Core Viewpoint - The First Trust Consumer Staples AlphaDEX ETF (FXG) is a smart beta ETF that aims to provide broad exposure to the Consumer Staples sector, utilizing a modified equal-dollar weighted index to potentially outperform traditional passive indices [1][5][6]. Fund Overview - FXG was launched on May 8, 2007, and has accumulated assets exceeding $284.05 million, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF in the Consumer Staples sector [1][5]. - The fund is managed by First Trust Advisors and seeks to match the performance of the StrataQuant Consumer Staples Index before fees and expenses [5]. Investment Strategy - FXG employs the AlphaDEX screening methodology to select stocks from the Russell 1000 Index, aiming to identify those with better risk-return performance based on fundamental characteristics [6][3]. - The fund's operating expenses are 0.62%, making it one of the more expensive options in the ETF space, with a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.24% [7]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - The fund has a significant allocation to the Consumer Staples sector, representing 87.7% of the portfolio, with Healthcare and Materials as the next largest sectors [8]. - Pilgrim's Pride Corporation (PPC) is the largest holding at approximately 4.56% of total assets, followed by The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC) and Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP). The top 10 holdings constitute about 40.2% of total assets [9]. Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, FXG has returned approximately 1.03% and is down about -3.4% over the last 12 months as of September 11, 2025. The fund has traded between $61.21 and $70.06 in the past 52 weeks [11]. - FXG has a beta of 0.57 and a standard deviation of 12.82% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk with more concentrated exposure than its peers [11]. Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Consumer Staples space include the Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP), which have significantly larger asset bases of $7.46 billion and $15.98 billion, respectively, and lower expense ratios of 0.09% and 0.08% [13].

Group 1 - The individual has developed an investment philosophy focused on high-quality U.S.-based growth stocks, low-cost diversified index funds, and select alternative assets like gold, silver, and cryptocurrency [1] - The portfolio is designed for long-term compounding, balancing conviction in individual companies with broad market exposure [1] - The individual specializes in analytics, data governance, and technology-driven problem-solving within a large private CPG firm, providing an edge in understanding large-cap technology companies [1] Group 2 - The individual has a strong foundation in fundamental analysis, accounting, and portfolio construction, gained through an MBA in Finance [1] - The engagement with the Seeking Alpha community has led to a desire to contribute research and perspectives for younger investors [1]

Precious Metals - Gold and silver ETFs have performed well YTD, with the Wisdomtree Efficient Gold Plus Gold Miners Strategy Fund (GDMN) leading at a 127% increase [2] - The iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING) and iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP) are up 98% and 97% respectively, while the Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) is up 89% [2] Defense & Space - Global instability and defense modernization are driving military spending, particularly in Europe, where NATO has increased spending goals from 2% to 5% of GDP [3] - The Select STOXX European Aerospace & Defense ETF (EUAD) has risen 75% YTD, while the Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD) has a 67% YTD return [4] Critical Minerals & Metals - The theme of critical minerals and metals has shown strong returns, with the VanEck Rare Earth & Strategic Metals ETF (REMX) up 56% YTD and $750 million in assets [6] - The Sprott Critical Materials ETF (SETM) offers an alternative with only 4% exposure to China and a YTD return of 45% [6] Nuclear & Uranium - Nuclear energy is experiencing a revival due to rising electricity demand, with the Global X Uranium ETF (URA) up 52% YTD [8] - The VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NLR) and Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ) have also shown strong performance, up 46% and 42% respectively [9] Cannabis - Cannabis ETFs have rallied on the prospect of deregulation, with the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (YOLO) leading at a 35% increase YTD [11] - Other notable ETFs in this category include the Roundhill Cannabis ETF (WEED) and Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (CNBS) [11] Video Gaming - The video gaming sector has benefited from the success of the Nintendo Switch 2 and anticipated releases like Grand Theft Auto 6, with the Amplify Video Game Leaders ETF (GAMR) up 39% YTD [13] - Other ETFs in this space include the Global X Video Games & Esports ETF (HERO) and VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO), up 38% and 37% respectively [13] Electric Vehicles - Electric vehicle sales are surging, with a 21% YOY increase globally, driven by 50% market adoption in China [14] - The KraneShares Electric Vehicles and Future Mobility Index ETF (KARS) and Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (BATT) have seen YTD increases of 28% and 26% respectively [14]

