarantee that the sector will continue to thrive next year. This is where exchange-traded funds come into play. 

If you do not want to risk owning specific tech stocks, you can consider investing in tech ETFs that give you the best of the industry. These ETFs are heavily tech-focused, have a low expense ratio, and hold companies that are backed by healthy fundamentals. iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV), Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund ETF (NYSE: VGT), and Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) are 3 ETFs to load up on before 2026.  

iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF

The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF tracks the performance of the index composed of North American equities in the software industry. The fund invests in a lot of high-quality companies that have shown strong revenue growth and solid margins. 

The fund holds 115 stocks and has an expense ratio of 0.39%. While it is slightly on the higher side, IGV has a portfolio of the biggest tech giants. Its top 10 holdings include Microsoft Corporation, Palantir Technologies, Oracle Corporation, Salesforce, AppLovin, ServiceNow, and Adobe. It has the highest allocation in Palantir Technologies and Microsoft Corporation.

The top 10 holdings form 62% of the fund. Sector-wise, the fund invests heavily in application software (62.78%), followed by systems software (33.45%) and interactive home (2.82%). 

IGV is an investment in enterprise automation, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and AI productivity tools. With this ETF, you’re investing in the software segment of the industry. The fund has generated a total return of 28.64% in one year and 31.95% in 3 years. IGV gained 8.17% in 2025 and is exchanging hands for $108.07. The software industry has lagged in 2025, and we could see a significant improvement in the coming year. IGV is an excellent way to buy the dip in the software industry. 

Vanguard Information Technology ETF 

If you think that the U.S. economy will continue to be driven by the tech sector, the Vanguard Information Technology ETF could be an ideal bet. It is exactly what a growth investor is looking for. The fund focuses on a little over 300 companies and includes all the mega-cap names. VGT is focused on top-quality mega-cap tech giants that have shown impressive growth in 2025. 

It has the highest allocation to the semiconductor industry at 32.10%, followed by systems software at 18.20% and hardware storage at 17.70%. The top 10 holdings of the fund include Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Palantir Technologies, Advanced Micro Devices, Oracle, and Broadcom. It has the highest allocation of 16.61% in Nvidia, followed by 15.31% in Apple. The fund has $130.0 billion in assets under management. 

VGT has an expense ratio of 0.09% and a yield of 0.38%. Since tech-focused ETFs are focused on a specific industry, they carry higher risk but also a high payoff. Looking at the tech sector today, VGT has a high return potential. The fund has generated a cumulative 3-year return of 120.57% and a 5-year return of 132.26%. 

The fund has gained 23.13% so far in 2025 and is exchanging hands for $765.03. 

 Invesco QQQ Trust 

While the Invesco QQQ isn’t a pure-play tech ETF, it continues to remain tech heavy with over 64% allocation to the sector. It is a less risky alternative as compared to the other two funds mentioned here. The fund has $408 billion in assets under management. It has generated a cumulative 5-year return of 113% and a 10-year return of 486%. This is an unbelievable result and shows a double-digit return throughout the decade. QQQ tracks the performance of the Nasdaq-100 Index and holds 101 stocks. 

Besides the allocation in the tech sector, QQQ allocates 18.29% to the consumer discretionary segment, followed by 4.21% to the healthcare segment. Its top 10 holdings constitute about 50% of the fund and include Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft Corporation, Amazon, Tesla, and Meta Platforms. It has an expense ratio of 0.18%. 

The ETF has gained 21.93% so far in 2025 and is exchanging hands for $622.11. This ETF is home to some of the biggest and the best U.S. tech companies. Its top 10 holdings are all AI plays, and the fund has generated impressive returns this year. Since it holds 100 of the best tech stocks, there’s less diversification than the S&P 500, and it has outperformed the S&P 500. 

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23.

Full-Day in the Markets on a Recently Declared Federal Holiday

2025-12-26 15:43:00 by Mark Vickery from Zacks

Friday, December 26, 2025

It was last week when President Trump signed an executive order to declare both Wednesday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) and today federal holidays, giving a five-day weekend to federal employees, while the stock market remained open for a half-day Wednesday and a full session today. 

Pre-market activity is flat today on very low volume, quite as expected. The past five trading days have been favorable among the major indexes, between +1.5% (Russell 2000) and +2.4% (Nasdaq). Year to date, in order of success, the Nasdaq is +22% — above +20% for the third straight year (with four trading days left in 2025) — the S&P 500 +17.6%, the blue-chip Dow +14.3% and the small-cap Russell 2000 +13.8%.

Because it is a federal holiday today, we won’t see new economic data from the U.S. government. But this is a quiet time of year for such activity anyway; we do have a few reports scheduled for next week, but we’re also looking at a shortened trading week with next Thursday closed for New Year’s Day. New Year’s Eve, however, is slated for a full session — at least for now.
 

What to Expect from the Market Next Week

We expect holiday trading volume to remain at low levels next week, though we will see a few key data points. These include a new Case-Shiller Home Price Index for October (not due to the government shutdown; Case-Shiller numbers are always a couple months in arrears) and Pending Home Sales for November. Wednesday will bring us Weekly Jobless Claims a day early, same as this week.

Next Tuesday, the official minutes from the December Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) report will come out, allowing analysts to closer parse the discussions regarding the -25 basis-point (bps) cut which brought the Fed funds rate to a range of 3.50-3.75% for the first time in three years. We saw three dissents, in opposite directions: Fed Governor Stephen Miran voted for a -50 bps cut, while Fed Presidents Goolsbee (Chicago) and Schmid (Kansas City) voted for no change to interest rates.

Currently, the odds of another interest rate cut in late January are quite low. Economic reports following the government shutdown have been delayed and/or incomplete — for one example, in last week’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, it registered Owners Equivalent Rent from October to November as 0. That will likely be revised higher, which may have an impact on the initial +2.7% Inflation Rate reported. Thus, a majority of Fed members will likely wait for more data to arrive before moving rates lower.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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24.

Exchange-Traded Funds Higher, Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Friday as Market Reopens Following Holiday Break

2025-12-26 13:55:09 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.1% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 0.2% in Friday's premarket activity, as the market reopens from holiday closures and traders balance optimism around earnings and seasonal trends with thin volume.

US stock futures were mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.01%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.1% before the start of regular trading.

In premarket action, bitcoin was up by 1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.8% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 1.2%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 0.3%.

Power Play:

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) declined by 0.04%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was down 0.01%, while the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was 0.1% lower.

Sidus Space (SIDU) stock was up more than 35% before the opening bell after the company said Wednesday it has closed its public offering of 19.2 million Class A common shares, sold at $1.30 apiece for gross proceeds of $25 million.

Winners and Losers:

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) decreased by 0.1%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.03%, and the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) fell 2%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.4% lower.

Biohaven (BHVN) stock was down more than 11% premarket after the company said Wednesday that the phase 2 study evaluating BHV-7000 for the treatment of major depressive disorder failed to meet its primary endpoint.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) retreated marginally by 0.03% and the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was down 0.02%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) advanced by 0.01%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was marginally lower by 0.03%.

Coupang's (CPNG) shares were up more than 6% pre-bell after South Korean news outlet Yonhap cited the company as saying that an investigation into a former employee suspected of leaking customer data was conducted in close cooperation with government authorities, countering claims that the probe lacked official oversight.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced 0.3%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.5% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) fell 4.9%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was flat, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 0.5%.

Nvidia (NVDA) stock increased 0.8% pre-bell as the tech bellwether entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with artificial intelligence chip startup Groq to use its inference technology, according to a late Wednesday statement by the latter.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was down by 0.04%.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed the deadline for Exxon Mobil (XOM) to sell its stake in the Sakhalin-1 project to Jan. 1, 2027, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing a decree issued by the country's government. Exxon shares were 0.1% lower premarket Friday.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated by 0.03%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.1%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.03% lower.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.03% to $58.37 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained 1.6% to $4.31 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) retreated by 0.1%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) rose by 2.3%.

Gold futures for February advanced by 1% to $4,548.40 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures rose by 4.3% to $74.74 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was up 0.9%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 3.5% higher.

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25.

4 Top-Ranked ETF Areas That Beat the Market in 2025

2025-12-26 13:00:00 by Sanghamitra Saha from Zacks

The year 2025 began with post-election optimism and expectations of a strong first quarter. Instead, markets were hit by the rise of low-cost AI initiatives from China, the adverse impact on the U.S. Big Tech, Trump tariffs, sticky inflation, and persistently high interest rates. Stabilization in the market returned in the month of May after a tariff-led, turbulent April.

Market euphoria started to solidify from midyear, thanks to easing trade tensions. There have been three Fed rate cuts this year, with the action starting in September. That momentum faded suddenly when the longest U.S. government shutdown brought the fourth-quarter economic progress to a halt, and overvaluation concerns intensified in the AI space.

Even in mid-December, the AI market continued to face a tug of war between optimism and caution. Oracle’s $10 billion data center project in Michigan hit a roadblock (per Financial Times, as quoted on Yahoo Finance) after funding talks with Blue Owl stalled, while Micron’s strong earnings and upbeat AI demand forecast lifted its shares (Micron stock is up 17.5% over the past week), highlighting the market’s mix of possibilities and perils.

Still, with all those worries, Wall Street has put up an upbeat show in 2025. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY has jumped 17.1% in the year-to-date frame (as of Dec. 22, 2025). The Nasdaq-100-heavy ETF Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 QQQ has surged 21.4%, and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA has advanced 14.1% in the year-to-date frame.

Against this backdrop, below we highlight a few winning top-ranked exchange-traded funds (ETFs) of 2025 that beat the broader market.

Semiconductor

First Trust NASDAQ Semiconductor ETF FTXL – Zacks Rank #2; Up 48.6% YTD

Strive U.S. Semiconductor ETF SHOC – Zacks Rank #2; Up 48.4% YTD

VanEck Semiconductor ETF SMH – Zacks Rank #1; Up 47.1% YTD

Chip stocks surged in 2025, riding on sustained demand for artificial intelligence, cloud computing and advanced data centers. Heavy spending by hyper-scalers and enterprises boosted orders for high-performance processors, memory and networking chips. Even as parts of the broader tech sector faced volatility, chipmakers outperformed, thanks to strong end-market demand and the AI-led investment cycle. The Fed’s easy money policy acted as another tailwind.

