We mentioned yesterday what a coincidence it was that the exchange traded fund (ETF) iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction (ITB) went up about 5% the same day the Federal Reserve report was released. ITB has managed not only to hold on to its increase but improve upon it: ITB is up 7.5% today, making it one of Wednesday’s ETF winners, according to Robert Holmes for TheStreet.com. Some top holdings in ITB that might have influenced its recent gain include D.R. Horton (DHI), which rose 6.9%, Centex (CTX) increased 8.2% and KB Home (KBH) rose 8.8%. KB Home announced yesterday it would use cash on hand to repay $650 million in debt to rid its balance sheet of obligations.
ITB wasn’t the only home-related ETF that saw large gains today as SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB) rose 7.3% today. Although the financial and homebuilding sectors have been big losers in recent weeks, the recent spike indicates investors now see value in these pummeled stocks, according to Madlen Read for the Associated Press.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.