Inflation Data - The U.S. annual inflation rate accelerated to 2.9% in August 2025, the highest since January, after remaining at 2.7% in June and July [2] - On a monthly basis, the CPI rose 0.4%, exceeding forecasts of 0.3%, driven by persistent gasoline prices and stronger food inflation [3] - Core inflation remained steady at 3.1%, with a monthly increase in core CPI of 0.3%, consistent with July's growth [4] Economic Indicators - The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.3% in Q2 of 2025, rebounding from a 0.5% contraction in Q1, with the figure revised slightly higher from the first estimate of 3% [6] - For Q3 of 2025, total S&P 500 index earnings are expected to increase by 5.1% year-over-year, supported by a 5.9% rise in revenues, with positive revisions trends noted [7] Federal Reserve Policy - There is a 92.5% chance of a 25-basis point rate cut in the September meeting, while the likelihood of a 50-basis point cut is 7.5%, with expectations shifting due to the recent inflation data [8] Investment Opportunities - In light of the economic conditions and potential moderate rate cuts, several large-cap blend ETFs are highlighted as attractive options, including: - First Trust Dow 30 Equal Weight ETF (EDOW) – Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [9] - iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) – Zacks Rank 2 [9] - iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) – Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [9] - iShares S&P 100 ETF (OEF) – Zacks Rank 2 [9] - Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) – Zacks Rank 2 [10]

Core Insights - The ALPS Equal Sector Weight ETF (EQL) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market and has assets over $557 million, making it an average-sized ETF in this category [1] - Large cap companies, with market capitalizations above $10 billion, are considered more stable and less volatile compared to mid and small cap companies [2] - The ETF has an annual operating expense of 0.25% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.7% [3] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has the heaviest allocation to the Energy sector, with a significant portion of the portfolio dedicated to it, followed by Industrials and Materials [4] - The Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) accounts for approximately 9.77% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings representing about 91.65% of total assets under management [5] Performance Metrics - EQL aims to match the performance of the NYSE Select Sector Equal Weight Index, which includes various sectors such as Consumer Discretionary, Technology, and Health Care [6] - The ETF has returned roughly 10.72% year-to-date and 13.36% over the past year, with a trading range between $37.36 and $45.87 in the last 52 weeks [7] - It has a beta of 0.91 and a standard deviation of 14.44% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [7] Alternatives and Market Position - EQL holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating favorable expected returns and expense ratios [8] - Other ETFs in the same space include iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), which have significantly larger assets of $674.11 billion and $749.17 billion respectively, both with an expense ratio of 0.03% [9] Investment Trends - There is a growing trend among retail and institutional investors towards passively managed ETFs due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency, making them suitable for long-term investment strategies [10]

Core Insights - The Invesco S&P MidCap 400 GARP ETF (GRPM) is a smart beta ETF launched on December 3, 2010, providing exposure to the Mid Cap Blend category [1] - GRPM aims to match the performance of the S&P MIDCAP 400 GARP INDEX, focusing on companies with consistent growth, reasonable valuation, and strong financial strength [5] Fund Overview - Managed by Invesco, GRPM has accumulated over $453.39 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.81% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The largest sector allocation for GRPM is Financials at approximately 27.1%, followed by Consumer Discretionary and Information Technology [7] - Celsius Holdings Inc (CELH) is the top holding at about 3.35% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings comprising around 25.19% of total assets [8] Performance Metrics - As of September 12, 2025, GRPM has gained about 8.5% year-to-date and 11.64% over the past year, with a trading range between $90.38 and $126.41 in the last 52 weeks [10] - The ETF has a beta of 1.11 and a standard deviation of 21.45% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification with around 60 holdings [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Mid Cap Blend space include Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) and iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH), with VO having $88.88 billion and IJH $101.6 billion in assets [12] - VO has a lower expense ratio of 0.04% compared to GRPM, making it a potentially cheaper option for investors [12]

Group 1 - The iShares Dow Jones U.S. ETF (IYY) offers passive float-market-cap-weighted exposure to over 1,000 U.S. securities, covering approximately 95% of the domestic stock market [1] - IYY has an expense ratio of 0.20%, which is not the lowest among broad-market ETFs, but it has provided shareholders with positive returns [1] - The Sunday Investor has completed educational requirements for the Chartered Investment Manager designation and is on track to become a licensed options and derivatives trading advisor, focusing on U.S. Equity ETFs [1]