Japan

iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF EWJV – Zacks Rank #2; Up 33.2% YTD

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity ETF DXJ – Zacks Rank #2; Up 32.4% YTD

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend ETF DFJ – Zacks Rank #2; Up 30.4% YTD

Japanese stocks gained on the help of still-low interest rates. Stocks hit a record high after the LDP picked expansionist Sanae Takaichi as leader in October, fueling hopes of higher government spending and continued easy monetary policy. Optimism around AI, semiconductors and defense helped drive gains in Japanese stocks.A flat yen this year probably boosted the profitability of Japan's major export-oriented companies.

Financials

Invesco KBW Bank ETF KBWB – Zacks Rank #2; Up 32.4% YTD

iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers & Securities Exchange IAI –Zacks Rank #2; Up 26.2% YTD

The U.S. banking sector is ending 2025 on a strong footing, with Q3 profitability hitting its highest level in more than a decade (per S&P Global), thanks to solid margins, healthy credit quality, and a rebound in capital markets activity.

The Fed has cut rates three times this year, boosting risk-on trade sentiments and pushing up long-term rates. Since banks borrow money at short-term rates and lend capital at long-term rates, the steepening of the yield curve favors financial ETFs.

Pharma

iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF IHE – Zacks Rank #2; Up 31.6% YTD

With AI bubble fears doing the rounds and the economy moving ahead at a sluggish pace, safe sectors like healthcare gained precedence lately. Moreover, biotech stocks have been strengthening due to innovations and increased mergers and acquisitions. Heading into 2026, the industry is entering an investment “super-cycle,” with major drugmakers committing about $370 billion to U.S. projects over the next five years, according to a DPR Construction report.

 

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Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity ETF (DXJ): ETF Research Reports

VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH): ETF Research Reports

iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE): ETF Research Reports

Invesco KBW Bank ETF (KBWB): ETF Research Reports

iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers & Securities Exchanges ETF (IAI): ETF Research Reports

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend ETF (DFJ): ETF Research Reports

First Trust NASDAQ Semiconductor ETF (FTXL): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF (EWJV): ETF Research Reports

Strive U.S. Semiconductor ETF (SHOC): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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26.

Mexican Stocks Hammer Wall Street As Peso Notches Best Year Since 1993

2025-12-26 01:31:12 by Piero Cingari from Benzinga

Mexican financial assets are closing out one of their strongest years in decades, stunning global investors and decisively outperforming Wall Street benchmarks.

A synchronized rally in equities and the Mexican peso has erased early fears that renewed U.S. protectionist rhetoric under President Donald Trump would derail Mexico's markets.

Instead, 2025 has turned into a historic year for Mexican assets.

Mexico's Market Rally Leaves Wall Street In The Dust

The iShares Mexico ETF (NYSE:EWW) surged more than 50% year to date – the fund’s best year since 1999 – sharply outpacing major U.S. benchmarks. For comparison, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSE:VOO) gained roughly 17%, while the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) advanced about 21% over the same period.

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Currency markets echoed the optimism. The Mexican peso has appreciated by more than 14% against the U.S. dollar, putting it on track for its best annual performance since 1993, when Mexico's central bank introduced the modern peso.

Banxico's Rate Cuts Fueled Asset Prices

A key catalyst behind the rally has been aggressive monetary easing.

Since the start of the year, the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) has slashed interest rates by 300 basis points, bringing the policy rate down to 7%.

The cuts have helped offset trade-related uncertainty while injecting much-needed liquidity into the economy, supporting equities and strengthening investor confidence in Mexican assets.

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Several individual stocks delivered eye-popping returns. Mining and materials firms, in particular, benefited from higher commodity prices and renewed global demand expectations.

Industrias Peñoles S.A. de C.V. (OTC:IPOAF) surged more than 260%. Gentera SAB DE CV (OTC:CMPRF)climbed over 100%.

CEMEX SAB DE CV Sponsored ADR (NYSE:CX) and Grupo México SAB DE CV (OTC:GPMXY) both rose more than 80%.

A Growing Disconnect From the Real Economy

Despite booming markets, Mexico's underlying economy tells a far less enthusiastic story.

Mexico's economy slipped into contraction in the third quarter, with GDP falling 0.2% after flat growth in the second quarter.

The slowdown led Banxico to cut its 2025 growth outlook to 0.3%. While the central bank projects a gradual rebound to 1.1% in 2026 and 2% in 2027, near-term economic momentum remains fragile.

Wall Street analysts remain cautious. Bank of America economist Carlos Capistran noted that consumption remains fragile, with year-to-date growth near 0.1%.

Declining remittances, modest formal job creation, slowing credit growth, and weak consumer confidence continue to weigh on the economy—despite support from government transfers and lower interest rates.

See Also: Buffett's Secret to Wealth? Private Real Estate—Get Institutional Access Yourself

What Could Change For The Mexican Economy In 2026?

Capistran pointed to potential upside catalysts.

He said, "Upside risks include the FIFA World Cup and the review and finalization of the USMCA, which could reduce trade-related uncertainty and support sentiment."

On policy, Capistran said, "If weakness persists, the central bank may continue cutting rates to stimulate demand."

For now, investors appear focused on falling rates and currency strength. Whether Mexico's economy can catch up with its booming markets remains the key question heading into 2026.

Read Next: Wall Street's $12B Real Estate Manager Is Opening Its Doors to Individual Investors — Without the Crowdfunding Middlemen

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This article Mexican Stocks Hammer Wall Street As Peso Notches Best Year Since 1993 originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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27.

GDP 'Nowhere Near' 4.3%: Rosenberg Dismisses Q3 Report As 'Fugazi,' Pegs Real Growth At 0.8%

2025-12-25 12:30:44 by Rishabh Mishra from Benzinga

While the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported a robust 4.3% annual increase in third-quarter real gross domestic product (GDP) on Tuesday, economist David Rosenberg is calling the headline number a “fugazi.”

The ‘Fugazi’ Factor

The president of Rosenberg Research argues that underlying economic weakness is being masked by government spending and depleted savings, calculating “true” growth at a meager 0.8%.

The official BEA release shows widespread gains, with real GDP accelerating from 3.8% in the second quarter to 4.3% in the third. The increase was driven primarily by consumer spending, exports, and government spending.

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However, Rosenberg contends these figures are misleading. “If you think the CPI data was manipulated, so was today's GDP report,” Rosenberg stated on X.

He argues that once government spending, shifting import data, and a “sharp drawdown” in the personal savings rate are stripped away, the economy is barely expanding. He specifically points to “flat personal disposable income growth” as a critical red flag contradicting the apparent consumption boom.

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Clash Of Narratives: Weakness Vs. Overheating

The report has sparked fierce debate among analysts interpreting the same data through vastly different lenses. While Rosenberg sees a hollow economy propped up by unsustainable spending, Gordon Johnson of GLJ Research sees a terrifying nominal boom.

Johnson highlights that nominal GDP (growth before adjusting for inflation) surged 8.2%, accompanied by a GDP price index reading of 3.8%—far hotter than the Fed’s target.

“Nominal growth in the U.S. is >8%… yet 10yr yields are AT JUST 4.17%?” Johnson questioned, arguing that the Federal Reserve's current easing cycle is “encouraging EVEN MORE inflation” in an economy that is overheating, not cooling.

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Inside The Q3 GDP Numbers

The official data support elements of both bearish views. The BEA confirmed that imports, which subtract from GDP, decreased, artificially boosting the headline number.

Meanwhile, the price index for gross domestic purchases accelerated to 3.4%, up from 2.0% in the previous quarter, lending credence to Johnson's inflation fears.

As markets digest the report, investors are left with a stark choice: believe the headline strength, Rosenberg's “fugazi” weakness, or Johnson's inflationary fire.

S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Gain Year-To-Date

After a series of federal and economic headwinds, the stock market remained resilient in 2025, with all three major U.S. benchmark indices advancing over the course of the year.

The S&P 500 was 17.74% higher, whereas the Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones gained 22.20% and 14.27%, respectively, on a year-to-date basis.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, closed higher on Tuesday. The SPY was up 0.46% at $687.96, while the QQQ advanced 0.47% to $622.11, according to Benzinga Pro data.

The futures of Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 indices were lower on Wednesday.

Read Next: From Moxy Hotels to $12B in Real Estate — The Firm Behind NYC's Trendiest Properties Is Letting Individual Investors In.

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This article GDP 'Nowhere Near' 4.3%: Rosenberg Dismisses Q3 Report As 'Fugazi,' Pegs Real Growth At 0.8% originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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28.

Exchange-Traded Funds Rise as US Equities Climb in Holiday-Shortened Session

2025-12-24 17:38:43 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV rose. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) added 0.3%.

US equity indexes rose ahead of the early close on Wednesday amid better-than-expected jobless claims data.

Energy

iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) were little changed.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 0.3%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) gained 0.3%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) climbed 0.3%.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) was little changed, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) added 0.2%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) rose 0.8% Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) advanced 2.1%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 2.2%.

Commodities

Crude oil rose 0.3%r, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) was little changed. Natural gas dropped 3%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) fell 2.6%.

Gold on Comex rose 0.1%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) fell 0.4%. Silver climbed 1.1%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) gained 0.3%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) added 0.7%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) also climbed.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) gained 0.3%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) rose 0.8%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) added 1.1%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) rose 0.5%, and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) gained; iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 0.6%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) rose 0.4%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) also gained.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) was down 0.4%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) shed 0.3%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was 0.9% lower, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) lost 0.6%.

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29.

Top-Performing International ETFs of 2025

2025-12-24 16:00:00 by Sanghamitra Saha from Zacks

Wall Street experienced quite a volatility in 2025, while international markets remained relatively stable or gained momentum. Trade uncertainty under the Trump U.S. administration has fueled concerns about rising inflation and a slowing U.S. economy, which has worked in favor of international markets. Agreed, international economies, too, faced uncertainties related to Trump tariffs, but the blow on their markets proved to be less severe than what it was for the U.S. market.

