Core Viewpoint - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF remains a solid long-term investment despite its weaknesses, as it has historically generated strong returns over time [10]. Group 1: Historical Performance - John Bogle launched the Vanguard S&P 500 Index Fund in 1976, which passively tracked the S&P 500 and charged lower fees than actively managed funds [2]. - An investment of $1,000 in the index fund at inception would be worth nearly $240,000 today, reflecting an annual return of over 11% [4]. - The S&P 500 index has generated an average return of more than 10% annually since its inception in 1957 [10]. Group 2: ETF Characteristics - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF was launched in 2000 to provide a more accessible investment option, allowing for active trading throughout the day and charging a low expense ratio of 0.03% [5]. - The ETF allocates 34% of its portfolio to the information technology sector, with major holdings in Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple, which can lead to reduced diversification [7]. Group 3: Market Conditions and Valuations - The S&P 500 currently trades near all-time highs with a historically high price-to-earnings ratio of 30, raising concerns about potential market pullbacks [8]. - The ETF has underperformed the Invesco QQQ Trust over the past 10 years, suggesting that it may not be the best growth-oriented investment [9]. Group 4: Investment Strategy - Despite current valuations and potential market shifts, it is suggested that investors should accumulate the ETF for long-term gains, as timing the market is challenging [12].

U.S. consumer sentiment deteriorated in August, falling for the first time in four months. The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index dropped to 58.6 in August from 61.7, reflecting renewed concerns over inflation. Meanwhile, retail sales jumped 0.5% in July, showing that consumer spending had steadied following a dramatic drop earlier in the year. ETFs across various categories raked in $38 billion in capital last week, pushing year-to-date inflows to $730 billion. U.S. equity ETFs led the way w ...

These ETFs should continue to deliver attractive returns. Many of the best ETFs have delivered strong returns over the past year. The Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ -0.44%) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG -0.34%) have gained more than 20% over the past 12 months, while the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO -0.24%) has rallied more than 15%. Given these recent gains, investors might think they missed the boat. However, the factors behind these gains aren't likely to fade anytime soon. As a result, these ETFs appear poised to c ...

Group 1 - The stock market rally from April-May has been primarily driven by growth stocks, with a notable focus on the MAGA 7 stocks, which experienced a loss of $1 trillion in value due to Trump's tariff plans [2] - Growth stocks have consistently outperformed market averages, with the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) and Russell 1000 Growth (IWF) showing significant gains compared to the S&P 500 [3] - The IWF has increased by 15%, while QQQ has gained just above 14%, compared to an 11% gain in SPY and only 5.5% in IWD, indicating a substantial opportunity for investors [3] Group 2 - The NDX 100 Advance/Decline line has been making new highs, with the QQQ reaching a high of $583.32 on August 14, although a divergence was noted with the A/D line forming a lower high [5] - The relative performance of QQQ completed a bottom formation on April 24, and has continued to support price action, with a drop below July lows indicating a potential shift in market leadership [6] - The ratio of iShares Russell 1000 Growth (IWF) to iShares Russell 1000 Value (IWD) has shown a strong uptrend, indicating a favorable environment for growth stocks over the past five years [9] Group 3 - The weekly ratio charts for IWF/IWD are positive, with an upside breakout above resistance noted at the end of July, although a short-term pullback may occur [10] - There are currently no warning signs from the monthly or weekly A/D lines, and low cash levels reported in the BofA Global Fund Manager Survey suggest a cautious outlook for the near term [11]

Building long-term wealth requires consistency. With the stock market near all-time highs, some investors may be hesitant about entering the market now. However, trying to time the market rarely ends well, and you can often get left out of big gains waiting for a pullback. That said, there's a better path. Instead of trying to time the market, keep it simple by buying high-quality index exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and consistently dollar-cost averaging into them. With $1,000 to start -- and the discipline ...

