According to Will McClatchy for ETFZone, overweighting or underweighting mid-caps coming out of a bear market can be a good play for an ETF portfolio, depending on the economic conditions, and mid-caps are relatively less volatile than small-caps.

There is also the chance that a larger company may acquire a mid-cap company, which would be to the benefit of mid-cap shareholders.

Stock-picking can be difficult; how does anyone know which small- or mid-cap will graduate to large-cap status? Mid-cap ETFs can give you a diversified play on the entire asset class.

Potential investors looking into mid-cap ETFs should know that the definition of “mid-cap” varies from different fund providers. In general, though, it’s a company with a market capitalization between $2 billion and $10 billion.

For more information on mid-caps, visit our mid-cap category.

Major mid-cap ETFs include:

• Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEArca: VO)
• iShares S&P MidCap 400 (NYSEArca: IJH)
• iShares Russell Midcap ETF (NYSEArca: IWR)
• SPDR Dow Jones Wilshire Mid Cap ETF (NYSEArca: EMM)
• SPDR MidCap ETF (NYSEArca: MDY)

Additionally, there are mid-cap ETFs that target growth or value:

• iShares Morningstar Mid Core ETF(NYSEArca: JKG)
• iShares Morningstar Mid Growth ETF(NYSEArca: JKH)
• iShares Morningstar Mid Value ETF(NYSEArca: JKI)
• iShares Russell Midcap Growth ETF(NYSEArca: IWP)
• iShares Russell Midcap Value ETF(NYSEArca: IWS)
• iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth ETF(NYSEArca: IJK)
• iShares S&P MidCap 400 Value ETF(NYSEArca: IJJ)
• Rydex ExpressShares S&P MidCap 400 Pure Growth ETF (NYSEArca: RFG)
• Rydex ExpressShares S&P MidCap 400 Pure Value ETF (NYSEArca: RFV)
• Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEArca: VOT)
• Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (NYSEArca: VOE)
• SPDR Dow Jones Wilshire Mid Cap Growth ETF (NYSEArca: EMG)
• SPDR Dow Jones Wilshire Mid Cap Value ETF (NYSEArca: EMV)

Then, there are the leveraged ETFs that provide an extra kick to benchmark performance results. Investors should know the risks involved when trading leveraged funds. (Everything you need to know about leveraged and inverse ETFs).

• ProShares Ultra Russell MidCap Growth ETF(NYSEArca: UKW)
• ProShares Ultra Russell MidCap Value ETF(NYSEArca: UVU)
• ProShares UltraShort Russell MidCap Growth ETF(NYSEArca: SDK)
• ProShares UltraShort Russell MidCap Value ETF(NYSEArca: SJL)
• Rydex ExpressShares 2x S&P MidCap 400 ETF(NYSEArca: RMM)

And lastly, there are mid-cap ETFs that utilize financial ratios to beat popular indexes:

• RevenueShares Mid Cap ETF (NYSEArca: RWK)
• WisdomTree MidCap Dividend ETF(NYSEArca: DON)
• WisdomTree MidCap Earnings ETF(NYSEArca: EZM)

Max Chen contributed to this article.

Brian Neill for the Bradenton Herald says that he’s staying away from most individual stocks. Instead, he’s spending more time on ETFs, and the more he learns, the more he likes them.

His portfolio is made of of some funds that help him rest easier at night:

• Dow Diamonds Trust (DIA)
• SPDR S&P 500 (SPY)
• S&P Mid Cap 400 (MDY)
• Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF)

Among one of Neil’s biggest themes he’s sticking with is caution. The ETFs he has in his portfolio are broad-based, so he gets a wide array of exposure. In the wake of recent volatility, broad baskets of stocks keep the risk factor lower than it would be with individual stock-picking.

So whether the renewed strength in the dollar helped his portfolio, or crude’s drop to a 3-month low, or simple magic, it doesn’t matter, because with ETF investing, you’re covered.