This Week's ETF Winners & Losers

The HealthShares Emerging Cancer(HHJ Quote - Cramer on HHJ - Stock Picks) exchange-traded fund was one of the best performers of the holiday-shortened week. Dendreon (DNDN Quote - Cramer on DNDN - Stock Picks) has surged 245% over the last five sessions. Last Friday, the Food and Drug Administration said the company's prostate cancer vaccine treatment, Provenge, was safe and effective in treating prostate cancer, sending the stock soaring. The ETF finished the week higher by 8.2% to $27.

ETFs tracking metals and mining were also among the week's winners. Gold futures gained nearly 2.5% over the four sessions, and silver futures rose 2.2%.

For the week, the iShares Silver Trust(SLV Quote - Cramer on SLV - Stock Picks) was higher by 2.3% to $136.60. The streetTRACKS Gold Shares(GLD Quote - Cramer on GLD - Stock Picks) ETF added 1.7% to $66.84. The iShares Comex Gold Trust(IAU Quote - Cramer on IAU - Stock Picks) tacked on 1.6% to $66.88.

Utility-related ETFs also gained ground during the week. Among individual names, Entergy(ETR Quote - Cramer on ETR - Stock Picks), Exelon(EXC Quote - Cramer on EXC - Stock Picks), FirstEnergy(FE Quote - Cramer on FE - Stock Picks) and Public Service Enterprise Group(PEG Quote - Cramer on PEG - Stock Picks) climbed by 2.5% or more.

The Utilities Select Sector SPDR(XLU Quote - Cramer on XLU - Stock Picks) ETF tacked on 2.4% to $40.67. The Utilities HOLDRs(UTH Quote - Cramer on UTH - Stock Picks) ETF was higher by 2.1% to $143.81. The iShares Dow Jones US Utilities(IDU Quote - Cramer on IDU - Stock Picks) ETF added 1.9% to $98.91.

On the flip side, bundled securities tracking the energy sector were among the worst performers of the week. On Wednesday, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad decided to free 15 British sailors and marines it captured last month in the Persian Gulf. Crude prices, which spiked after the British were initially captured, slumped 2.4% to finish the week at $64.28 a barrel.

The iPath Goldman Sachs Crude Oil Index(OIL Quote - Cramer on OIL - Stock Picks) ETF eased 2.6% to $37.99. The United States Oil(USO Quote - Cramer on USO - Stock Picks) ETF fell 2.5% to $52.01.