Tech Concentration Risks

Also note that the artificial intelligence (AI) behemoths of the United States — the magnificent seven stocks or the main driving factor of Wall Street in recent years — faced overvaluation concerns and investor worries about payoffs during the year, at times weighing heavily on tech-centric indexes. The Mag 7 group makes up about one-fourth of the S&P 500, while the tech stocks are also the heavier part of the Nasdaq 100.

Christoph Schon, lead principal of investment decision research at Danish investment management firm SimCorp, told CNBC last month that against the Mag-7, Europe’s STOXX Europe 600 has a more balanced structure, with its top 10 stocks making up only 17% of the index’s market cap and hail from diverse sectors like technology, healthcare, energy, finance, and consumer goods, as quoted on the same CNBC article.

2025 Performance Scorecard of U.S. & International ETFs

Note that Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF MAGS is up 23.9% so far this year (as of Dec. 19, 2025), while SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY has gained 16.4%. The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 QQQ is up about 21% while SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA has advanced 13.5% in 2025 so far.

Vanguard Tax Managed Fund FTSE Developed Markets ETF VEA is up 29.6% this year. Meanwhile, iShares Asia 50 ETF AIA has jumped about 40% in 2025, and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF EEM has advanced 28.6%. iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF EZU has jumped 36.2%. iShares MSCI ACWI ex US ETF ACWX has grown by 27.7% in price. It means all these international indexes fared better than the key U.S. indexes in 2025.

Apart From Diversification, What Drove International ETFs

Cheaper Valuation: Most international markets and ETFs were undervalued in comparison to U.S. stocks and ETFs. The P/E ratio (trailing twelve months) of  EZU stands at 17.68X (per Yahoo Finance), while its U.S. counterpart — Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO — trades at a P/E of 28.86X.

iShares MSCI Japan ETF EWJ has a P/E ratio of 16.33X. The ETF EEM trades at a P/E of 15.54X. iShares China Large-Cap ETF FXI trades at a P/E of 10.69X. iShares India 50 ETF INDY has a P/E of 22.18X while iShares MSCI Brazil ETF EWZ has a P/E of 10.50X.

Stimulus Abroad: The European Central Bank was on a rate-cut spree earlier in the year. Despite cutting rates at the start of 2025, the ECB halted policy easing due to trade uncertainty in the middle of the year. India and China have also been on a path of policy stimuli (either fiscal or monetary or both). Although the Bank of Japan has been hiking rates, the interest rate backdrop remains low.

In contrast, the United States took a different approach as the Department of Government Efficiency has prioritized budget cuts, reducing federal expenditures rather than expanding them. The Fed stayed put till August and enacted three rate cuts from September.

 Top-Performing International ETFs in Focus

Against this backdrop, below we highlight a few winning foreign exchange-traded funds (ETFs) of 2025. Investors should note that high-dividend ETFs outperformed.

First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund FDT – Up 46%, Yields 3.30% annually

The underlying NASDAQ AlphaDEX Developed Markets Ex-US Index is a modified market capitalization-weighted index that employs the AlphaDEX stock selection methodology to select stocks from the NASDAQ Developed Markets Ex-US Index. The key geographic holdings are Japan (29.13%), South Korea (14.01%) and Canada (12.40%).

iShares MSCI Israel ETF EIS – Up 45.1%, Yields 1.42% annually

The underlying MSCI Israel Capped Investable Market Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. It is a modified capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 99% of the total market capitalization.

iShares International Select Dividend ETF IDV – Up 42.4%, Yields 5.01% annually

The underlying Dow Jones EPAC Select Dividend Index measures the performance of a select group of equity securities issued by companies that have provided relatively high dividend yields on a consistent basis over time. The ETF is heavy on the U.K. (20.15%) and Italy (11.10%).

Invesco RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF PXF – Up 37.1%, Yields 2.96% annually

The underlying RAFI Fundamental Select Developed ex US 1000 Index tracks the performance of the largest developed market equities, excluding the United States, based on the following four fundamental measures of firm size: book value, cash flow, sales and dividends. Japan (23.35%) and the United Kingdom (11.36%) are the two top positions in the fund.

Global X MSCI SuperDividend EAFE ETF EFAS –Up 36.7%, Yields 4.91% annually

The underlying MSCI EAFE Top 50 Dividend Index invests in 50 of the highest-yielding equity securities from international developed markets across Europe, Australasia, and the Far East. France, Hong Kong, Britain and Italy have double-digit weights in the fund.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM): ETF Research Reports

iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ): ETF Research Reports

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF (EZU): ETF Research Reports

iShares India 50 ETF (INDY): ETF Research Reports

iShares International Select Dividend ETF (IDV): ETF Research Reports

iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA): ETF Research Reports

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA): ETF Research Reports

Invesco RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF (PXF): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Israel ETF (EIS): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX): ETF Research Reports

First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX ETF (FDT): ETF Research Reports

Global X Msci SuperDividend Eafe ETF (EFAS): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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30.

Exchange-Traded Funds Higher, Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Wednesday Ahead of Shortened Trading Week

2025-12-24 12:57:39 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.1% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.1% higher in Wednesday's premarket activity, ahead of a holiday-shortened trading week.

US stock futures were mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.02%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures flat before the start of regular trading.

US markets will close early at 1 pm ET Wednesday, remaining closed on Thursday for Christmas Day, and reopening Friday.

US mortgage applications fell 5% in the week ended Dec. 19 as both refinancing and purchase demand weakened despite lower 30-year fixed rates, Mortgage Bankers Association data showed Wednesday.

The weekly jobless claims bulletin will be released at 8:30 am ET.

The Atlanta Fed's Survey of Business Uncertainty is slated to release at 11 am ET.

The weekly Baker Hughes domestic oil-and-gas rig count logs at 1 pm ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 0.5%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 6% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) fell 6.4%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 3.8%.

Power Play:

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) was flat. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was flat, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) slipped 0.6%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was inactive.

Dynavax Technologies (DVAX) stock was up more than 38% premarket after Sanofi (SNY) said it has agreed to buy the company in a cash tender offer valued at about $2.20 billion. Sanofi stock was down 0.1%.

Winners and Losers:

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was flat, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) advanced 0.6%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) was flat. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) retreated 0.02%.

Nike (NKE) shares were up nearly 2% pre-bell as a filing showed that Apple (AAPL) Chief Executive Tim Cook bought roughly $3 million worth of Nike shares.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.04%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) were flat. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained 0.4%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) advanced by 0.1%.

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares were up more than 2% in recent premarket activity after the company said its BlueBird 6 satellite communications array has been successfully launched into orbit.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was inactive, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.1%.

BKV (BKV) stock was down 2% before Wednesday's opening bell after the company said Tuesday it filed a resale registration covering up to about 5.2 million shares that may be sold by a selling stockholder from time to time.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.2%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.1% higher.

BankUnited (BKU) shares were edging higher by 0.2% pre-bell after the company maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.31 per share.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) was flat, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) were inactive.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.5% at $58.62 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained 1.5% to reach $4.48 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) advanced by 0.1%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) rose by 1.6%.

Gold futures for February advanced by 0.4% to $4,521.30 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures rose by 1.4% to $72.32 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was down 0.2%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 1.1% higher.

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31.

Exchange-Traded Funds Mixed as US Equities Rise After Midday

2025-12-23 18:08:24 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded fund IWM fell and IVV rose. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) added 0.3%.

US equity indexes rose in midday trading on Tuesday, with communication services and technology topping sector charts amid mixed macroeconomic data.

Energy

iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) added 0.2% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) increased about 0.4%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 0.2%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was up 0.4%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) climbed 0.3%.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) was 0.9% lower, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) added 0.2%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) was 0.2% higher. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) advanced 0.7%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 0.7%.

Commodities

Crude oil was 0.4% higher, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) added 0.5%. Natural gas climbed 6.7%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) rose 4.7%.

Gold on Comex was 0.7% higher, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) rose 0.8%. Silver climbed 3.2%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was up 2.6%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) shed 0.3%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) were also pointing lower.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) slipped 0.3%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) rose 0.1%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) dropped 0.7%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) was down 0.1%, and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) also edged lower; iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) dipped 0.4%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) was 0.1% lower. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also falling.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) was down 1.1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) shed 1.2%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was 1.9% lower, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) lost 0.9%.

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32.

The Smartest Index ETF to Buy With $1,000 Right Now

2025-12-23 17:50:00 by Geoffrey Seiler, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

As the market enters its fourth year of the current bull market, investors may be wondering where to invest, or even if they should start to invest at all. There has been a lot of chatter about the market being overvalued and an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble.

However, I would tune out that noise, as there is rarely a perfect time to invest. Instead, I highly believe that the average investor should employ what is called a dollar-cost averaging strategy. This is simply investing a set amount of money regularly, like once a month, regardless of how the market is performing. This takes emotion and market timing out of the equation, and ultimately helps you build long-term wealth.

For example, if you start with $1,000 and continue to invest $1,000 each month into an exchange-traded fund (ETF) over 10 years, you'd have around $264,000 with a 15% return. However, the sooner you start and the longer you hold your investment, the better off you'll be. For example, hold an ETF over 30 years with the same return, and you'd have $5.6 million, with 94% of that coming from gains. That is the power of compounding.

Too often, people get scared of talk of market valuations and wait for a pullback that never comes. However, bull markets can last a long time. In fact, according to data compiled by the Carson Group, over the past 50 years, when the market has reached the third year of a bull market, it has reached a fourth year. Meanwhile, J.P. Morgan analysts found that the S&P 500 hits a new high about 7% of all trading days, and about a third of the time, it never sees the index trade lower.

That's a great reason to start investing and not wait for a pullback. The other reason is that even if you were to correctly predict a market pullback, you'd also have to pick the correct time to get into the market. J.P. Morgan found that the market's best days often come after some of its worst days, but if you missed the market's 10 best days over the past 20 years, your returns would be cut nearly in half.

As for the notion that we are in an AI bubble, I also don't find that convincing. AI appears to still be in its early innings, as many of the benefits of AI are still just emerging. Meanwhile, the companies leading the charge are some of the biggest tech companies on the planet, with strong balance sheets that generate robust free cash flow. They see how big the future opportunity can be, and they have the resources to chase it.

Many of these stocks are also reasonably priced. For example, Nvidia has a forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of only around 24 times 2026 analyst estimates, while Alphabet trades at a 27 times multiple and Amazon at 29 times. Those are not high valuations.

