This certainly was not the start to 2014 eager bulls were looking as the S&P 500 finished the holiday-shortened week to the downside following losses on Thursday and Friday, the first two trading days of 2014.
A look at the week’s most searched tickers on ETF Trends is always instructive as it delivers insight as to what advisors and investors are thinking, important information, particularly at the start of a new year.
However, we would first like to offer up an anecdote/commentary. The Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSEArca: TAN), which more than doubled last year, making it 2013’s best non-leveraged ETF, started 2014 on a strong note, surging almost 7% in the just completed week. Surprisingly, TAN was not one of the 10 most searched ETFs on ETF Trends this week. [2013’s Best Energy ETF]
The most searched ETF on the site this week was a familiar and now infamous name: The SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEArca: GLD). Occupying the tenth spot was the rival iShares Gold Trust (NYSEArca: IAU). GLD and IAU each lost 28.3% last year, but were significantly less bad this as both posted modest gains.
Given the spiral the two funds were in for much of last year, it is not surprising that even small up week would jolt searches. A derivative beneficiary of gold’s upside this week, at least terms of popularity, was the iPath Dow Jones-UBS Copper Total Return Sub-Index ETN (NYSEArca: JJC), which made a rare appearance on our most searched list.
Following a piece on Dec. 30 that highlighted its 3D printing exposure, the Robo-Stox Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF (NasdaqGS: ROBO) also ranked among the five most searched ETFs on our site this week. Interestingly, ROBO, which is just three and half months old, had $36.2 million in assets on Dec. 30, but that total had jumped to$48.3 million on Jan. 2. [3D Printing Stocks in the Robotics ETFs]
The most popular bond ETFs on ETF Trends this week, and the competition was not all that close, were the db X-Trackers Municipal Infrastructure Revenue Bond Fund (NYSEArca: RVNU) and the SPDR Barclays Convertible Securities ETF (NYSEArca: CWB).
RVNU and CWB are niche bond plays, but the increasing popularity of these funds is a sign of the times . Bond investors are growing worried about state and municipal pension obligations, meaning RVNU could benefit. And assuming interest rates, convertibles usually outperform other bond varietals when that happens.
Some familiar faces round out the 10 most searched ETFs this week: The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund (NYSEArca: VIG), WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (NYSEArca: DXJ) and the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (NasdaqGS: IBB). Remember, there are two upcoming biotech conferences that could spark IBB and rival funds this month. [Sector ETFs That Could Work in January]
Tom Lydon’s clients own shares of GLD and DXJ.