How do I choose a long term ETF?
Long-term investors generally look for ETFs they can hold for several years, or their full investment time horizon, which may be decades. Therefore, the best ETFs for the long term may include a diverse set of ETFs with low expenses, high assets under management and a long-term performance history.
- SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.
- iShares Core S&P 500 ETF.
- Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund.
- Shelton NASDAQ-100 Index Direct.
- Invesco QQQ Trust ETF.
- Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF.
- Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF.
- SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust.
ETFs can be a great investment for long-term investors and those with shorter-term time horizons. They can be especially valuable to beginning investors. That's because they won't require the time, effort, and experience needed to research individual stocks.
Symbol | Name | 5-Year Return |
---|---|---|
OEF | iShares S&P 100 ETF | 14.73% |
SPHB | Invesco S&P 500® High Beta ETF | 14.58% |
SPYG | SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Growth ETF | 14.40% |
VOOG | Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF | 14.38% |
Before purchasing an ETF there are five factors to take into account 1) performance of the ETF 2) the underlying index of the ETF 3) the ETF's structure 4) when and how to trade the ETF and 5) the total cost of the ETF.
Ticker | Fund | 10-Yr Return |
---|---|---|
VGT | Vanguard Information Technology ETF | 19.60% |
IYW | iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 19.58% |
IXN | iShares Global Tech ETF | 18.20% |
IGM | iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF | 17.95% |
ETF | Assets Under Management | Expense Ratio |
---|---|---|
Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) | $70 billion | 0.10% |
VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) | $16.3 billion | 0.35% |
Invesco S&P MidCap Momentum ETF (XMMO) | $1.6 billion | 0.34% |
SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) | $1.8 billion | 0.35% |
ETFs are subject to market fluctuation and the risks of their underlying investments. ETFs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Unlike mutual funds, ETF shares are bought and sold at market price, which may be higher or lower than their NAV, and are not individually redeemed from the fund.
Hold ETFs throughout your working life. Hold ETFs as long as you can, give compound interest time to work for you. Sell ETFs to fund your retirement. Don't sell ETFs during a market crash.
Similarly, you should consider holding those ETFs with gains past their first anniversary to take advantage of the lower long-term capital gains tax rates. ETFs that invest in currencies, metals, and futures do not follow the general tax rules.
Do ETFs do well in a recession?
Investors looking to weather a recession can use exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as one way to reduce risk through diversification. ETFs that specialize in consumer staples and non-cyclicals outperformed the broader market during the Great Recession and are likely to persevere in future downturns.
Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, VOO is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market.
The majority of individual investors should, however, seek to hold 5 to 10 ETFs that are diverse in terms of asset classes, regions, and other factors. Investors can diversify their investment portfolio across several industries and asset classes while maintaining simplicity by buying 5 to 10 ETFs.
Two funds that have outperformed the S&P 500 and more than doubled in value in the past five years are the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ) and the Vanguard Growth ETF (NYSEMKT: VUG). Here's a look at why these funds have done so well, and whether you should consider adding them to your portfolio.
Generally speaking, the best time to trade ETFs is closer to the middle of the trading day rather than the beginning or end.
Ticker | Fund name | 5-year return |
---|---|---|
SOXX | iShares Semiconductor ETF | 30.70% |
XLK | Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund | 24.57% |
IYW | iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 24.09% |
FTEC | Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF | 22.79% |
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The iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. dollar-denominated bonds that are rated either investment-grade or high yield with remaining effective maturities between five and ten years.
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO -0.84%) ...
- Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM 0.84%) ...
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- iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT -0.78%) ...
- Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP 0.98%)
What is the number one traded ETF?
Symbol | Vol * Price | Price |
---|---|---|
QQQ D | 31.195 B USD | 414.65 USD |
IWM D | 8.24 B USD | 193.14 USD |
TQQQ D | 6.205 B USD | 49.48 USD |
VOO D | 4.454 B USD | 455.10 USD |
Fund (ticker) | YTD performance | Expense ratio |
---|---|---|
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) | 10.4 percent | 0.03 percent |
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) | 10.4 percent | 0.095 percent |
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) | 10.4 percent | 0.03 percent |
Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) | 8.6 percent | 0.20 percent |
There are many ways an ETF can stray from its intended index. That tracking error can be a cost to investors. Indexes do not hold cash but ETFs do, so a certain amount of tracking error in an ETF is expected. Fund managers generally hold some cash in a fund to pay administrative expenses and management fees.
Low Liquidity
If an ETF is thinly traded, there can be problems getting out of the investment, depending on the size of your position relative to the average trading volume. The biggest sign of an illiquid investment is large spreads between the bid and the ask.
Leveraged ETF prices tend to decay over time, and triple leverage will tend to decay at a faster rate than 2x leverage. As a result, they can tend toward zero.