That's also why I think the best ETF to start investing in today is the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ).

A top tech-heavy ETF

The Invesco QQQ Trust tracks the Nasdaq-100 index, which is home to most of the U.S.'s top tech and growth stocks. Its portfolio is very heavily weighted to tech stocks, with about 64% of its portfolio in the sector. However, if you include companies like cloud computing giant Amazon and Tesla, which is chasing robotaxis and robots, its tech weighting rises to nearly three-quarters of its portfolio.

When you invest in the ETF, you're getting a portfolio loaded with top AI stocks. Its top nine holdings are all AI plays, and make up more than half its portfolio. Meanwhile, its historical performance has been top-notch. It's generated an average annual return of 19.3% over the past decade and has topped the S&P 500 on a rolling 12-month basis nearly 88% of the time.

If AI stocks continue to lead the way for the next decade, this is the ETF you want to invest in.

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, and Invesco QQQ Trust. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Smartest Index ETF to Buy With $1,000 Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool

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33.

Q3 GDP +4.3%: Consumer Carries Economic Heft

2025-12-23 15:15:00 by Mark Vickery from Zacks

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

We begin today’s pre-market trading session slightly in the red following a strong day of trading Monday, and following a slew of economic reports ahead of the bell they have begun to slide a bit deeper down. Ahead of these reports, the Dow and Nasdaq were both -15 points and the S&P 500 was -2. Currently, the Dow is -80 points, the Nasdaq -70 and the S&P 500 -12. The small-cap Russell 2000 is -6 points at this hour.

Q3 GDP Much Stronger Than Expected: +4.3%

Today’s delayed Q3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) came in at +4.3% this morning, well above the +3.2% analysts had been expecting. It’s also the strongest growth number in two years, and half a point higher than Q2’s +3.8%. Consumption led the way, +3.5%, well up from the +2.7% anticipated. The Price Index came in at +3.8%, more than 100 basis points (bps) higher than the expected +2.7% and the prior quarter’s +2.1%.

Core GDP in Q3 reached +2.9%, 30 bps ahead of expectations and the highest since Q1 notched +3.3%. These are all strong numbers for an economy that, due to the 6-plus-week federal government shutdown, was flying blind for a spell. Now we see that growth was even stronger than consensus had previously surmised.

Durable Goods Slide to Negative in October: -2.2%

Another delayed report this morning is the preliminary read on Durable Goods Orders, which for October reached -2.2%, below the -1.1% consensus estimate. This is now the fourth negative print of 2025 so far, but nowhere near as severe as June’s -9.4%, which was the lowest of the post-Covid economy. But we also saw a positive revision to the previous month +20 bps to +0.7%.

Strip out volatile Transportation costs, and we swing back to positive: +0.2% in October. Still, it’s the weakest showing since April of this year, and follows a slightly upwardly revised +0.7% from September. Non-Defense, ex-aircraft (a proxy for “normal” enterprise spending) came in at a decent +0.5%, down from the upwardly revised +1.1% the prior month. Shipment more than doubled expectations to +0.7%, with a previous-month revision up to +1.2%

What These Numbers Mean for the Market

Obviously, a return to stronger growth and productivity is good for the economy overall. However, it also adds to the likelihood that the Fed will put a pin in rate cuts going into the new year — specifically, at January’s FOMC meeting, which already was showing just a +24% chance of a cut prior to this release. But it does explain why market participants would be riding indexes lower ahead of today’s opening bell.

Once regular trading is underway today, December Consumer Confidence numbers are expected to improve to 91.7 from 88.7 posted last month. Minutes ahead of the bell, we’ll see Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization numbers from November, which are expected to come in relatively muted. But who knows? Maybe we’ll see some upward surprises there, as well.

Questions or comments about this article and/or author? Click here>>

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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34.

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Lower Pre-Bell Tuesday Amid Economic Reports

2025-12-23 14:02:04 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.02% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.1% lower in Tuesday's premarket activity, amid economic data releases.

US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.04%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.07%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.05% before the start of regular trading.

US gross domestic product grew at a 4.3% annual rate in Q3, exceeding expectations for a 3.3% increase and accelerating from a 3.8% rise in Q2.

US personal consumption expenditures prices rose 3.5% in Q3, topping forecasts for a 2.7% increase and up from a Q2 rise of 2.5%.

New orders for US durable goods fell 2.2% in October, a steeper decline than the 1.5% decrease expected, following a revised 0.7% increase in the prior month.

The Philadelphia Fed's December non-manufacturing activity index fell to negative 16.8, weaker than expectations for negative 15.0 and compared with negative 16.3 previously.

The Federal Reserve's monthly index of industrial production will be released at 9:15 am ET, followed by the Consumer Confidence report for December and the November new home sales at 10 am ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 0.6%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) retreated by 0.8%, Ether ETF (EETH) declined by 0.7%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 0.02% lower.

Power Play:

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was 0.02%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.2%.

Sable Offshore (SOC) stock was up more than 18% before Tuesday's opening bell after the company said that the US Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has approved its restart plan for the Las Flores Pipeline System.

Winners and Losers:

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.01%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was flat while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was flat.

Novo Nordisk (NVO) stock was up more than 8% premarket after the company said late Monday the US Food and Drug Administration approved the pill form of its Wegovy obesity drug.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.3% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was up 0.7% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was flat.

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) stock was up more than 8% before the opening bell after the company said late Monday its board of directors is reviewing competitive takeover proposals from multiple strategic parties as part of an advanced strategic review, but has rejected a revised offer from a management-led group as undervaluing the company.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 0.1%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.2% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.01%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) was down 1.2%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined by 0.2%.

Parsons (PSN) shares were up more than 3% in recent premarket activity after the company said that it was selected by VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority to complete the Advanced Rapid Transit program's final design for the VIA Rapid Silver Line in San Antonio, Texas.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) was flat. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 0.1%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.1% higher.

BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) shares were down more than 1% pre-bell. The company said Monday its ether holdings reached about 4.07 million tokens, representing roughly 3.37% of the circulating supply, as total crypto and cash holdings rose to $13.20 billion.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was flat, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was down 0.1%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) retreated 0.01%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.04%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 0.02% lower.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.2% at $58.16 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas rose 4.7% to $4.15 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased by 0.3%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) advanced by 2.7%.

Gold futures for February advanced by 1.2% to $4,524.20 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures rose by 1.6% to $69.65 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was up 1.2%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 1.8% higher.

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35.

Best-Performing Sector ETFs of 2025

2025-12-23 13:00:00 by Sanghamitra Saha from Zacks

The year 2025 began with post-election optimism and expectations of a strong first quarter. Instead, markets were hit by the rise of low-cost AI initiatives from China, the adverse impact on the U.S. Big Tech, Trump tariffs, sticky inflation, and persistently high interest rates. Stabilization in the market returned in the month of May after a tariff-led, turbulent April.

Market euphoria started to solidify from midyear, thanks to easing trade tensions. There have been three Fed rate cuts this year, with the action starting in September. That momentum faded suddenly when the longest U.S. government shutdown brought the fourth-quarter economic progress to a halt, and overvaluation concerns intensified in the AI space.

Even in mid-December, the AI market continued to face a tug of war between optimism and caution. Oracle’s $10 billion data center project in Michigan hit a roadblock (per Financial Times, as quoted on Yahoo Finance) after funding talks with Blue Owl stalled, weighing on tech stocks like Nvidia and Broadcom, while Micron’s strong earnings and upbeat AI demand forecast lifted its shares, highlighting the market’s mix of possibilities and perils.

Still, with all those worries, Wall Street has put up an upbeat show in 2025. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY has jumped 14.8% in the year-to-date frame (as of Dec. 17, 2025). The Nasdaq-100-heavy ETF Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 QQQ has surged 17.7%, and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA has advanced 13.2% in the year-to-date frame.

Against this backdrop, below we highlight a few sector-based winning exchange-traded funds (ETFs) of 2025.

Metal Mining

iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF SLVP – Up 189.9%

Global X Gold Explorers ETF GOEX – Up 172.7%

Sprott Junior Copper Miners ETF COPJ – Up 114.3%

2025 can be easily tagged as a year of metals and mining. Be it silver, gold or copper – prices surged. While gold prices soared due to the year-long safe-haven demand (in a counter to Trump tariff threats and AI overvaluation concerns), silver and copper prices rose due to high industrial demand and supply shocks.

Metals like copper, lithium, nickel, and rare earths saw soaring demand from electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy, and AI-related technologies. Mining production couldn’t keep up with the rapid rise in demand. Since mining stocks often act as leveraged plays of the underlying metal, the afore-mentioned ETFs soared in 2025.

Shipping

Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF BWET – Up 154.3%

The underlying Breakwave Tanker Futures Index follows the near-dated futures market on a constant rolling basis. The daily rates for chartering a vessel to transport commodities have soared this year, with oil tanker rates flying 467% higher, as shippers were hit by repeated route disruptions and sanctions, as quoted on oilprice.com.

Rare Earth

Sprott Critical Materials ETF SETM – Up 83.6%

VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Metals REMX – Up 79.6%

Many rare earth stocks climbed in 2025 as China tightened export controls in October and limited the supply of key elements like rare earth used in EV motors, magnets, defense tech and semiconductors. This created fears of shortages outside China. The restrictive export moves of China boosted rare-earth prices globally, boosting shares of miners and processors.

However, upon a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, in late October 2025, tensions eased.  China shipped 13% more rare-earth products in November (per Bloomberg) than in October, a sign of a more benign export regime.

Bitcoin Mining

CoinShares Bitcoin Mining ETF WGMI – Up 72.9%

Bitcoin prices soared from around $75,000 in April to a high of over $126,000 in October. When Bitcoin’s price rises, miners earn more — both from block rewards and from the Bitcoin they hold on their balance sheet. Higher BTC prices make revenue per mined coin more valuable, directly boosting profitability.

Cleantech

ProShares S&P Kensho Cleantech ETF CTEX – Up 71.6%

Clean energy and cleantech stocks grabbed investors’ attention this year. Some indices tracking renewable and green energy sectors reported much better returns compared with broader markets. Invesco Solar ETF TAN is up 40%, and Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF PBW has jumped about 49%. Rapid expansion of AI data centers has caused a surge in electricity demand, and to meet this insatiable demand, clean energy has come to the rescue. 

