Core Viewpoint - The Vanguard Growth ETF and the Invesco QQQ Trust are expected to outperform the S&P 500 in 2026, driven by the continued strength of megacap technology stocks [1][4]. Group 1: Vanguard Growth ETF - The Vanguard Growth ETF is designed to capitalize on large-cap growth stocks, tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, which represents the growth segment of the S&P 500 [5]. - The ETF's top 10 holdings constitute over 60% of its portfolio, with more than 60% of its holdings in technology stocks, compared to less than 40% for the S&P 500 [6]. - Over the past decade, the Vanguard Growth ETF has generated an average annual return of 18%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 15.3% return, resulting in a difference of approximately $10,800 on a $10,000 investment [7]. Group 2: Invesco QQQ Trust - The Invesco QQQ Trust tracks the Nasdaq-100, focusing on the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq exchange, with over 60% of its assets in technology [8]. - The fund's structure allows it to reward high-performing stocks like Nvidia and Microsoft, increasing their weight in the ETF without rebalancing, thus enhancing returns [9]. - The Invesco QQQ Trust has achieved an annual return of around 20.3% over the past decade, with a $10,000 investment growing to approximately $63,600, and it has outperformed the S&P 500 more than 87% of the time on a 12-month rolling basis [10].

Key Points The Invesco QQQ has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 over time. The Vanguard Growth ETF gives investors a heavy concentration in top AI stocks. The Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF also includes top non-U.S. AI stocks. 10 stocks we like better than Invesco QQQ Trust › Another standoff in Washington has led to a government shutdown, but investors have seen this movie before and know the market rarely cares for long. In fact, this time around, the market seems to ha ...

Key Points By buying this ETF, investors will automatically get exposure to some of the leading tech and internet companies in AI. Returns over the past decade have been truly exceptional. Should AI progress stall, the overall market could take a hit. 10 stocks we like better than Invesco QQQ Trust › The amount of money that companies are spending to expand their technical infrastructure is eye-popping. However, it's all being done to better handle the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) produ ...

Core Insights - The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF has surpassed $2 trillion in net assets, making it the largest ETF compared to other popular funds like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, which has $1.37 trillion in net assets [2][1] - The S&P 500 index is heavily influenced by a few large companies, with Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple accounting for 20% of the index, while the "Ten Titans" make up 39% [4] - The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF offers over 3,500 components, providing broader market exposure compared to the 504 components of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF [5] Fund Comparisons - Both the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF have the same low expense ratio of 0.03%, making them cost-effective options for investors [5] - Over the past decade, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has slightly outperformed the Total Stock Market ETF due to the dominance of mega-cap growth stocks [6] - The minimum investment for both ETFs is just $1, making them accessible for investors with limited capital [7] Investment Strategy - The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF is ideal for investors looking for broad exposure to the U.S. stock market rather than just the S&P 500 or Nasdaq-100 [8] - The fund is suitable for a "set it and forget it" investment strategy, appealing to long-term investors [9]

Group 1 - The market is currently driven by growth stocks, with artificial intelligence (AI) being a significant focus for investors [1] - Investing in growth-oriented exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is recommended over individual AI stocks for those starting out, as it provides a diversified portfolio [2] - Consistent investment through dollar-cost averaging is essential for wealth building, and ETFs facilitate this strategy effectively [3] Group 2 - The Invesco QQQ Trust has provided a 19.4% average annual return over the past decade, outperforming the S&P 500 significantly [6] - The Vanguard Growth ETF has a strong performance with a 17.1% yearly return over the past 10 years, heavily weighted in tech stocks, including major AI companies [8] - The Vanguard Information Technology ETF focuses exclusively on technology stocks, with its top three holdings (Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple) comprising about 44% of its portfolio [10]

