Core Insights - The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the healthcare sector, focusing on metrics related to value, quality, and momentum, which can aid in evaluating sector ETFs like the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) [1] Group 1: Sector Analysis - The healthcare sector is analyzed through a top-down approach, emphasizing the importance of value, quality, and momentum metrics [1] - The analysis may assist investors in making informed decisions regarding healthcare sector ETFs [1] Group 2: Analyst Background - The article features insights from Fred Piard, PhD, a quantitative analyst with over 30 years of experience in technology and investing in data-driven strategies since 2010 [1] - Fred Piard runs the investing group Quantitative Risk & Value, focusing on quality dividend stocks and innovative tech companies [1]

Core Insights - The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) achieved a notable 9.29% gain over the past month, including dividends, making it the best-performing sector ETF [1] Performance Summary - XLV is now close to catching up with the Technology sector in terms of performance [1] Analyst Background - The Sunday Investor specializes in U.S. Equity ETFs and has a strong analytical background, holding a Certificate of Advanced Investment Advice from the Canadian Securities Institute [1] - The Sunday Investor has developed a proprietary ETF Rankings system that evaluates nearly 1,000 ETFs based on various factors, resulting in a composite score from 1-10 [1]

Group 1 - Nvidia's influence is driving futures higher, with health care stocks taking a leadership role in the S&P 500, although this may be temporary [1] - The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV), the largest health care ETF, has seen a 5.4% increase this month through November 19, with total assets of $39.3 billion [1] - Health care is currently the top-performing sector among the 11 sectors in the S&P 500 [1] Group 2 - The AI stock bubble is deflating, resulting in significant losses for some S&P 500 stocks, with analysts warning of further declines [2][4] - The bursting of the AI stock bubble has led to a total loss of $2.2 trillion in value across the market [4] - 13 S&P 500 stocks have slipped into a bear market as a consequence of the AI bust, which has wiped out $1.1 trillion in stock value [4]

Group 1: Government Shutdown and Economic Impact - The Senate has passed a bipartisan agreement to potentially end the U.S. government shutdown, indicating a resolution may be near [1] - The shutdown has incurred significant costs, with the travel sector losing approximately $1 billion per week, increasing pressure for a compromise [4] - The lack of critical economic data due to the shutdown creates uncertainty for the Federal Reserve and businesses, adding urgency to resolve the situation [5] - Industry groups are pushing for a restoration of government functions before economic damage becomes irreversible [6] Group 2: Investment Opportunities in ETFs - The final days of a government shutdown often present unique investment opportunities, as markets anticipate resolutions and begin pricing in a return to normalcy [2] - Investing in top-tier ETFs is recommended over individual stocks, as ETFs provide diversification and mitigate risks associated with single stock performance [9] - The following ETFs are highlighted as balanced ways to re-engage with equities during the market transition [10] Group 3: ETF Details - **Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV)**: AUM of $36.86 billion, exposure to 60 companies, year-to-date gain of 7.7%, fees of 8 bps, Zacks ETF Rank 1 [11][12] - **Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK)**: AUM of $92.93 billion, exposure to 69 companies, year-to-date surge of 24.5%, fees of 8 bps, Zacks ETF Rank 1 [13][14] - **SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)**: AUM of $693.69 billion, exposure to 503 large-cap U.S. companies, year-to-date increase of 15.5%, fees of 9 bps, Zacks ETF Rank 2 [15]

Core Insights - The Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF (FHLC) is a passively managed ETF launched on October 21, 2013, providing broad exposure to the Healthcare - Broad segment of the equity market [1] - FHLC has amassed over $2.59 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its sector [3] - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.08%, making it one of the least expensive options available [4] Index Details - FHLC aims to match the performance of the MSCI USA IMI Health Care Index, which represents the U.S. healthcare sector [3] - The ETF is fully allocated to the healthcare sector, providing diversified exposure [5] Holdings and Performance - Eli Lilly + Co Common Stock (LLY) constitutes about 11% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 48.94% of total assets [6] - Year-to-date, FHLC has gained about 7.7%, with a 12-month increase of approximately 0.75% as of November 4, 2025 [7] - The ETF has a beta of 0.67 and a standard deviation of 13.55% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [7] Alternatives - FHLC carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a sufficient option for investors seeking exposure to healthcare ETFs [8] - Other alternatives include the Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV), with VHT having $15.91 billion in assets and XLV having $36.52 billion [9]

Economic Overview - U.S. consumer prices increased by 0.3% in September 2025, slightly down from August's 0.4% gain and below the expected 0.4% growth [1] - Energy costs rose by 1.5%, driven by a 4.1% increase in gasoline prices, while food prices saw a 0.2% increase [1] - The core consumer price index, excluding food and energy, gained 0.2%, just below August's rate and slightly under the forecast of 0.3% growth [1] - The annual consumer price index recorded a rise of 3%, which was less than economists' expectations [1] Sector ETFs & Stocks to Gain Energy Sector - The VanEck Oil Services ETF (OIH) is highlighted as a potential investment, with revenues tied to energy prices, a significant component of inflation indices [3] - Monthly inflation for energy was 1.5% in September, with annual inflation at 2.8% [3] - Murphy USA (MUSA), a leading independent retailer of motor fuel and convenience merchandise, is noted as a good investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [4] Restaurant Sector - The AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF (EATZ) is actively managed and invests at least 80% of its net assets in companies deriving at least 50% of their revenues from the restaurant business [6] - The food-away-from-home index rose by 0.1% in September, with limited-service meals increasing by 0.2% and full-service meals remaining unchanged [5] - Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (RRGB), a full-service casual dining restaurant chain, is identified as a strong buy with a Zacks Rank of 1 [6] Healthcare Sector - The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) includes companies from various healthcare industries and is based on the Health Care Select Sector Index [7] - The index for medical care services rose by 3.9% annually and 0.3% sequentially in September [7] - Universal Health Services (UHS), which operates acute care hospitals and other healthcare facilities, is mentioned as a buy with a Zacks Rank of 2 [8] Transportation Sector - The SPDR S&P Transportation ETF (XTN) tracks the S&P Transportation Select Industry Index and has a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 [9] - The transportation index increased by 0.3% sequentially and 2.5% year over year in September [9] - Delta Air Lines (DAL), a major player in the U.S. aviation market, is highlighted as a buy with a Zacks Rank of 2 [10]

