XLV and XBI Outperform Benchmark Indexes from August 25–31
XBI Leads the Biotech ETFs for August 25–31
XLV and XBI outperform; IBB underperforms
The biotech ETFs saw positive movement from August 25–31, 2015. The positive breadth across the biotech stock led to positive returns. The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI), which tracks the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index, outperformed its benchmark index. XBI gained 7.99%, while its benchmark index returned 7.96%.
The above graph reflects the performance of each ETF with its respective benchmark indexes. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) outperformed its benchmark index. XLV gained 2.68%, while its benchmark index gained 2.32%.
On the flip side, the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) underperformed its benchmark index for the same period. IBB gained 5.27%, while its benchmark index gained 5.49%.
Top performers of each ETF
Incyte (INCY), with a market cap of ~$21 billion, has a weight of 2.74% in IBB. The stock gained 19.22% from August 25–31 on high-volume trading. The stock was oversold and has pulled back from the oversold situation with good volume trading. The five-day average trading volume was 1.6 million shares per day.
ISIS Pharmaceuticals (ISIS) has a weight of 0.94% in XBI and 1.15% in IBB. It has a market cap of ~$6 billion. The stock gained 13.66% for August 25–31, 2015. The stock closed low at $44.15 on August 24, 2015, and was oversold. ISIS bounced back with higher trading volumes for the week. The average five-day trading volume was ~1.99 million shares per day.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) was XLV’s top performer with a return of 6.92%. The stock closed at $127.52 on August 31, 2015. The stock went up on good volumes and rebounded from the oversold situation. VRTX has a weight of 4.08%, 1.09%, and 1.02% in IBB, XLV, and XBI, respectively.
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