Software ETFs Outperform the Rest

The software sector has proven to be anything but soft recently, as related exchange traded funds (ETFs) are trending above their 200-day moving average. Software can benefit in a slowing economy as companies look to ways to become more efficient in their operations, reports Trang Ho for Investor’s Business Daily.  Companies may not cut the technology budget if they know they can improve their operations and save money down the road.

Software-related ETFs moving up recently include:

• iShares S&P North American Technology Software Index (IGV), up 10.7% for the past month and down 1.1% year-to-date
• Software HOLDRs (SWH), up 9.7% for the past month and down 1.3% year-to-date
• PowerShares Dynamic Software Portfolio (PSJ), up 8.4% for the past month and down 6.1% year-to-date

The main software players in the ETFs, and in the industry, include Adobe Systems (ADBE), Oracle (ORCL), Symantec (SYMC), and Microsoft (MSFT); all helping drive the performance of these ETFs.