 

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Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports

Invesco Solar ETF (TAN): ETF Research Reports

Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF (PBW): ETF Research Reports

iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP): ETF Research Reports

Global X Gold Explorers ETF (GOEX): ETF Research Reports

VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Me (REMX): ETF Research Reports

ProShares S&P Kensho Cleantech ETF (CTEX): ETF Research Reports

Sprott Junior Copper Miners ETF (COPJ): ETF Research Reports

Sprott Critical Materials ETF (SETM): ETF Research Reports

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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36.

Could Buying the Invesco QQQ Trust Today Set You Up for Life?

2025-12-23 11:20:00 by Neil Patel, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

Investors don't always need to select individual stocks in order to take advantage of the market's compounding magic. This is where exchange-traded funds (ETFs) come into the picture. There are thousands of these investment vehicles on the market, giving investors access to whatever flavor they choose.

Among the sea of ETFs, though, a popular choice is the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ). It has performed extremely well in the past decade. And it's a good idea to take a closer look at what it can offer for a portfolio.

Can buying the Invesco QQQ Trust today set you up for life?

Owning 100 stocks means less diversification than the S&P 500

The S&P 500 is the index that gets the most attention because it represents about 80% of the entire U.S. stock market's capitalization. The benchmark contains 500 or so of the largest domestic companies. Investors who want hassle-free exposure to the stock market in a diversified manner focus on this index.

The Invesco QQQ Trust provides a vastly different setup. It tracks the performance of the 100 largest nonfinancial stocks that trade on the Nasdaq exchange. Investors in the QQQ Trust only own 20% of the number of businesses in the S&P 500, introducing more concentration.

This ETF focuses on innovative and disruptive companies that are pushing the world forward. With that kind of positioning, it's no surprise that the Invesco QQQ Trust skews toward technology. The "Magnificent Seven" make up 45% of the assets in this ETF.

There is exposure to other sectors, but in a less pronounced way. For instance, the energy and real estate sectors combined make up less than 1% of the Invesco QQQ Trust.

Investors who buy this ETF are essentially betting that these companies will continue to dominate. Moreover, they will be hopeful that powerful secular trends -- like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital advertising -- all have a bigger impact on the economy in the future. If your perspective doesn't agree with technology having more of an effect on the world, then perhaps the Invesco QQQ Trust isn't a smart choice.

Nonetheless, it's hard to argue with the fee structure. On a hypothetical $10,000 purchase of its shares, investors will only pay $20 annually. That translates to a 0.2% expense ratio, which is a compelling value proposition.

Will the Invesco QQQ Trust provide outsize returns?

We have yet to look at the Invesco QQQ Trust's past performance. Over the past decade, its total return was an impressive 477% (as of Dec. 18). This comes out to 19% per year. That's an unbelievable result, which has without a doubt been driven by the success and growth of tech-focused businesses that are targeting huge end markets with their products and services.

It's hard to predict how the ETF will fare in the years and decades ahead. Returns could be just as strong as they have been recently. Lots of capital has been flowing into passive investments, which adds buying pressure to the largest stocks. The ongoing trend of spending fueled by government debt and an ever-expanding money supply add a perpetual liquidity boost as well. These are tailwinds to keep in mind.

Taking a conservative view, assume the Invesco QQQ Trust's returns moderate. Putting a relatively small sum into this ETF today isn't going to set you up for life. But there are some levers you can pull to boost returns.

For starters, consider investing a larger amount up front. Second, think about dollar-cost averaging, adding more savings to the mix over time. And lastly, you could extend your time horizon, which will give compounding more of a runway to help grow your capital.

Neil Patel has positions in Invesco QQQ Trust. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Could Buying the Invesco QQQ Trust Today Set You Up for Life? was originally published by The Motley Fool

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37.

Exchange-Traded Funds Higher as US Equities Rise After Midday

2025-12-22 18:09:07 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV rose. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) added 0.6%.

US equity indexes rose in a broad-based rally, with materials and financials leading the sector charts in midday trading on Monday.

Energy

iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each added about 1.1%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 0.5%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was up 0.6%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) climbed 0.7%.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) was 1.9% higher, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) added 1.4%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) was 1.5% up. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) advanced 4.2%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 4.3%.

Commodities

Crude oil was 2.5% higher, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) added 2.3%. Natural gas dropped 2.8%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) fell 5.1%.

Gold on Comex was 1.9% higher, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) rose 2.3%. Silver climbed 1.6%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was up 2%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) shed 0.1%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) were mixed, with the latter rising 0.3%.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) climbed 1%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) fell 0.2%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) fell fractionally.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) was up 0.6%, and iShares US Healthcare (IYH) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) also edged higher; iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 1.6%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) was 1.1% higher. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also rising.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) was up 1.1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) rose 1.4%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was 1.4% higher, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) added 1.5%.

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38.

Invesco Shareholders Approve QQQ Reclassification to Open-End ETF

2025-12-22 15:36:00 by Zacks Equity Research from Zacks

Shareholders of Invesco Ltd.’s IVZ QQQ Trust, Series 1, have approved a proposal to reclassify Invesco QQQ into an open-end exchange-traded fund (ETF), along with a change in its governance structure to a board of trustees.

Rationale Behind Invesco’s Move

QQQ has operated under a legacy unit investment trust (UIT) structure since its 1999 launch, which helped establish the fund but now restricts reinvesting dividends, securities lending and other efficiencies. As ETFs have evolved, UITs have become costlier and less flexible. The reclassification aims to align QQQ with today’s open-end ETF model to unlock operational efficiencies and reduce expense ratio. This is also expected to drive revenues.

As part of the conversion, Invesco QQQ’s total expense ratio will be reduced to 0.18% from 0.20%, benefiting shareholders. The new structure will also allow the fund to reinvest income and engage in securities lending, with no tax consequences for investors.

Despite the structural changes, QQQ will continue to replicate the Nasdaq-100 Index and remain an integral part of Invesco’s QQQ Innovation Suite, enabling investors to customize their index exposure through a suite of 10 differentiated ETFs.

Andrew Schlossberg, president and CEO of Invesco, stated, “I want to thank the shareholders who voted to transform Invesco QQQ into a modern ETF format. We are proud to deliver a ten percent reduction in fees to QQQ investors while creating more flexibility to utilize tools that could deliver better outcomes for investors.”

This move aligns with Invesco’s efforts to grow its assets under management, which, in turn, would boost its revenues. Earlier this month, it collaborated with LGT Capital Partners to expand private markets access for U.S. wealth and retirement investors. In April 2025, the company collaborated with MassMutual’s subsidiary, Barings, to enhance private credit offerings.

Invesco’s Price Performance and Zacks Rank

Shares of IVZ have soared 80.8% in the past six months against the industry’s decline of 2.1%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

At present, Invesco sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Product Enhancement Efforts by Other Finance Firms

Last week, Truist Financial Corp. TFC introduced the electronic direct deposit switching feature to its digital onboarding process for clients, improving the ease and speed of new account openings.

In partnership with Atomic, Truist has fully integrated this capability into its digital account opening process, streamlining the transfer of direct deposits from other accounts. Since its launch in August, 19% of new digital applicants who used the feature have completed the switch.

The announcement aligns with Truist’s continued investments to deliver a more digitally enabled client experience and support long-term financial success.
 
Similarly, earlier this month, F.N.B. Corp. FNB introduced Payment Switch, a service that allows clients to automatically transfer their recurring Automated Clearing House and debit card payments to FNB through the FNB Direct Mobile Banking App.

As one of the first banks to roll out this service, Payment Switch simplifies customer onboarding and supports FNB’s strategy to become clients’ primary bank. Payment Switch complements the company’s Direct Deposit Switch by removing common obstacles when customers open a new account or switch banks. The automated service enables near-real-time updates of debit card or checking account payments across multiple merchants, all within the FNB Mobile Banking app, saving customers time and effort.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report

F.N.B. Corporation (FNB) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Truist Financial Corporation (TFC) : Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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39.

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Higher Pre-Bell Monday Amid Renewed Tech Confidence

2025-12-22 14:00:48 by MT Newswires from MT Newswires

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.5% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.7% higher in Monday's premarket activity, amid renewed confidence in technology stocks.

US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.4%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.6% before the start of regular trading.

The Chicago Fed's National Activity Index came in at negative 0.21 in September, compared with negative 0.31 in August and the consensus forecast of minus 0.17.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 2.2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 2.4% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 2.2%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 3.1%.

Power Play:

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated by 0.1%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was up 0.4%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) gained 0.3%.

Abivax (ABVX) stock was up more than 11% premarket after La Lettre reported that Eli Lilly (LLY) has entered early discussions with French authorities to explore a possible acquisition of the biotech firm. Eli Lilly stock gained by 0.3%.

Winners and Losers:

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced 0.8%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.7% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 1%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained 0.2%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 1.8%.

Clearwater Analytics (CWAN) shares were up more than 8% in recent premarket activity as the software-as-a-service company agreed to be acquired and taken private by an investor group led by Permira and Warburg Pincus in a deal worth about $8.40 billion.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.4% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) were inactive.

Rocket Lab (RKLB) stock was up more than 4% before the opening bell after the company said Sunday it successfully launched an Electron rocket to deploy a satellite for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, a Japan-based Earth imaging company.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was up 0.5%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) advanced by 0.8%.

Helix Energy Solutions (HLX) stock was up more than 3% before Monday's opening bell after the company said it was awarded a multi-year contract for riserless plug and abandonment operations on up to 34 subsea wells in the UK North Sea by a "major operator."

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.7%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ) was 0.4% lower.

Robinhood Markets (HOOD) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell Monday after Morgan Stanley lifted its price target to $147 from $146 while maintaining its equalweight rating.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was flat, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was up 0.1%. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) gained 0.5%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) advanced 0.4%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) increased marginally by 0.01%.

Ollie's Bargain Outlet (OLLI) shares were up nearly 2% pre-bell after Loop Capital upgraded the company's stock to buy from hold and lifted its price target to $135 from $130.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 2.2% at $57.78 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas gained 2.5% to reach $4.08 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) rose by 2.1%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) advanced by 0.7%.

