Shorts, Commodities Lift These ETFs to Top
The top 10 ETFs for the quarter were dominated by funds that employed short strategies and funds invested in natural gas and copper.
While the broad market fell, these funds were able to post very solid returns ranging from 21% to 34% for the three months ended March 31.
Short strategy funds were able to capture returns across the spectrum of industries and sectors. This shows that the U.S. economy is experiencing a broad-based slowdown. Sectors and industries varied from semiconductors/technology, health care, small-cap and midcap stocks.
On the international front, shorting the Chinese market via the
ProShares UltraShort FTSE/Xinhua China
(FXP) - Get ProShares UltraShort FTSE China 50 Report
fund capitalized on the recent cooling of that economy's runaway growth rate.
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The profitable long positions were exposed to natural gas and copper.
Natural Gas looks like an opportunity going forward if investors want to play the energy market.
FUND_NAME | TICKER | TSCR Grade | Category | 1 Month Return | 3 Month Return |
ProShares Ultra Short Semiconductors | SSG | A | Equity Income | -4.35 | 34.77 |
United States Natural Gas Fund | UNG | U | Energy/Natural Res | 6.41 | 33.79 |
ProShares Ultra Short Technology | REW | C- | Growth - Domestic | -0.26 | 33.51 |
iPath Dow Jones-AIG Natural Gas Total Return | GAZ | U | Energy/Natural Res | 6.82 | 33.20 |
ProShares Ultra Short QQQ | QID | C+ | Growth - Domestic | -5.10 | 31.57 |
ProShares Ultra Short Health Care | RXD | C | Health/Biotechnology | 8.51 | 27.02 |
ProShares Ultra Short Russell 2000 Growth | SKK | A+ | Growth - Domestic | -1.59 | 26.20 |
iPath Dow Jones-AIG Copper Total Return | JJC | U | Energy/Natural Res | -0.53 | 25.65 |
ProShares Ultra Short Russell Mid Cap Growth | SDK | A+ | Growth - Domestic | 3.02 | 24.10 |
ProShares UltraShort FTSE/Xinhua China 25 | FXP | U | Non-US Equity | 4.40 | 21.55 |
Sam Patel, CFA, is the manager of mutual fund research for the TheStreet.com Ratings.
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