| Previous Close | 35.61 |
| Open | 35.08 |
| Bid | 0.00 x 2200 |
| Ask | 0.00 x 2200 |
| Day's Range | 34.82 - 35.15 |
| 52 Week Range | 32.53 - 49.47 |
| Volume | 5,320,960 |
| Avg. Volume | 7,466,458 |
| Net Assets | 925.26M |
| NAV | 35.59 |
| PE Ratio (TTM) | N/A |
| Yield | 1.50% |
| YTD Return | -17.17% |
| Beta (3Y Monthly) | -1.93 |
| Expense Ratio (net) | 0.90% |
| Inception Date | 2006-07-11 |
The S&P 500 is the benchmark U.S. equity gauges and one of the world's most widely used stock indexes. Around the world, trillions of dollars are benchmarked to the S&P 500.Here in the U.S., many of the largest index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are S&P 500 tracking funds. In the U.S., the world's largest ETF market, just four ETFs have over $100 billion in assets under management. Three of those funds are S&P 500 ETFs -- the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:SPY), the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:VOO).The S&P 500 and related funds are alluring for investors because these products are typically cheap, efficient and accurately reflective of the U.S. equity market. For investors willing to take on more risk in search of potentially higher returns, several leveraged ETFs offer exposure to the S&P 500, too.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 10 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy for the Next 10 Months For risk-takers, here are some of the best leveraged ETFs tracking the S&P 500. Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X Shares (SPXL)Expense Ratio: 1.04%, or $104 annually per $10,000 investedThe Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA:SPXL) is designed to deliver triple the daily returns of the S&P 500. So if the S&P 500 rises by 1% today, this leveraged ETF should rise by 3%. The operative word in the first sentence is "daily."Leveraged ETFs "seek daily goals and should not be expected to track the underlying index over periods longer than one day," according to Direxion.That is one point underscoring the risks of holding leveraged ETFs like SPXL for extended time frames. Another is the high fees associated with leveraged ETFs. There is little chance that, over the course of a year, SPXL will exactly mirror triple the performance of the S&P 500 and it is expensive for investors to learn that lesson as this leveraged ETF charges 1.04% per year.Think about that and then think about this: S&P 500 funds like IVV and VOO charge just 0.04% annually. ProShares Ultra S&P500 (SSO)Expense Ratio: 0.90%For traders that want to be involved with a leveraged ETF but want to decrease that juice, the ProShares Ultra S&P500 (NYSEARCA:SSO) is a fund to consider. Whereas the aforementioned SPXL looks to deliver triple the daily returns of the S&P 500, SSO attempts to deliver double the index's daily percentage performance.What that means is when the S&P 500 rises by 1% on a particular day, SSO should climb by 2%. While SSO offers reduced leveraged relative to a triple-leveraged ETF, it carries the same risks. * 10 Monster Growth Stocks to Buy for 2019 and Beyond "Due to the compounding of daily returns, ProShares' returns over periods other than one day will likely differ in amount and possibly direction from the target return for the same period. These effects may be more pronounced in funds with larger or inverse multiples and in funds with volatile benchmarks," according to ProShares. ProShares UltraShort S&P500 (SDS)Expense Ratio: 0.90%Not all leveraged ETFs are bullish. Many are inverse and geared. The ProShares UltraShort S&P500 (NYSEARCA:SDS) is one of the largest such funds. Actually, SDS is one of the largest leveraged ETFs of any stripe.This is how this leveraged ETFs works. If the S&P 500 falls by 1% on a particular day, SDS should rise by 2%. Remember that this is a leveraged ETF and that the same risks that are relevant to bullish leveraged funds are applicable to SDS as well. Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 1X Shares (SPDN)Expense Ratio: 0.56%Not all inverse funds are leveraged ETFs. Some are just inverse, but inverse funds are often lumped in with leveraged ETFs, so the Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 1X Shares (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is worth highlighting here.SPDN is a good idea for the investor looking for downside protection without having to engage with a leveraged ETF. The Direxion fund's aim is similar: to deliver the same daily downside percentage of the S&P 500 when that index declines. As a non-leveraged ETF, SPDN can be held for long-time frames than leveraged equivalents and it is cheaper to do so as highlighted by SPDN's expense ratio. Over the near-term, SPDN is worth monitoring. * 7 Breakout Stocks In Early 2019 "Both the index and the bear fund are again approaching a cross at their 2018 starting prices," said Direxion in a recent note. "Bear in mind that CBOE's volatility index is still about where it was through October and November, 2018, which coincided with some of the market's biggest down days of the year. As in previous months with heightened volatility, it might not be entirely odd to see similar dramatic volatility in the months to come, as buyers and sellers fight it out as to whether to dig further out of the 2018 hole."As of this writing, Todd Shriber did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Fundamentally Sound Dividend Stocks to Buy * 5 Reasons Reeling FAANG Stocks Won't Deliver Big Returns * 3 Reasons Canopy Growth Could Burn You Compare Brokers The post The 4 Best Leveraged ETFs to Buy appeared first on InvestorPlace.