Stocks climbed on July 23, 2023, fueled by optimism that the United States would secure more trade agreements ahead of an approaching tariff deadline. The market was energized by news of recent and upcoming deals, helping push key indexes toward new highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 507.85 points (1.14%) to close at 45,010.29, narrowly missing a record by just four points. The S&P 500 gained 0.78% to finish at a record high of 6,358.91, marking its 12th all-time closing high this year and sett ...

Core Viewpoint - WEBs Investments Inc. has launched the WEBs Defined Volatility Sector ETFs, a suite of 11 funds that apply a Defined Volatility strategy to individual sectors of the S&P 500, allowing investors to manage risk while pursuing market upside [1][2]. Group 1: Product Details - The new ETFs track Defined Volatility indices created by Syntax, providing exposure to underlying Select Sector SPDR ETFs [2]. - Each fund evaluates short-term realized volatility daily based on the previous 21 trading days, adjusting exposure to the underlying ETF or reallocating to cash equivalents or U.S. Treasuries based on volatility levels [2]. - The Defined Volatility rates for the ETFs range from 20% to 30%, depending on the sector [3]. Group 2: Strategic Benefits - The Defined Volatility Sector ETFs offer investors precise control over risk and sector exposure, enabling tactical sector rotation and fine-tuning within broader portfolios [2][3]. - The approach aims to provide a more stable investment experience and better risk-adjusted returns for sector-focused allocations [2]. Group 3: Company Background - WEBs Investments Inc. was founded in 2024 by industry veterans and is dedicated to developing innovative investment strategies [5]. - Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. provides operational and distribution support for the new ETFs, leveraging over 40 years of experience in asset management [6][4].

While the S&P 500 Index continues its march higher to new all-time highs in July, some undercurrents indicate that the rally might be losing steam, as quoted on Bloomberg. The S&P 500 has now gone 17 consecutive sessions without a 1% move in either direction — the longest period of calm since December. According to Matt Maley, Chief Market Strategist at Miller Tabak & Co., this low-volatility streak is a sign of waning momentum following the powerful recovery from April's tariff-led downturn, as quoted on B ...

Group 1: Tariff Announcement and Strategy - President Trump announced letters to over 150 countries regarding potential tariff rates of 10% or 15% as part of his trade agenda [1] - New duties are set to take effect on August 1 if countries do not negotiate better terms, with the deadline extended from July 9 to allow more time for responses [2] Group 2: Impact on Smaller Nations and Asia - The proposed tariff rates may be viewed positively by smaller countries, especially in Asia, as they are lower than previous threats, indicating a potential shift in the Trump administration's approach [3] Group 3: Outlook for Canada and the EU - Trump expressed indifference towards a deal with Europe and indicated uncertainty regarding the outcome for Canada, which faces a 35% tariff on certain goods starting in August [4] Group 4: Investment Opportunities in ETFs - The current tariff situation may benefit high-growth exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with a focus on low P/E growth ETFs that remain attractively valued [5] - Invesco QQQ Trust has a P/E ratio of 39.98X, while other highlighted ETFs include Invesco S&P 500 Pure Growth ETF (25.99X), Vanguard U.S. Momentum Factor ETF (24.4X), First Trust Mid Cap Growth AlphaDEX Fund (25.48X), and Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Pure Growth ETF (20.06X) [6][7][8][9]

Group 1 - Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) has reached a 52-week high and has increased by 38% from its 52-week low price of $402.39 per share [1] - QQQ provides exposure to the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq by tracking the Nasdaq 100 Index, with significant holdings in information technology and consumer discretionary sectors [1] - The fund charges 20 basis points in annual fees [1] Group 2 - The growth sector has shown resilience, with the Nasdaq Composite Index reaching a new record close, driven by the AI boom and confidence in corporate earnings [2] - Growth funds typically outperform during market uptrends, indicating a favorable environment for QQQ [2] Group 3 - QQQ has a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) with a medium risk outlook, suggesting potential for continued outperformance in the coming months [3] - Many sectors within this ETF have a strong Zacks Industry Rank, indicating promise for investors looking to capitalize on its growth [3]