After a massive 2025 that saw the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) reach dizzying heights, the index spent the first few weeks of 2026 catching its breath. But look at the tape lately. Despite hawkish whispers from the Fed and a rotation into value stocks, the QQQ has notched four straight winning days as of Jan. 26. It closed Tuesday around $631, less than 1% off its Oct. 29, 2025, high. More News from Barchart If it breaks through, we aren’t just looking at a bounce — we could be looking at the potential ...

Core Insights - The Invesco NASDAQ Next Gen 100 ETF (QQQJ) has consistently underperformed compared to the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ), with the analysis aiming to uncover the reasons behind this performance gap [1]. Group 1: Performance Analysis - The analysis indicates that barring certain periods in 2025, QQQJ has lagged behind QQQ, suggesting a need for deeper investigation into the factors contributing to this disparity [1]. Group 2: Analyst Background - The analysis is conducted by a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management, focusing on equity valuation and market trends [1]. - The analyst has a background as a former Vice President at Barclays, leading teams in model validation and stress testing, which adds credibility to the insights provided [1]. - The research is co-authored with a partner, combining complementary strengths to deliver high-quality, data-driven insights [1].

Key missing holdings make one choice better than the other as we head into the new year.For most investors interested in growth opportunities, their mind goes to tech stocks. Given how the tech sector has performed over the last decade or so, it's easy to see why this is the case. Overall, it has outperformed all of the other major sectors of the U.S. economy.Hitting it big on an individual tech stock can get you life-changing money, but it doesn't take that to make good money from the tech sector. Many tec ...

Group 1 - The Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQM) and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) track the same index and have approximately $450 billion in assets under management, representing about 40% of the market [1] - The Sunday Investor focuses exclusively on U.S. Equity ETFs and has developed a proprietary ETF Rankings system that evaluates nearly 1,000 ETFs based on various factors [1] - The ETF Rankings system provides individual factor scores covering costs, liquidity, risk, size, value, dividends, growth, quality, momentum, and sentiment, resulting in a composite score from 1-10 [1]

Core Insights - The Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) has recently reached a new high, indicating strong market performance and investor interest [1]. Group 1 - The article references a previous analysis written five months ago, suggesting a continuous monitoring of the ETF's performance [1]. - The author manages portfolios and focuses on macro strategy and investment advice, highlighting a professional background in investment analysis [1].

Core Insights - The Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) has recently reached a new high, indicating strong market performance and investor interest [1]. Group 1 - The article references a previous analysis written five months ago, suggesting a continuous evaluation of the ETF's performance [1]. - The author manages portfolios and emphasizes a macro strategy focused on long-term signals rather than short-term noise [1].

Core Insights - The article discusses the common investor misperception regarding the significance of an ETF's expense ratio, emphasizing that it should not be viewed solely as a cost but rather in the context of value received for that cost [1][2]. Group 1: Expense Ratio Insights - The Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) is reducing its expense ratio from 0.20% to 0.18%, which represents a 10% decrease in the cost of holding the investment for large shareholders [3][4]. - The long-standing expense ratio of 0.20% for QQQ can be attributed to its dominant market position and lack of urgency from the issuer, as there has not been significant asset withdrawal in protest [5]. - Investors often overlook the importance of factors beyond cost, such as the level of options activity associated with QQQ, which enhances its attractiveness despite potentially higher expense ratios [6]. Group 2: Investment Strategy Considerations - The article suggests that focusing solely on expense ratios can lead to poor investment decisions, as more money is often lost chasing past performance than by investing in well-constructed ETFs with higher fees that align with investment objectives [7].

Group 1 - The Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) is highlighted as a popular growth ETF with an Assets Under Management (AUM) of approximately $387 billion, indicating its status as a core investment choice for many investors [1] - The article emphasizes the importance of quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management in identifying high-growth investment opportunities [1] - The authors have a strong background in equity valuation, market trends, and portfolio optimization, with experience in model validation and regulatory finance [1] Group 2 - The research approach combines rigorous risk management with a long-term perspective on value creation, focusing on macroeconomic trends and corporate earnings [1] - The collaboration between the authors aims to deliver high-quality, data-driven insights for investors seeking to outperform the market [1]

Core Insights - The Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) is highlighted as a popular growth ETF with an Assets Under Management (AUM) of approximately $387 billion, indicating strong investor confidence in this vehicle [1]. Group 1: Company Overview - QQQ is recognized as a go-to investment option for growth-focused investors, reflecting its established reputation in the market [1]. Group 2: Analyst Background - The analyst has over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management, with a focus on equity valuation and market trends [1]. - Previous experience includes a role as Vice President at Barclays, leading teams in model validation and stress testing, showcasing a deep expertise in both fundamental and technical analysis [1]. - The analyst collaborates with a research partner to produce high-quality, data-driven investment insights, emphasizing a blend of rigorous risk management and long-term value creation [1].

Economic Indicators - U.S. housing starts decreased by 8.5% month-over-month to an annual rate of 1.307 million units in August, missing market estimates of 1.37 million [5] - Building permits also fell by 3.7% to an annualized rate of 1.312 million in August [5] Stock Market Performance - Major U.S. stock indices showed mixed results, with the Dow Jones up 0.57% to 46,018.32, while the S&P 500 fell 0.097% to 6,600.35 and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.33% to 22,261.33 [6][7] - Futures for major indices were higher, with Dow Jones up 0.75%, S&P 500 up 0.89%, Nasdaq 100 up 1.06%, and Russell 2000 up 1.50% [2] Company Earnings - General Mills Inc. reported fiscal 2026 first-quarter results slightly above Wall Street expectations [4] - Manchester United PLC shares fell over 6% after reporting mixed fourth-quarter financial results [4] - Darden Restaurants Inc. rose 1.03% in premarket trading ahead of its earnings report, with analysts estimating earnings of $2.00 per share on revenue of $3.04 billion [18] - FactSet Research Systems Inc. was up 1.15% as analysts expect earnings of $4.13 per share on revenue of $593.45 million [18] - FedEx Corp. was up 0.12% ahead of its earnings report, with estimates of $3.62 per share on revenue of $21.67 billion [18] Market Sentiment and Projections - Analysts suggest that the S&P 500 could see substantial growth in the second year of the Federal Reserve's monetary easing, with historical returns averaging over 16% [8][10] - The first year of the current rate-cutting cycle has already yielded a return of over 17%, surpassing the historical first-year average of 9.6% [10] - The Federal Reserve's projections indicate a modest decline in the federal funds rate to 3.4% by the end of 2026, suggesting a restrictive policy environment [13]