Retail ETFs: A Lump of Coal or a Nice Surprise?

Despite a massive snowstorm that brought the East coast to a halt last week, many retailers are showing improved year-over-year results and the holiday shopping season is not quite wrapped up. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are feeling the love.

This season has already shown stronger shopping results, with e-commerce, electronics and jewelry all posting gains, according to MasterCard Advisors in its SpendingPulse report. According to Dow Jones Newswires, the results highlight improvements from November, when U.S. retailers’ same-store sales broadly missed analysts’ dim expectations and confirmed an intense focus by shoppers on discounts and promotions. [Read more about November's successful numbers from retailers.]

Online shopping has posted the strongest growth so far-up 14% since Black Friday and 13% since Nov. 1. This method of shopping has proven to be the biggest success yet, getting a big boost from the recent snowstorm that blanketed much of the eastern United States, according to Retail Wire. [What consumers are buying this holiday season.]

For more stories about retail ETFs, visit our retail category.

• SPDR S&P Retail (NYSEArca: XRT): up 77.3% year-to-date

• Retail HOLDRs (NYSEArca: RTH): up 27.1% year-to-date

• iShares Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Goods Sector (NYSEArca: IYK): up 23.7% year-to-date