After weeks of mixed signals, the Federal Reserve's tone on monetary policy turned noticeably more dovish Friday, driving a sharp repricing in interest-rate expectations ― with traders now seeing an almost 3-in-4 chance of a December cut.According to the CME FedWatch tool, the odds of a 25-basis-point rate reduction at the Dec. 10 policy meeting jumped to 74%, up from just 25% the day before. The shift followed a flurry of comments from policymakers, led by New York Fed President John Williams and Governor ...

The latest jobs report has put the ETF market into a dilemma. With the unemployment rate rising to 4.4%, the highest level since October 2021, and December rate-cut odds shrinking to 28%, trimming risk and loading up on steadier, low-beta staples may prove to be a prudent move.Mixed labor data and dimmer rate-cut prospects might encourage investors to consider defensive ETFs, as rising unemployment tempers optimism despite stronger job gains. • SPY is demonstrating strength. Watch the momentum here.SPDR S&P ...

Core Insights - The Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ) is highlighted as a strong investment option for long-term investors seeking exposure to leading technology companies, particularly those involved in the artificial intelligence sector [3][4] - The ETF has shown significant historical performance, with a total return of 484% over the past decade, indicating its potential for robust future returns [4][7] - Current market conditions present a buy-the-dip opportunity, as the QQQ Trust is trading 6% below its recent peak [4] Investment Strategy - Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer a passive investment strategy, allowing investors to gain exposure to various themes and industries without the need for active stock selection [1] - The QQQ Trust provides access to the "Magnificent Seven" stocks, which constitute 45% of its asset base, positioning it well for future growth [3] Performance Metrics - The QQQ Trust has generated an almost sixfold total return over the past decade, showcasing its effectiveness as an investment vehicle [7] - Historical performance, while not guaranteed to repeat, suggests that the ETF will continue to benefit from the success of innovative companies [4]

Key Points The S&P 500 has been a tough index to beat historically, but some have proven able to do so. The Invesco QQQ Trust has consistently outperformed and could be poised to do so again in 2026. The Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF could also again outperform next year. 10 stocks we like better than Invesco QQQ Trust › The S&P 500 index is widely considered to be the benchmark for the entire U.S. stock market. The index holds the stocks of about 500 of the largest companies ...

Core Insights - The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (MGK) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) are both focused on large U.S. growth companies, particularly in the technology sector, with a comparison of costs, returns, risks, and portfolio compositions to assist investors in making informed decisions [2][4]. Cost & Size - MGK has a lower expense ratio of 0.07% compared to QQQ's 0.20%, which benefits fee-conscious investors [3][4]. - As of November 17, 2025, MGK's one-year return is 21.82%, slightly outperforming QQQ's 21.09% [3]. - MGK has an Assets Under Management (AUM) of $31.28 billion, while QQQ is significantly larger at $385.76 billion [3]. Performance & Risk Comparison - Over five years, MGK has a maximum drawdown of -36.02%, while QQQ has a drawdown of -35.12% [5]. - An investment of $1,000 would grow to $2,080 in MGK and $2,051 in QQQ over the same period, indicating MGK's marginally better performance [5]. Portfolio Composition - QQQ, launched in 1999, tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index with 101 holdings, primarily in technology (54%), communication services (17%), and consumer cyclical (13%) [6]. - MGK focuses on the 66 largest U.S. growth stocks, with similar sector allocations: 57% technology, 15% communication services, and 13% consumer cyclical [7]. - Both funds have significant overlap in top holdings, including major companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple, but MGK has slightly larger allocations to each [7][8]. Liquidity & Trading - QQQ is more liquid and has a larger number of stocks compared to MGK, which may appeal to investors seeking higher trading volumes [8]. - Both ETFs provide broad exposure to U.S. mega cap growth, although MGK's smaller number of holdings may lead to more concentrated exposures [8]. Investment Focus - Both MGK and QQQ target growth stocks with a strong emphasis on technology, which can yield above-average returns during tech market rallies but may also experience steeper declines during market volatility [10].

The Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ ) , SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:SPY ) Â and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:DIA ) are among the market's biggest ETFs, each tracking a different theme. ...

Market Operations - U.S. stock markets, including the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, remain open on Veterans Day, allowing normal trading activities [2][3] - The S&P 500 was down 0.13% and the Nasdaq 100 was down 0.6% at the time of publication, indicating slight market declines [3] Bond Market - The bond market is closed in observance of Veterans Day, as designated by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), affecting transactions involving U.S. Treasury securities, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds [4] Market Volatility - Financial professionals generally observe little market volatility on Veterans Day due to lighter than average investor volume [5] Retail Sector - Major retail chains such as Walmart, Target, and Home Depot remain open and are offering seasonal promotions, with varying store hours [7] Travel Industry - The government shutdown has disrupted air travel, leading to thousands of flight cancellations over the weekend, with more expected on Veterans Day [9]

Core Insights - Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be lucrative investments across all market cycles, emphasizing a long-term investment strategy rather than short-term predictions [1][2] - Investing in ETFs provides instant diversification and exposure to various sectors, potentially magnifying returns [2] Vanguard Growth ETF - The Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) is a passively managed fund tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, holding about 160 stocks with a significant focus on technology [3][7] - Over the past decade, VUG has achieved an average annualized return of 17%, outperforming the S&P 500's 15%, suggesting it could double investments in approximately four to six years if the trend continues [4][8] - The ETF has a low expense ratio of 0.04%, allowing investors to retain a larger portion of their returns, costing only $4 annually for every $10,000 invested [5][7] Invesco QQQ Trust - The Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) tracks the Nasdaq-100 index, including the 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq, providing exposure to major tech and innovative companies [9][12] - A $20,000 investment in QQQ a decade ago would be worth about $120,000 today, reflecting a nearly 500% total return, with an average annualized return of around 19.6% [10][11] - The expense ratio for QQQ is 0.2%, which is higher than the Vanguard Growth ETF due to its structure as a unit investment trust, but it offers significant exposure to leading tech companies [12][13]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes that average investors should ignore market chatter about bubbles and high valuations, as trying to time the market can lead to missed opportunities for significant gains [2] - A study by J.P. Morgan indicates that missing the best market days can drastically reduce total returns, highlighting the difficulty of market timing [3] - The recommended strategy for retail investors is to dollar-cost average into positions in low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to achieve diversification and mitigate the impact of market fluctuations [4] Investment Strategies - Investors can start with as little as $1,000 and consistently invest a similar amount monthly to potentially grow a portfolio to over $5.6 million in 30 years with a 15% annualized return [5] - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is highlighted as a leading investment option, tracking the performance of the S&P 500 index, which includes the 500 largest U.S. companies [6][7] - The article also mentions the Invesco QQQ Trust for those seeking more exposure to growth stocks and the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF for balance in a growth-heavy portfolio [8]

Core Insights - The Invesco QQQ Trust, a prominent tech fund, is exhibiting an extremely rare occurrence with consecutive true gaps in its trading price [1][3]. Group 1: Fund Performance - The fund opened at a price today that was 0.3% higher than yesterday's intraday high, marking the third consecutive time this has occurred [2]. - In the past two days, the QQQ has opened 1% and 0.8% higher than its prior day's intraday high, respectively [2]. - The fund has consistently traded at its highest price in a year over the last three trading days [2].