Group 1 - The technology sector is favored by financial media, retail investors, and sell-side firms, particularly due to its association with AI and the Magnificent Seven stocks [1] - Invesco QQQ Trust is a leading tech-focused ETF with $364.41 billion in assets under management, heavily weighted towards the Magnificent Seven stocks, with NVIDIA being the largest holding at 9.95% [2] - The top 10 holdings of QQQ account for 52.2% of the portfolio, indicating a concentration risk [3] Group 2 - The Communication Services sector has shown strong performance since the S&P 500's rebalancing in September 2018, finishing in the top three sectors four times and achieving an average annual return of 16.33% [4][5] - In 2023, the Communication Services sector has a year-to-date gain of 18.60%, outperforming all other sectors [6] - The sector combines growth potential, consistent consumer demand, and defensive characteristics during market downturns [7] Group 3 - The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC) has gained 127.41% since its launch in June 2018, outperforming QQQ's 91.69% increase over the same period [10] - XLC has lower assets under management at $26.14 billion but offers a lower expense ratio of 0.08% and a higher dividend yield of 0.92% compared to QQQ [11] - XLC's largest holding, Meta Platforms, has an 18.81% weighting, contributing to greater diversification and lower implied volatility of 10.9% compared to QQQ's 17.45% [12] Group 4 - XLC is currently trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 19.40, which is considered fair in a market with high valuations, while QQQ's P/E is 33.33 [13] - XLC has seen a significant decrease in short interest, dropping from 12-14 million shares in July to 5.8 million shares, indicating a reduction in bearish sentiment [15][16] - Institutional buying has outpaced selling, with inflows of $21.59 million exceeding outflows of $2.77 billion over the past 12 months [17]

Group 1 - The article discusses the author's journey into investing, starting in high school in 2011, focusing on REITs, preferred stocks, and high-yield bonds, indicating a long-standing interest in markets and the economy [1] - The author has recently adopted a strategy that combines long stock positions with covered calls and cash secured puts, emphasizing a fundamental long-term investment approach [1] - The author primarily covers REITs and financials on Seeking Alpha, with occasional articles on ETFs and other stocks influenced by macro trade ideas [1]

Core Insights - The Invesco KBW High Dividend Yield Financial ETF (KBWD) is a smart beta ETF launched on December 2, 2010, providing broad exposure to the Financials sector [1] - KBWD aims to match the performance of the KBW Nasdaq Financial Sector Dividend Yield Index, which includes 24 to 40 publicly listed financial companies in the US [5][6] - The ETF has an annual operating expense of 2.02% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 12.28% [7] Fund Overview - Managed by Invesco, KBWD has assets exceeding $430.92 million, categorizing it as an average-sized ETF in the Financials sector [5] - The fund's portfolio is entirely allocated to the Financials sector, with top holdings including Orchid Island Capital Inc (4.77%), Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc, and Dynex Capital Inc [8][9] Performance Metrics - As of September 10, 2025, KBWD has returned approximately 5.07% year-to-date and 5.82% over the past year, with a trading range between $12.37 and $15.76 in the last 52 weeks [11] - The fund has a beta of 1.15 and a standard deviation of 20.69% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [11] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Financials sector include Vanguard Financials ETF (VFH) with $12.89 billion in assets and Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) with $54.53 billion [13] - VFH has an expense ratio of 0.09% and XLF has 0.08%, presenting lower-cost options for investors [13]