Gold futures for February advanced by 1.6% to $4,457.80 an ounce on the Comex, and silver futures rose by 2.6% to $69.23 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was up 1.9%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 2.7% higher.

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40.

QQQ to Become an Open-End Fund

2025-12-22 05:01:00 by Emile Hallez from The Daily Upside

Who wants to be a unit investment trust, anyway?

Invesco finally got the votes it needed for its flagship $399 billion fund, QQQ, to be restructured from a unit investment trust to an open-end fund. The ETF had held several rounds of votes, though it only last week crossed the 51% shareholder approval it needed. For investors, the change will lead to lower fees, which are being reduced from 20 basis points to 18. And crucially for Invesco, it means a significant boost in annual revenue that until now had been off limits for the asset manager.

Oh, and it also means that shareholders won’t have to endure any more of the outreach blitz from third parties Invesco hired to encourage people to vote. Some shareholders (who presumably hadn’t voted) have been venting anonymously about the calls, comparing them to harassment, according to a report by the Financial Times. However, Invesco made clear in investor communications that once someone voted their shares, the calls would end.

“This [is] insane,” one Reddit user wrote. “I’ve had stalkers that are less invasive.” Yeesh.

SUBSCRIBE:  Receive more of our free ETF Upside newsletter. READ ALSO: The Year ETFs Couldn’t Stop Breaking Records and Advisors’ Favorite ETFs of 2025

Key to the Kingdom

A huge drawback to the dated unit investment trust model is that Invesco couldn’t use much of the revenue from the 26-year-old ETF for anything other than marketing. In proxy materials, the firm indicated it would dramatically reduce the advertising spend for QQQ, cutting it by at least half. (Expect to see fewer QQQ ads next year, sports fans.) Invesco, of course, is happy, with a planned 3 to 4 basis points, or more than $100 million in annual revenue, to be redirected. The reclassification allows Invesco to reinvest income and use securities lending, the company noted in an announcement. “We are proud to deliver a 10% reduction in fees to QQQ investors while creating more flexibility to utilize tools that could deliver better outcomes for investors,” Invesco president and CEO Andrew Schlossberg said.

QQQ has done well this year:

• The ETF, which tracks the Nasdaq 100, has returned over 20% year to date, while the S&P 500 is up over 16%.
• It has seen about $16 billion in net inflows so far this year, despite net outflows of around $1 billion in November, per Morningstar Direct. Over three years, it has taken in $50 billion.
• It’s the fourth-largest US ETF on the market, behind Vanguard’s $569 billion Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and ahead of Vanguard’s $206 billion Growth ETF (VUG), according to VettaFi.

Herding Cats: If nothing else, the exercise shows how challenging it can be for an asset manager to corral retail investors. Everyone, apart from recipients of ad revenue, is probably relieved this saga is over, and the end of calls will provide some peace and QQQuiet.

This post first appeared on The Daily Upside. To receive exclusive news and analysis of the rapidly evolving ETF landscape, built for advisors and capital allocators, subscribe to our free ETF Upside newsletter.

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41.

VOO vs. QQQ: Is S&P 500 Stability or Tech-Focused Growth the Better Choice for Investors?

2025-12-21 23:20:17 by Katie Brockman, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

The Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:VOO) are two of the most popular exchange-traded funds. Each offers exposure to large-cap U.S. stocks, but with distinct approaches.

QQQ tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index, which is heavily weighted toward technology, while VOO follows the S&P 500 Index. This comparison highlights key differences in cost, performance, risk, and portfolio construction to help investors decide which ETF may appeal more to their goals.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	QQQ	VOO
Issuer	Invesco	Vanguard
Expense ratio	0.20%	0.03%
1-yr return (as of Dec. 18, 2025)	13.66%	11.99%
Dividend yield	0.46%	1.12%
Beta (5Y monthly)	1.19	1.00
AUM	$403 billion	$1.5 trillion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

VOO stands out as the more affordable option, with a much lower expense ratio compared to QQQ. VOO also offers a higher dividend yield, which may appeal to income-focused investors.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	QQQ	VOO
Max drawdown (5 y)	-35.12%	-24.53%
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years	$1,959	$1,819

What's inside

VOO aims to replicate the S&P 500 Index, providing diversified exposure across 505 holdings. Its top sectors include technology (making up 37% of the fund's total assets), financial services (13%), and consumer cyclical (11%).

Its largest positions are Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft. With a fund age of more than 15 years, VOO offers a seasoned, broad-market approach without notable quirks or unusual restrictions.

QQQ, on the other hand, is concentrated in the NASDAQ-100, with 101 holdings and a strong tilt toward technology (55%), followed by communication services (17%), and consumer cyclicals (13%).

Its top three holdings match VOO's, but they each make up a larger percentage of the portfolio -- making it more top-heavy and growth-oriented than VOO.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investors

While VOO's broad-market focus aims for consistency and stability, QQQ's primary goal is growth. When deciding between the two funds, the best choice for you will depend on your risk tolerance and investing goals.

Because VOO tracks the S&P 500, it's much more diversified across sectors. Although it does have a notable tilt toward the technology sector, it's not as strong as QQQ's -- which can help reduce risk during periods of market volatility.

The downside to an S&P 500 ETF like VOO, however, is that it can't earn higher-than-average returns. It aims to simply follow the market, so its returns can only be average.

QQQ, on the other hand, is designed for above-average returns, focusing heavily on growth-oriented stocks. While that has resulted in higher earnings over the past five years compared to VOO, it's also led to steeper drawdowns and more significant price volatility.

More risk-averse investors may prefer VOO's S&P 500 stability, while those seeking higher total returns may opt for a growth fund like QQQ. Both ETFs are excellent choices for many investors, and considering your goals and risk tolerance can help you determine which one is the best fit for your portfolio.

Glossary

ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): An investment fund traded on stock exchanges, holding a basket of assets like stocks or bonds.
Expense ratio: The annual fee, as a percentage of assets, that a fund charges to cover operating costs.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by a fund or stock, expressed as a percentage of its current price.
Beta: A measure of an investment's volatility compared to the overall market; higher beta means more volatility.
AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of assets that a fund manages on behalf of investors.
Max drawdown: The largest percentage drop from a fund's peak value to its lowest point over a specific period.
NASDAQ-100 Index: A stock market index of 100 major non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ exchange, heavily weighted in technology.
S&P 500 Index: A stock market index tracking 500 leading publicly traded companies in the U.S., across various sectors.
Sector: A group of companies with similar business activities, such as technology, financial services, or consumer cyclicals.
Holdings: The individual stocks or assets that make up a fund or portfolio.
Drawdown: The decline in value from a fund's peak to its subsequent low, showing potential loss during downturns.

Katie Brockman has positions in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

VOO vs. QQQ: Is S&P 500 Stability or Tech-Focused Growth the Better Choice for Investors? was originally published by The Motley Fool

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42.

QLD vs. SPXL: Is Tech-Heavy Growth or S&P 500 Diversification Better for Investors?

2025-12-21 21:38:01 by Katie Brockman, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

The Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X Shares ETF (NYSEMKT:SPXL) and the ProShares - Ultra QQQ ETF (NYSEMKT:QLD) both offer amplified exposure to major U.S. stock indexes, but they differ meaningfully in sector focus, and holdings concentration.

Both funds are designed for aggressive traders seeking daily leveraged returns, but SPXL targets triple the daily S&P 500 performance, while QLD aims for double the daily move in the Nasdaq-100. This matchup pits broad blue chip exposure against a more tech-centric growth tilt, with both carrying outsized volatility and unique risks.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	SPXL	QLD
Issuer	Direxion	ProShares
Expense ratio	0.87%	0.95%
1-yr return (as of Dec. 17, 2025)	12.12%	12.27%
Dividend yield	0.75%	0.18%
Beta (5Y monthly)	3.07	2.42
AUM	$6.2 billion	$10.6 billion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

SPXL and QLD both carry expense ratios just under 1%, making them relatively costly compared to traditional index funds. SPXL offers a higher dividend yield, though both yields are modest. For short-term investments like these, fees and yield are likely not significant factors to consider.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	SPXL	QLD
Max drawdown (5 y)	-63.80%	-63.68%
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years	$3,025	$2,417

What's inside

QLD leans heavily on technology, with 55% of assets allocated to that sector, followed by communication services and consumer cyclicals. The fund holds just 101 stocks, with positions in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft making up a significant portion of assets. Like most leveraged funds, QLD resets its leverage daily -- meaning compounding can cause returns to diverge from exactly double the Nasdaq-100 over longer periods.

In contrast, SPXL spreads its exposure across more than 500 stocks, offering more diversification by sector and stock count. Its largest holdings match QLD's, but each makes up a much smaller share of the portfolio. SPXL also uses a daily leverage reset, which can magnify both gains and losses relative to the S&P 500.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investors

Leveraged ETFs can be lucrative, but they can also be incredibly volatile. Both QLD and SPXL have experienced their fair share of turbulence, with severe max drawdowns over the past year and higher betas suggesting significant price volatility.

The two funds have had similar performance, though SPXL has earned marginally higher returns over the last five years. The primary difference between them, then, comes down to diversification.

SPXL tracks the S&P 500, aiming to triple the index's daily returns. QLD is far more tech-focused, tracking the Nasdaq-100, but it only aims to double the index's daily performance.

This creates an interesting balance of risk and reward. The S&P 500 is more diversified than the Nasdaq-100, which can help mitigate some volatility but also limits potential earnings. However, SPXL's higher leverage factor compared to QLD can result in more lucrative returns, but with steeper drawdowns along the way. This results in two funds that have similar levels of risk and reward, but for different reasons.

When deciding where to buy, investors should consider what types of stocks they're seeking exposure to. Those looking for a more targeted approach to tech stocks may opt for QLD, while investors seeking magnified exposure to the S&P 500 might prefer SPXL.

