Among dividend ETFs, the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEArca: VIG) got its fair share of searches, as usual, but the most searched dividend ETFs for the week are the PowerShares International Dividend Achievers Portfolio (NYSEArca: PID) and the Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEArca: SCHD).
PID hit a new 52-week high Thursday and is higher by about 5% this year. That compares with a 3.3% gain for the S&P 500 and just 2% for VIG. An oft-cited advantage of international dividend stocks over their U.S. counterparts is higher yields. PID delivers on that front with a trailing 12-month yield of 3.38% or nearly 150 basis above the dividend yield on VIG. [High Achieving Global Dividend ETF]
Other goliath ETFs that were heavily trafficked this week include the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEArca: GLD), iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (NasdaqGM: IBB) and the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEArca: IWM). GLD is the largest gold ETF while IBB and IWM are largest biotech and small-cap ETFs, respectively.
iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF
Tom Lydon’s clients own shares of GLD, IWM, SCHD and TLT.