The S&P 500 is rallying to start 2019, but some traders are expressing a different with the ProShares Short S&P500 (SH) , one of the largest and most heavily traded inverse exchange traded funds in the U.S. Rather, the ProShares product is designed to deliver the daily inverse performance of the S&P 500. For example, if the S&P 500 falls by 1% on a particular day, SH should rise by a similar amount.
The indices continue to work higher as skepticism about the sustainability of the bounce grows. The fact that there are many market players looking for a pause or pullback tends to create squeeze conditions in the short term, but I'm still looking for a 'sell the news' reaction to occur as we hear about the trade negotiations with China.
A news headline from Dow Jones hit that said "U.S., China negotiators narrow differences on trade, but two sides still not ready to conclude a trade deal." This seems to have triggered the "sell the news" reaction.
As the equity market continues to pullback and more or less erase gains for the year, concerned investors can take on some exposure to bearish or inverse ETFs to hedge against further falls. For example, the ProShares Short S&P500 (SH) takes a simple inverse or -100% daily performance of the S&P 500 index. Alternatively, for the more aggressive trader, leveraged options include the ProShares UltraShort S&P500 ETF (SDS) , which tries to reflect the -2x or -200% daily performance of the S&P 500, the Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bear 3x Shares (SPXS) , which takes the -3x or -300% daily performance of the S&P 500, and ProShares UltraPro Short S&P 500 ETF (SPXU) , which also takes the -300% daily performance of the S&P 500.
With a contentious midterms election season coming up, many anticipate a split government that could potentially impact the way ETF investors ride the markets ahead. Some expectations point to Democrats winning back the House of Representatives and the Republicans maintaining a narrow hold on the Senate - Republicans currently dominate both chambers. "If the consensus expectation of a divided government turns out to be correct, the most likely political consequences would be an increase in investigations and uncertainty surrounding fiscal deadlines," David Kostin, Goldman's chief U.S. equity strategist, said in a note.
While investors may be questioning their equity exposure after the recent bout of volatility, U.S. stock ETFs may still find support from strong fundamentals. Sam Stovall, Chief Investment Strategist of U.S. Equity Strategy at CFRA, pointed out in a recent research note that since October, the S&P 500 has witnessed a 40% surge in average intra-day volatility, compared to the first nine months of the year.
Historically, the Dow Jones Industrial Average returned an average 0.6% over October, which has made it the seventh-best month of the year. The S&P 500 typically added 0.9% over October, which is also good enough for seventh place, with the same ratio of positive October months to negative ones as the Dow. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite Index's October was historically the eighth-best month of the year, going back 46 years.
The stock market has been on an upswing for a number of years, although it has been particularly volatile lately as trade war fears have heated up, suggesting that this might be the right time to consider bear market inverse ETFs.
Citigroup analysts, according to a recent note, are predicting a full-on bear market before the end of the year, based on historical trends. If indeed that proves to be true – and the multi-year bull market is set to pause, or at least slow down – then it may be time to consider diversifying your portfolio with products that soar when the market slips.
Investors are turning to the options market to hedge bets ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. ETF investors can also plan for potential political risk ahead with bearish or inverse exchange traded funds. The fall months have traditional been a seasonally volatile period for the equity market, and this year, the midterm elections on November 6 will add to the uncertainty as voters head to the polls and determine whether Republicans will maintain control over Congress or lose ground to Democrats, writes Gunjan Banerji for the Wall Street Journal.
Equity investors who are wary of any further swings can look to alternative ETF strategies to limit the potential risks. According to data from "Stock Trader's Almanac," the month of September has been the worst performing month of the year for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 since 1950, the worst for the Nasdaq since 1971, and the most difficult for the Russell 1000 and Russell 2000 since 1979, CNBC reports.
The indices are holding up extremely well as trade worries are on hold and a number of good earnings reports have helped to keep sentiment positive. It also helps that there was a big bounce in China overnight and that markets around the world are positive.
Morgan Stanley's chief U.S. equity strategist Michael Wilson warned the equity market is heading toward a destructive phase, CNBC reports. "The Nasdaq could correct by 15 percent plus, the S&P 500 probably goes down about 10 [percent]," Wilson told CNBC.
Seasoned professional traders typically understand the investment theory behind 'Sell in May and Go Away,' but it is not always that cut and dry. The procedure is to sell in May and buy stocks back in October, or at least after the summer swoon, and avoid the typical summer losses. In fact, we have seen solid summer market rallies in the recent past, since the credit crisis, and this has made the old adage lose credibility.