Core Insights - The First Trust Dow Jones Internet ETF (FDN) is a passively managed ETF launched on June 19, 2006, aimed at providing broad exposure to the Technology - Internet segment of the equity market [1] - The Technology - Internet sector is currently ranked 4th among the 16 Zacks sectors, placing it in the top 25% [2] Fund Overview - FDN is sponsored by First Trust Advisors and has over $7.88 billion in assets, making it one of the largest ETFs in its category [3] - The ETF seeks to match the performance of the Dow Jones Internet Composite Index, which includes companies primarily focused on Internet-related activities [3] Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for FDN are 0.49%, which is competitive with most peer products in the ETF space [4] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation in the Telecom sector, accounting for approximately 34.3% of the portfolio, followed by Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary [5] - Meta Platforms Inc. (class A) (META) constitutes about 10.63% of total assets, with Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) and Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) also among the top holdings; the top 10 holdings represent about 63.94% of total assets [6] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, FDN has returned roughly 17.2%, and it was up about 46.19% over the last 12 months as of September 10, 2025 [7] - The ETF has traded between $198.51 and $284.99 in the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.16 and a standard deviation of 24.91% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a higher risk profile [7] Investment Alternatives - FDN holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong expected performance based on various factors [8] - Other ETFs in the space include ALPS (OGIG) and Invesco NASDAQ Internet ETF (PNQI), with respective assets of $162.17 million and $815.91 million, and expense ratios of 0.48% and 0.6% [9]

Market Performance - The S&P 500 has risen approximately 11% year to date and nearly 30% since early April, with a 4.2% increase in August and continued momentum into September, indicating a favorable environment for growth-oriented funds [1] - The S&P 500 Growth Index has delivered a strong return of 28.8% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Value Index, which gained 4.97% [2] - The S&P 500 reached a new record high, marking its 21st record close of the year, driven by the increasing likelihood of an interest rate cut by the Fed [3] Economic Indicators - Markets anticipate a 99.7% likelihood of a rate cut in September, 99.8% in October, and a 100% probability in December, according to the CME FedWatch tool [4] - August's ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI registered at 52.0, exceeding expectations and indicating continued growth in the services sector, which plays a crucial role in overall economic growth [6] Analyst Forecasts - HSBC raised its forecast for the S&P 500 to 6,500 from 6,400 for the end of 2025, supported by robust second-quarter earnings and modest tariff impacts, with other major brokerages also setting their year-end target at 6,500 [5] Investment Opportunities - Several growth-focused ETFs are highlighted for potential investment, including: - Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) with an asset base of $184.99 billion, an annual fee of 0.04%, and a 3.76% gain over the past month [8][9] - iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) with an asset base of $115.53 billion, an annual fee of 0.18%, and a 3.76% gain over the past month [10][11] - iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (IVW) with an asset base of $62.56 billion, an annual fee of 0.18%, and a 3.41% gain over the past month [12][13] - SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF (SPYG) with an asset base of $39.92 billion, an annual fee of 0.04%, and a 3.42% gain over the past month [14][15] - iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF (IUSG) with an asset base of $24.22 billion, an annual fee of 0.04%, and a 3.36% gain over the past month [16][17]

Core Viewpoint - iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has reached a 52-week high and is up 48.97% from its 52-week low price of $25.27/share, indicating strong momentum in the silver market [1] Group 1: SLV Overview - SLV is designed to track the spot price of silver bullion and charges 50 basis points in annual fees [1] Group 2: Market Drivers - Recent volatility and inflation concerns have made silver a focal point, driven by tariff-related uncertainty, weak consumer sentiment, and ongoing geopolitical issues [2] - Expectations of interest rate cuts starting in September are favorable for silver, as a weakening U.S. dollar typically benefits the metal [3] Group 3: Performance Outlook - SLV currently holds a Zacks ETF Rank 3 (Hold) with a high-risk outlook, but it may continue to perform strongly in the near term, supported by a positive weighted alpha of 49.79 [4]

Top Performing Leveraged/Inverse ETFs Last WeekThese were last week’s top performing leveraged and inverse ETFs. Note that because of leverage, these kinds of funds can move quickly. Always do your homework.1. CEFZ – RiverNorth Active Income ETFCEFZ, which invests in various global assets to generate long-term growth and income, again tops the list for the fourth consecutive week with gains of ~56%. The CEFZ ETF has experienced an upward trend recently. A shift from a mutual fund to an ETF status is positiv ...