It was a tepid end to April and start to May this week as the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out modestly weekly gains. The Nasdaq Composite was the leader of the trio with a gain of almost 1%.
While the evidence is anecdotal and represents just one week of data, this week’s most searched exchange traded funds on ETF Trends are indicative of a market theme that has recently been prominent: A flight to value. Said another way, “boring is beautiful” was amplified in terms the most searched ETFs this week.
Starting with the most searched ETF of the week, which also take home top honors among highly searched dividend funds, there is the PowerShares S&P 500 High Dividend Portfolio (NYSEArca: SPHD). SPHD draws on two themes investors can use to their advantage with summertime approaching: Dividends and reduced volatility. On that note, it is SPHD’s large utilities sector allocation that has the ETF flirting with new highs. [Quiet Rally for This Dividend ETF]
Other dividend ETFs that were widely searched this week include the WisdomTree Equity Income Fund (NYSEArca: DHS) and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation (NYSEArca: VIG).
Speaking of the utilities sector, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR (NYSEArca: XLU) was this week’s most searched sector ETF while the oft-overlooked ProShares Ultra Utilities (NYSEArca: UPW) was the most searched leverage ETF. [Leveraged Utilities ETF Soars]
Placing second among searched ETFs and still in the top-10 overall was the Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSEArca: XLE). The Market Vectors Unconventional Oil & Gas ETF (NYSEArca: FRAK) also saw elevated searches as the energy sector remains a favored destination.
Although lower volatility, value and dividends were among the most searched themes this week, that does not mean riskier fare was entirely cast aside. That much is seen with the most searched international and commodities ETFs.
For example, the iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF (NYSEArca: ERUS), a frequent visitor to these lists, was the most searched country fund this week. Increased tensions had gold in focus, but while the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEArca: GLD) was widely searched it was merely third behind to other commodities products. [Indian Holiday Lifts Gold ETFs]
The iPath Dow Jones-UBS Coffee Total Return Sub-Index ETN (NYSEArca: JO) and the United States Natural Gas Fund (NYSEArca: UNG), two April’s best ETFs, were the most searched commodities products this week with JO leading the way. [Commodities Cruise in April]
The Global X Social Media Index ETF (NasdaqGM: SOCL) and the Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (NYSEArca: MOO) were also among this week’s most searched industry funds.
Utilities Select Sector SPDR