Core Insights - The healthcare sector has emerged as the best performing S&P 500 sector in October, reversing its previous lagging position [1] - The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) has gained nearly 4.5% this quarter, while the broader S&P 500 remains largely flat [1] - XLV has attracted approximately $872 million in net new money by October 13, making it one of the top 10 equity ETF asset gatherers this quarter [1] Sector Performance - Prior to October, healthcare had experienced outflows of 6% of its start-of-the-year total assets, indicating a significant shift in investor sentiment [3] - The healthcare sector is characterized as defensive, less vulnerable to cyclical trends, and is currently trading at about a 27% discount to the S&P 500 [3][5] - State Street Investment Management projects XLV's 3-5 year earnings growth at 9.3%, compared to the S&P 500's forecast of 12% [3] Stock-Level Insights - Major healthcare stocks have performed well in October, with Eli Lilly up over 12%, Merck up 8%, Amgen up 7.5%, and Gilead up over 5% [5] - XLV, as the largest healthcare ETF with over $36 billion in assets, serves as a market-cap weighted proxy for the sector [6] Future Outlook - The healthcare sector's unique combination of valuation, growth potential, and defensive characteristics may continue to attract investor interest, especially amid macroeconomic uncertainties [7]

Economic Outlook - The Federal Reserve has upgraded its U.S. economic growth outlook, expecting GDP to rise 1.6% in 2025, accelerating to 1.8% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027 [2] - The Fed's dovish stance has led to increased optimism on Wall Street, with strategists from Wells Fargo, Barclays, and Deutsche Bank raising their S&P 500 targets due to resilient earnings, the AI investment cycle, and the prospect of lower rates [3] Market Performance - The S&P 500 has gained about 3.40% so far in September, rebounding around 33% since early April [1] - The S&P Global US PMI Composite Output Index was at 54.6 in August, indicating solid U.S. growth despite a slight decrease from July's 55.1 [5] - Financials and technology sectors were highlighted as top performers in August, contributing to the recent gains in the S&P 500 [5] Sector ETFs - The Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) has gained 13.73% over the past three months and 19.87% over the past year, with major allocations to Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL) [7] - The Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) has gained 6.34% over the past three months and 19.81% over the past year, with significant exposure to JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) [8] - The Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF has gained 6.67% over the past three months and 17.23% over the past year, with RTX Corporation also included in its holdings [10] Health Care Sector - The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) has an asset base of $33.76 billion and charges an annual fee of 0.08%, with top allocations to Eli Lilly (LLY), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), and AbbVie (ABBV) [11] - Despite a 10.55% decline over the past year, the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF has gained 2.54% quarter to date and 0.27% month to date [10][12]

Core Insights - The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Healthcare - Broad segment of the equity market, launched on December 16, 1998 [1] - XLV is the largest ETF in the Healthcare - Broad segment, with assets exceeding $32.7 billion [3] - The ETF has a low annual operating expense of 0.08% and a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.8% [5] Index and Holdings - The Health Care Select Sector Index includes companies from various industries such as pharmaceuticals, health care providers & services, health care equipment & supplies, biotechnology, life sciences tools & services, and health care technology [4] - Eli Lilly + Co (LLY) is the largest holding, accounting for approximately 12.82% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings representing about 55.33% of total assets [7][6] Performance Metrics - As of August 14, 2025, XLV has experienced a loss of about 2.24% year-to-date and a decline of approximately 10.27% over the past year [8] - The ETF has traded between $128.77 and $157.24 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.62 and a standard deviation of 14.03% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [8] Alternatives and Rankings - XLV holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong expected returns based on various factors [9] - Other ETFs in the healthcare space include iShares Global Healthcare ETF (IXJ) with $3.72 billion in assets and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) with $15.11 billion in assets, with expense ratios of 0.41% and 0.09% respectively [10]

Core Viewpoint - The First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX ETF (FXH) is a smart beta ETF designed to provide broad exposure to the Health Care sector, with a focus on stock selection based on fundamental characteristics [1][5]. Fund Overview - FXH was launched on May 8, 2007, and has accumulated over $868.7 million in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Health Care category [1][5]. - The fund is managed by First Trust Advisors and aims to match the performance of the StrataQuant Health Care Index, which utilizes the AlphaDEX stock selection methodology [5]. Cost and Expenses - FXH has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.60%, which is comparable to most peer products in the space [6]. - The ETF has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.33% [6]. Sector Exposure and Holdings - FXH is fully allocated to the Health Care sector, with approximately 100% of its portfolio dedicated to this area [7]. - The top holding, Biogen Inc. (BIIB), constitutes about 2.36% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 23.06% of total assets under management [8]. Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, FXH has experienced a loss of about -0.94%, and it is down approximately -4.34% over the last 12 months as of August 13, 2025 [10]. - The ETF has traded between $93.63 and $113.83 in the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.73 and a standard deviation of 15.85% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10]. Alternatives - While FXH is a viable option for investors looking to outperform the Health Care ETFs segment, there are alternative ETFs such as the Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) that investors may consider [11][12]. - VHT has $14.81 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.09%, while XLV has $31.99 billion in assets with an expense ratio of 0.08% [12].