Core Insights - The U.S. government bonds and the TLT ETF are currently in a trading range, with long-term interest rates closer to the lows than the highs since early 2024, awaiting further economic developments [1][4] - Rising U.S. debt levels could lead to selling in the bond market, potentially causing TLT to decline, while successful economic initiatives could result in a rally for TLT [1] - As of July 23, 2025, the U.S. 30-year Treasury bonds were trading at 113-12, and the TLT ETF was at $85.97 per share, both showing upward movement since that date [2] Bond Market Trends - The U.S. 30-year Treasury Bond futures have been trading in a narrow range since 2024 and 2025, remaining close to the lower end of a bearish trend established since the pandemic high in March 2020 [3] - The long bond futures have seen a decline from a high of 191-22 in March 2020 to a low of 107-04 in October 2023, with a trading range of 110-01 to 127-22 since December 2023 [4] TLT ETF Performance - The iShares 20+Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) tracks U.S. government long-term interest rates and is a highly liquid investment product [5] - TLT has experienced a decline from a high of $179.70 in March 2020 to a low of $82.42 in October 2023, trading within a range of $83.30 to $101.64 since December 2023 [6] - As of September 2025, TLT is trading at $89.40, which is below the midpoint of its nearly two-year trading range [6]

Group 1 - The iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) experienced a significant outflow of approximately $141.5 million, representing a 1.7% decrease in shares outstanding week over week, from 168,700,000 to 165,900,000 [1] - FLOT's 52-week price range is between $49.63 and $50.74, with the last trade recorded at $50.57, indicating a close proximity to its 52-week high [1] - The 200-day moving average is a useful technical analysis tool for evaluating FLOT's price performance [1] Group 2 - Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) operate similarly to stocks, with investors buying and selling "units" that can be created or destroyed based on demand [2] - Monitoring week-over-week changes in shares outstanding helps identify ETFs with notable inflows or outflows, which can impact the underlying holdings [2]

Core Insights - The article discusses the performance of U.S. diversified ETFs in 2025, highlighting that nearly all actively traded ETFs are up, with a few exceptions that are underperforming [1][2][3] Performance Overview - As of September 10, 2025, 276 out of 282 U.S. diversified funds with an average daily volume of at least 50,000 shares have positive returns, while only six ETFs are down [2][3] - The S&P 500 has returned over 11.5% this year, including dividends, indicating a strong market performance [3] Underperforming ETFs - The ETFs that have lost value include Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (SVOL) at -3.08%, Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) at -2.95%, and Direxion HCM Tactical Enhance U.S. Equity Strategy ETF (HCMT) at -1.83% [10] - Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF's strategy involves shifting between equities and cash based on market signals, which has resulted in a negative return of nearly 3% this year [4][6] Market Timing Issues - Todd Rosenbluth from TMX Vetta Fi notes that some ETFs struggled due to incorrect market timing strategies, which led to missed opportunities in a rising market [3][6] - Staying invested in equities has proven to be more beneficial than attempting to time the market, as evidenced by the S&P MidCap 400's increase of over 4.6% this year [6] Sector Exposure Risks - The Invesco S&P SmallCap High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (XSHD) has a significant exposure to real estate, comprising over 50% of its holdings, which has negatively impacted its performance [7][8] - In contrast, the Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF (VIOO) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) have lower real estate exposure and have performed better, returning over 3% and nearly 8% respectively [8]

Core Viewpoint - The Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) offers investors exposure to small-cap growth stocks while focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, aiming to outperform traditional market cap weighted indexes [1][5]. Fund Overview - NUSC debuted on December 13, 2016, and has accumulated over $1.18 billion in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in the small-cap growth category [1][5]. - The fund seeks to replicate the performance of the TIAA ESG Small-Cap Index, which includes equity securities from small-cap companies listed on U.S. exchanges [5]. Cost Structure - NUSC has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.31%, which is competitive within its peer group, and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.10% [6]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF's largest sector allocation is in Industrials at approximately 18.3%, followed by Financials and Consumer Discretionary [7]. - Comfort Systems USA Inc (FIX) is the top holding at about 1.48% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings comprising around 9.94% of total assets under management [8]. Performance Metrics - As of September 11, 2025, NUSC has a return of approximately 3.84% and has increased by about 9.22% year-to-date [10]. - The fund has traded between $33.38 and $46.20 over the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.08 and a standard deviation of 20.74% over the trailing three-year period [10]. Alternatives - Other ETFs in the small-cap growth space include Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) and iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU), which have larger asset bases and lower expense ratios [12].

The iShares ESG Select Screened S&P 500 ETF (BATS: XVV ) applies an ESG screen on the S&P 500 and hence does not deviate far from it. So far, the ESG screen has helped generate minor basisI am a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management. My focus is on equity valuation, market trends, and portfolio optimization to uncover high-growth investment opportunities. As a former Vice President at Barclays, I led teams in model validation, stress ...

The iShares ESG Select Screened S&P 500 ETF (BATS: XVV ) applies an ESG screen on the S&P 500 and hence does not deviate far from it. So far, the ESG screen has helped generate minor basisI am a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management. My focus is on equity valuation, market trends, and portfolio optimization to uncover high-growth investment opportunities. As a former Vice President at Barclays, I led teams in model validation, stress ...