Market Performance - The S&P 500 is up 3.6% in September, on track for its best performance since 2010, when it rose 8.76% [2] - The Nasdaq 100 has increased by 5.5%, while the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund has surged 7.5%, marking its second-strongest September since its inception in 1999 [3] Tech Sector Dynamics - Tech stocks have historically averaged a 2.2% loss in September over the past 25 years, but this year, companies like Oracle, Tesla, Micron, and Apple have driven a momentum surge due to AI demand and expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts [4][5] Future Volatility Expectations - Goldman Sachs anticipates increased global equity volatility in October, with realized volatility historically over 25% higher than in other months [6] - October earnings season is expected to be particularly volatile, influenced by FOMC meetings, Fed commentary, and the Consumer Price Index report [7] Trading Activity Insights - Historically, single stock trading volumes, both in shares and options, peak in October, indicating that investors often feel compelled to act during this month [8]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of not waiting for market dips to invest, as missing key rebound days can significantly reduce returns [1][2] - Dollar-cost averaging is highlighted as a strategy to mitigate emotional decision-making and market timing challenges, encouraging regular investment [3] ETF Recommendations - **Vanguard S&P 500 ETF**: This ETF tracks the S&P 500 index, providing broad market exposure with a 14.6% annualized return over the last decade, making it a strong choice for long-term wealth compounding [5][6] - **Vanguard Growth ETF**: Focused on large-cap growth stocks, this ETF has over 60% of its holdings in the tech sector and has achieved a 17.1% average annual return over the past 10 years, appealing to investors interested in growth and AI stocks [8][9] - **Invesco QQQ Trust**: Tracking the Nasdaq-100, this ETF has a heavy concentration in technology, delivering a 19.4% average annual return over the last decade, making it a strong performer compared to the S&P 500 [10][11] - **Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF**: This ETF focuses on companies with strong cash flow and dividend growth, currently yielding close to 4% and returning about 12.3% annually over the last decade, providing a balance to growth-heavy portfolios [12][13]

Group 1: Market Trends - Growth stocks are currently leading the market, driven significantly by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) [3] - The Nasdaq Composite index has been the best-performing broad-based index this year, continuing a trend of outperforming the S&P 500 [5] - A J.P. Morgan study indicates that the market hits new highs approximately 7% of the time, with investors often missing lower prices [2] Group 2: Investment Strategies - Dollar-cost averaging is recommended as a strategy to consistently invest regardless of market conditions, which helps in building long-term wealth [2] - Investing in growth ETFs is highlighted as an effective way to capitalize on current market trends [1][4] Group 3: Specific ETFs - The Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) has delivered a total return of over 490% in the past decade, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7] - The Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) has achieved an average annual return of 17.1% over the past decade and 25% over the last three years [9] - The Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) has generated an average annual return of 22% over the past ten years, with a 26.8% return over the last three years [12]

Group 1 - The Invesco QQQ Trust is expected to deliver significant long-term returns, driven by major tech companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon [1][3] - The Nasdaq-100 index includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq, heavily weighted towards technology and related sectors, benefiting from trends such as the internet, cloud computing, enterprise software, and artificial intelligence [2][5] - The top 10 holdings in the Invesco QQQ Trust account for 55.8% of its total portfolio value, featuring prominent tech stocks known as the "Magnificent Seven" [5][6] Group 2 - The Invesco QQQ Trust has achieved a compound annual return of 10.2% since its inception in 1999, with an accelerated average return of 19.4% over the last decade due to advancements in technology [9][13] - A consistent investment of $500 per month could potentially grow to $1 million in as little as 19 years, depending on the compound annual return [10][13] - The ETF's performance is significantly influenced by its top-performing stocks, which have delivered a median return of 45% over the past year, contributing to a 24% gain in the Nasdaq-100 [7][9] Group 3 - Companies like Palantir Technologies, Micron Technology, and CrowdStrike have also shown substantial gains, with Palantir soaring 355% in the past year [12] - The AI sector is projected to drive substantial investment, with Nvidia's CEO predicting $4 trillion in infrastructure upgrades over the next five years to support AI development [15] - The long-term outlook for the Invesco QQQ Trust remains positive, as historical performance suggests continued strong results [16]

Investment Strategy - The stock market is a valuable tool for wealth building, with the S&P Index historically generating an annualized total return of 10% [1] - A passive investment approach is recommended, utilizing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to gain exposure to various themes, sectors, or asset classes [4] Portfolio Allocation - Starting with $10,000, a suggested allocation includes $5,000 in passive investments, potentially using dollar-cost averaging to invest $1,000 per month over five months [5] - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is recommended for $2,500 investment, known for its low expense ratio of 0.03% and tracking the S&P 500 performance [6] - An additional $2,500 is suggested for the Invesco QQQ Trust, which focuses on the largest 100 non-financial companies on the Nasdaq, with a significant emphasis on technology [7] Sector Exposure - The Invesco QQQ Trust has a heavy concentration in the technology sector, representing 61% of its assets, and includes major tech stocks known as the "Magnificent Seven" [8] - This ETF provides exposure to trends such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital advertising, and streaming entertainment [8] Investment Development - Investors are encouraged to gradually build their portfolios through dollar-cost averaging and to dedicate part of their portfolio to selecting individual stocks to enhance their investing skills [9]