Glossary

Leveraged fund: An investment fund using financial derivatives to amplify daily returns, increasing both potential gains and losses.
Daily leverage reset: The process of adjusting a fund's leverage each day to maintain its target multiple of index performance.
Expense ratio: The annual fee, as a percentage of assets, that investors pay to cover a fund's operating costs.
Dividend yield: The annual dividends paid by a fund, expressed as a percentage of its current share price.
Beta: A measure of a fund's volatility compared to the overall market, typically the S&P 500.
AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of assets that a fund manages on behalf of investors.
Max drawdown: The largest percentage drop from a fund's peak value to its lowest point over a specific period.
Total return: The investment's price change plus all dividends and distributions, assuming those payouts are reinvested.
Holdings concentration: The degree to which a fund's assets are invested in a small number of securities or sectors.
Nasdaq-100: An index of the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
S&P 500: An index tracking the performance of 500 large U.S. companies across various industries.
Compounding: The process where investment returns generate additional earnings over time, which can affect leveraged fund performance.

Katie Brockman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

QLD vs. SPXL: Is Tech-Heavy Growth or S&P 500 Diversification Better for Investors? was originally published by The Motley Fool

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43.

BlackRock’s IBIT Defies Bitcoin Slump to Beat Gold in 2025 ETF Flows

2025-12-21 16:30:00 by Oluwapelumi Adejumo from BeInCrypto

BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) is set to close 2025 as a top-tier force in the US financial landscape. The fund achieved a rare feat in asset management by raising billions of dollars while losing money for its investors.

Data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence confirms that IBIT secured the sixth spot on the US ETF leaderboard by net inflows.

Institutional ‘Dip Buying’ Drives $25 Billion into IBIT Despite Negative Returns

The fund attracted $25.4 billion in fresh capital throughout the year, outpacing traditional heavyweights such as the Invesco QQQ Trust and the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD).

This capital flood occurred despite a stark divergence in asset performance.

$IBIT is the only ETF on the 2025 Flow Leaderboard with a negative return for the year. CT's knee-jerk reaction is to whine about the return but the real takeaway is that is was 6th place DESPITE the negative return (Boomers putting on a HODL clinic). Even took in more than $GLD… pic.twitter.com/68uq3HFRuO

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) December 19, 2025

While gold surged nearly 65% in 2025—driven by central bank buying and geopolitical hedging—IBIT posted a year-to-date loss of 9.59%.

The fund’s performance suffered as Bitcoin retreated approximately 30% from its October record high of $126,173, trading near $88,000.

Typically, negative returns trigger capital flight.

However, IBIT’s ability to attract $25 billion during a correction signals a fundamental shift in investor behavior. It shows that institutional allocators are systematically buying the dip rather than panic-selling volatility.

Considering this, Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas characterized the inflows as a definitive bullish signal for the asset's long-term trajectory.

"IBIT is the only ETF on the 2025 Flow Leaderboard with a negative return for the year," Balchunas stated.

Meanwhile, James Thorne, Chief Market Strategist at Wellington-Altus, argues that these flows validate the "financialization" of Bitcoin.

According to him, the digital asset now behaves less like a speculative tech stock and more like a mature macro commodity.

"Watching how Bitcoin now trades, the market microstructure and narrative management increasingly resemble the way gold behaved for decades under heavy institutional influence, with price action reflecting not just fundamental demand, but also positioning, product design, and the preferences of large financial intermediaries," he added.

For the broader market, BlackRock IBIT’s 2025 performance proves that the Bitcoin ETF is not a fad. It has successfully entrenched itself in institutional portfolios, flipping gold as the preferred "alternative" allocation even when the precious metal vastly outperforms on price.

As the year ends with Bitcoin trading at a discount to its highs, the smart money is betting that the infrastructure BlackRock built will drive the next leg up.

Read original story BlackRock’s IBIT Defies Bitcoin Slump to Beat Gold in 2025 ETF Flows by Oluwapelumi Adejumo at beincrypto.com

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44.

Does QQQ's Tech-Focused Growth Outweigh SPY's S&P 500 Stability? What Investors Need to Know

2025-12-21 09:35:01 by Katie Brockman, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:QQQ) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT:SPY) are two of the most widely traded exchange-traded funds in the U.S., each tracking a different major index.

QQQ focuses on the NASDAQ-100, which skews toward technology and growth companies, while SPY mirrors the S&P 500, offering exposure to all eleven sectors. Here is how they stack up on cost, returns, and risk.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	QQQ	SPY
Issuer	Invesco	SPDR
Expense ratio	0.20%	0.09%
1-yr return (as of Dec. 20, 2025)	18.97%	15.13%
Dividend yield	0.46%	1.06%
Beta (5Y monthly)	1.19	1.00
AUM	$403 billion	$701 billion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

SPY is more affordable due to its lower expense ratio, and it also offers a higher dividend yield than QQQ -- which may appeal to cost-conscious or income-seeking investors.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	QQQ	SPY
Max drawdown (5 y)	-35.12%	-24.50%
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years	$1,990	$1,844

What's inside

SPY tracks the S&P 500 Index, holding 503 companies across all major sectors, with a notable tilt toward technology (35%), financial services (14%), and consumer discretionary (11%).

Its largest positions are Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple, and the fund has been operating for nearly 33 years -- making it the oldest U.S. ETF in existence. With no leverage, currency hedging, or other structural quirks, SPY is widely used for broad-market exposure.

QQQ, in contrast, tracks the NASDAQ-100 and is more concentrated in technology (55%), communication services (17%), and consumer cyclical (13%). Its top holdings match SPY's, but each stock makes up a larger portion of the portfolio. QQQ holds 101 stocks, offering a more growth-focused profile with less sector diversification than SPY.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investors

SPY and QQQ are fantastic investments in their own right, but the one that better fits your needs will depend on your goals.

SPY shines with its broad-market diversification, tracking the entire S&P 500 and including hundreds of stocks from the largest U.S. companies. While it does have a tilt toward the tech industry, it's not as heavy as QQQ's -- which can help limit the impact of tech stocks' inherent volatility.

This ETF also offers a higher dividend yield and a lower expense ratio than QQQ, meaning investors can earn more in passive dividend income while paying less in annual fees. For long-term investors seeking to maximize income and minimize costs, this can be a significant advantage.

The downside to SPY, however, is its lower returns. This fund aims to follow the market, making it impossible for it to earn above-average returns. QQQ, though, is designed to beat the market over time.

QQQ has outperformed SPY in both 12-month and five-year total returns, primarily due to its significant tech exposure. It's also more heavily weighted toward its top three earnings. Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple make up 25.57% of QQQ's total assets, compared to 20.70% for SPY. When these particular stocks are thriving, it can result in higher earnings for QQQ.

However, QQQ's greater volatility can be a risk to consider. With both a steeper max drawdown and higher beta than SPY, it's experienced more severe price fluctuations over the past five years. For investors willing to take on more risk for greater earning potential, QQQ could be a good fit. Those looking for a more stable and diversified ETF, though, may prefer SPY.

Glossary

Expense ratio: The annual fee, as a percentage of assets, that a fund charges to cover operating costs.
Dividend yield: The annual dividends paid by a fund, expressed as a percentage of its current price.
Beta: A measure of an investment's volatility compared to the overall market, typically the S&P 500.
AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of all assets managed by a fund.
Max drawdown: The largest percentage drop from a fund's peak value to its lowest point over a specific period.
ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): An investment fund traded on stock exchanges, holding a basket of assets like stocks or bonds.
Sector diversification: The spread of investments across different industry sectors to reduce risk.
NASDAQ-100: An index of 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange.
S&P 500: An index tracking the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S., representing the broader market.
Total return: The investment's price change plus all dividends and distributions, assuming those payouts are reinvested.
Leverage: The use of borrowed money to increase potential investment returns, often increasing risk.
Currency hedging: Strategies used to reduce the impact of currency fluctuations on investment returns.

Katie Brockman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Does QQQ's Tech-Focused Growth Outweigh SPY's S&P 500 Stability? What Investors Need to Know was originally published by The Motley Fool

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45.

Invesco (IVZ) Valuation Check After QQQ Overhaul, Lower Fees and New Digital Asset Initiatives

2025-12-20 21:15:53 by Simply Wall St from Simply Wall St.

The big catalyst for Invesco (IVZ) right now is shareholders greenlighting a makeover of its flagship QQQ fund into an open end ETF, cutting fees and modernizing its governance in one move.

See our latest analysis for Invesco.

That QQQ revamp lands at a time when the stock is already in gear, with a 30 day share price return of 17.8 percent feeding into a 62.7 percent one year total shareholder return that signals building momentum rather than a late stage spike.

If QQQ's refresh has you thinking about where growth and innovation show up next, it might be worth scanning fast growing stocks with high insider ownership for other compelling ideas beyond the big asset managers.

With IVZ now trading near its price target after a powerful run and fresh catalysts from QQQ, Solana exposure, and private markets, is this simply momentum catching up to fundamentals, or are investors underestimating the next leg of growth?

Most Popular Narrative Narrative: 30% Undervalued

With Invesco last closing at $27 and the most followed narrative pointing to fair value closer to $27.08, the market is already testing that upside.

The analysts have a consensus price target of $22.583 for Invesco based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $29.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $17.0.

Read the complete narrative.

Want to see how shrinking revenues, rising margins and a lower future earnings multiple can still justify higher value today? The narrative connects those moving parts. Curious which assumptions do the heavy lifting in that math? Read on and uncover the full valuation logic.

Result: Fair Value of $27.08 (UNDERVALUED)

Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts.

However, investors still face meaningful risks from fee compression and intensifying ETF competition, and any escalation could quickly erode the margin upside that this narrative assumes.

Find out about the key risks to this Invesco narrative.

Another Way to Look at Value

Step away from the narrative fair value, and the numbers look harsher. Our DCF model estimates Invesco’s value at about $12.32 per share, which makes the current $27 price appear high. Is the market correctly reflecting strategic momentum, or overlooking the implications for cash flow?

Look into how the SWS DCF model arrives at its fair value.

Simply Wall St performs a discounted cash flow (DCF) on every stock in the world every day (check out Invesco for example). We show the entire calculation in full. You can track the result in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted when this changes, or use our stock screener to discover 913 undervalued stocks based on their cash flows. If you save a screener we even alert you when new companies match - so you never miss a potential opportunity.

Build Your Own Invesco Narrative

If these conclusions do not quite fit your view, or you would rather test the assumptions yourself, you can build a custom narrative in minutes: Do it your way.

