Top-Performing ETF Areas of August That Are Up At Least 20%

Market Performance - The S&P 500 recorded a 1.5% gain in August, marking its fourth consecutive month of increases, with a record high achieved during the month [1] - The Dow Jones rose by 3.2% in August, also reflecting its fourth successive monthly increase [1] - The Nasdaq experienced a 1.6% gain, achieving its fifth consecutive monthly rise, the longest winning streak in nearly a year and a half [2] - Small-cap stocks, represented by the Russell 2000, surged approximately 7% in August, marking its fourth consecutive monthly gain and the strongest streak in over four years [2] Economic Indicators - Core inflation in the U.S. was reported at 2.9% seasonally adjusted in July, meeting estimates but higher than June, raising concerns as it remains above the Fed's 2% target [3] - Consumer sentiment fell to a three-month low in August, driven by tariff-related concerns and inflation expectations [4] - Despite the inflation data, there is an 86.4% chance of a quarter-point rate cut in September, indicating market confidence in a potential easing of monetary policy [5] Sector Analysis - The tech sector faced volatility in late August, with fears of an AI bubble impacting market sentiment [6] - Major tech stocks experienced declines on the last day of August, with NVIDIA down over 3.3%, Tesla down 3.5%, Meta down 1.7%, and Amazon down over 1.1% [7] Investment Opportunities - The Roundhill Cannabis ETF (WEED) surged 91.3% in August, while the Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (CNBS) rose 83.2%, driven by speculation of potential reclassification of marijuana [9] - The KraneShares SSE STAR Market 50 Index ETF (KSTR) increased by 29.7%, focusing on the largest companies on the SSE Science and Technology Innovation Board [11] - The Sprott Active Gold & Silver Miners ETF (GBUG) rose 25.5%, targeting investments in gold and silver mining companies [12] - The VanEck ChiNext ETF (CNXT) gained 25%, tracking the performance of major China A-share stocks [13] - The CoinShares Bitcoin Mining ETF (WGMI) increased by 23.9%, providing exposure to companies involved in bitcoin mining operations [14]