Will Back-to-School ETFs Be As Great As Gatsby This Season? | Page 2 of 2 | ETF Trends

Back-to-college students are set to spend less, as they are hit by high gas prices, and many did not receive a stimulus check because they are dependents of their parents. Here’s hoping they at least got a bump in their allowances.

Families with children age K-12 may average $594.24, up from last year’s $563.49, according to a survey by the National Retail Federations 2008. Electronics will be the hardest hit, as college students will not be able to spend in this department.

They’ll be thanking their lucky stars, too, when they see the size of their dorm room. Where do they think a TV is going to fit?

Retail ETFs with open pockets:

  • SPDR Retail ETF (XRT), down 7% year-to-date
  • Retail HOLDRs (RTH), down 3.8% year-to-date
  • Vanguard Consumer ETF (VDC), down 4.7% year-to-date