A great starting point for your Invesco research is our analysis highlighting 4 key rewards and 1 important warning sign that could impact your investment decision.

Ready for more investment ideas?

Before the next market move leaves you watching from the sidelines, put the Simply Wall Street Screener to work and line up your next set of opportunities.

• Capture potential mispricings by targeting companies that look cheap on cash flow with these 913 undervalued stocks based on cash flows and position yourself ahead of a value re rating.
• Ride structural trends in automation and machine learning by focusing on these 24 AI penny stocks that pair real revenue traction with credible long term growth paths.
• Strengthen your income stream by zeroing in on these 13 dividend stocks with yields > 3% that balance attractive yields with sustainable payout ratios and resilient business models.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include IVZ.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com

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46.

Is IVV or QQQ a Better Choice for Investors? How These Popular ETFs Compare on Risk and Returns

2025-12-20 12:20:06 by Katie Brockman, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:IVV) stands out for its lower fees, broader sector coverage, and higher yield, while the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:QQQ) emphasizes tech-heavy growth and recent outperformance.

Both funds rank among the largest and most liquid ETFs in the U.S. IVV targets the S&P 500, providing exposure to 500 leading U.S. companies across various industries, while QQQ tracks the NASDAQ-100, focusing on technology and growth names. Here’s how they compare on cost, performance, risk, and portfolio makeup.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric	QQQ	IVV
Issuer	Invesco	iShares
Expense ratio	0.20%	0.03%
1-yr return (as of Dec. 15, 2025)	15.08%	12.66%
Dividend yield	0.46%	1.13%
Beta (5Y monthly)	1.19	1.00
AUM	$403 billion	$733 billion

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

IVV is more affordable with a lower expense ratio than QQQ. It also pays out a higher dividend yield, which may appeal to income-focused investors.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric	QQQ	IVV
Max drawdown (5 y)	-35.12%	-24.52%
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years	$2,008	$1,878

What's inside

QQQ leans heavily into technology (55%), communication services (17%), and consumer cyclicals (13%), with top positions in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft. This tilt results in higher growth potential but also greater volatility and deeper drawdowns, especially during market corrections. QQQ holds just over 100 names, providing less sector diversification than IVV.

IVV tracks the S&P 500, holding 503 stocks across all major sectors, with the largest allocations to technology (34%), financial services (14%), and communication services (10%). Its top holdings match QQQ’s, but IVV’s portfolio is more diversified and less concentrated in tech. With over 25 years of history, IVV has established itself as a core holding for broad U.S. equity exposure.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investors

The primary difference between IVV and QQQ comes down to strategy.

IVV is a broad market fund that tracks the S&P 500 and aims to replicate the index's performance. QQQ, on the other hand, is a growth fund that's designed to earn above-average returns over time.

Between the two funds, IVV is the more stable. It offers more diversification than QQQ with more holdings and less of a tilt toward the technology industry, and it's also experienced a milder max drawdown with a lower beta -- indicating fewer price fluctuations over the last five years.

IVV also boasts both a lower expense ratio and a higher dividend yield. Investors can expect to pay $3 per year in fees for every $10,000 invested in IVV, compared to $20 per year with QQQ. IVV's higher yield can also be an advantage for income-focused investors.

Where QQQ shines, though, is its growth potential. It's earned higher one- and five-year returns than IVV, and over time, those additional earnings can add up significantly.

Both funds are powerhouse investments that could fit a wide variety of portfolios. Investors who prioritize consistency and diversification may opt for IVV's S&P 500 stability, while growth-oriented investors may prefer the higher returns offered by QQQ.

Glossary

ETF: Exchange-traded fund; a fund that trades on stock exchanges and holds a basket of assets like stocks or bonds.
Expense ratio: The annual fee, as a percentage of assets, that a fund charges to cover operating costs.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by a fund or stock divided by its current price, expressed as a percentage.
Beta: A measure of an investment's volatility compared to the overall market; 1.0 means equal volatility to the market.
AUM: Assets under management; the total market value of assets a fund or manager oversees.
Drawdown: The decline from a peak to a trough in the value of an investment, usually shown as a percentage.
S&P 500: A stock index tracking 500 large U.S. companies across various industries; a benchmark for U.S. equities.
NASDAQ-100: An index of the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, mainly tech-focused.
Sector diversification: Investing across different industry sectors to reduce risk from any single sector's poor performance.
Total return: The investment's price change plus all dividends and distributions, assuming those payouts are reinvested.
Growth of $1,000: How much a $1,000 investment would be worth after a set period, including price gains and dividends.

Katie Brockman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Is IVV or QQQ a Better Choice for Investors? How These Popular ETFs Compare on Risk and Returns was originally published by The Motley Fool

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47.

This ETF Is Set To Beat the S&P 500 For the Third Year in a Row. Can It Do Again in 2026?

2025-12-20 00:05:00 by Jeremy Bowman, The Motley Fool from Motley Fool

An S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) ETF might be the gold standard of investing. Even the world's most successful investors like Warren Buffett swear by it, and plenty of hedge funds keep S&P 500 ETFs in their portfolios.

The index tracks 500 of the top U.S. stocks, as chosen by S&P Global, and the index manager updates the membership quarterly, ensuring that chronic underperformers are removed from the index and that rising stars are added.

Over its history, the S&P 500 has returned an annual average of 9% with dividends included, making it a reliable way to grow wealth over the long term. However, in recent years and even through the entire 2000s, the S&P 500 has been bested by another index fund. That's the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ), which tracks the Nasdaq-100, an index that holds the 100 most valuable non-financial companies on the Nasdaq.

The Invesco QQQ ETF also has a stellar track record, and it's on its way to outperforming the S&P 500 for the third year in a row.

The table shows how the two investments have done since the end of 2022.

Year	S&P 500 gains	QQQ gains
2023	24.2%	54.9%
2024	23.3%	25.6%
2025 (YTD)	14.3%	21.6%

As you can see, the QQQ got out to a blistering start in the AI era, bouncing back from a 33% decline in 2022. Since the start of 2023, the ETF has jumped 130%, compared to just a 77% gain for the S&P 500.

But what does that mean for 2026? Will QQQ's winning ways continue, or is it on track for a correction?

A history of outperformance

The QQQ hasn't just been a winner over the last three years. It's also been a top investment this century.

Dating back to 2000, a period that includes the dot-com bust, the QQQ has still outperformed the S&P 500. As you can see from the chart below, the ETF passed the S&P 500 in 2019 and hasn't looked back since, significantly extending its lead over the last three years.

The recovery and surge in the QQQ over the last decade are a reflection of the emergence of the tech sector, which should continue to take up a greater share of the stock market's value over the long term as technology advances in ways we haven't even imagined.

The Nasdaq-100 isn't exclusively to tech stocks, but the sector does make up 64% of the fund, with consumer discretionary as the next largest segment at 18.3%. Its top five holdings include Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Broadcom. Those are similar to the top holdings of the S&P 500, but the QQQ has an even larger concentration in those stocks than the S&P 500.

Can it outperform in 2026?

Whether the QQQ can outperform again in 2026 likely depends on the broader market trends, including whether AI stocks keep gaining.

However, the fund's valuation still looks reasonable at a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.7, which compares to the S&P 500 at 27.4.

The volatility of the tech sector can swing both ways. The Nasdaq-100 has fallen further than the S&P 500 during times like the dot-com bust, 2008, and 2022, but during bull markets, it has a history of outperforming.

For long-term investors, buying some shares of the QQQ makes sense, even at a time when it might seem to have a premium valuation. Tech stocks like the "Magnificent Seven" and the semiconductor sector are growing rapidly and look poised to deliver more gains in 2026.

Overall, the QQQ looks more likely than not to beat the S&P 500 next year.

e

Jeremy Bowman has positions in Broadcom and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and S&P Global. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

This ETF Is Set To Beat the S&P 500 For the Third Year in a Row. Can It Do Again in 2026? was originally published by The Motley Fool

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48.

The Nasdaq-100 ETF Just Flashed a Bearish Chart Signal. Here’s What Happens Next.

2025-12-19 16:09:23 by Barchart Insights from Barchart

On the date of publication, Barchart Insights did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com

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49.

Dear Western Digital Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for Dec. 22

2025-12-19 16:00:02 by Anushka Dutta from Barchart

On the date of publication, Anushka Dutta did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com

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50.

Invesco Unlocks $180 Million Windfall After QQQ Vote Passes

2025-12-19 14:12:59 by Katie Greifeld from Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Owners of Invesco Ltd.’s famed tech fund QQQ voted to convert the product into an open-ended structure, a move that could unlock hundreds of millions in annual revenue for the asset manager. 

Shareholders of the $402 billion Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 approved changing the fund’s structure from a unit investment trust, which is a little-used structure dating back to the birth of the first exchange-traded funds in the 1990s, an Invesco spokesperson said Friday. 

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Subject to board approval, Invesco will now lower QQQ’s expense ratio by two basis points to 0.18% given that the item, along with two others, were approved. Invesco expects QQQ to begin trading as an open-end fund on Dec. 22, according to a press release.

Invesco shares have surged by more than 50% since the asset manager filed its proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in mid-July in anticipation of Friday’s vote. 

The technical tweak to QQQ has enormous consequences for Invesco. Chief Financial Officer Allison Dukes said on the company’s July earnings call that transforming QQQ into an ETF could benefit net revenue and adjusted operating income by about four basis points — or roughly $180 million at current asset levels, according to Bloomberg Intelligence’s Neil Sipes. 

In its current investment trust format, Invesco sees virtually none of the substantial fee revenue that QQQ generates. With about $402 billion in assets and an expense ratio currently of 0.2%, a back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that QQQ generates roughly $800 million in annual fee revenue, data compiled by Bloomberg and Bloomberg Intelligence showed.

Currently, the bulk of that is divided between the fund’s trustee — the Bank of New York Mellon — and the provider of the underlying index, which is Nasdaq, while the rest is spent on marketing QQQ. But a conversion would allow Invesco to reorder the revenue breakdown.

Friday’s successful vote marks Invesco’s third attempt to meet the threshold needed to convert QQQ into the ETF structure. Earlier this month, the firm said in a Securities and Exchange filing that it had been “very close to that threshold,” with more than 50% of shareholders voting in favor of conversion.

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