After the broad sell-off in growth stocks, momentum trading is making a comeback, with one momo tech exchange traded fund play outpacing other broad sector options.
The PowerShares DWA Technology Momentum Portfolio (NYSEArca: PTF) surged 12.5% over the past month. Meanwhile, broad market-cap weighted tech ETFs Technology Select Sector SPDR (NYSEArca: XLK) and the iShares U.S. Technology ETF (NYSEArca: IYW) are up 4.2% and 6.1%, respectively. [After Sell-Off, Tech ETFs Look Cheap]
After the Feb. 19 changes, PTF now tracks a Dorsey Wright & Associates index, the DWA Technology Technical Leaders Index, which is comprised of 30 companies based on their relative strength, or momentum.
Momentum strategies select stocks that show an accelerating price or volume. Proponents argue that momentum stocks are more likely to keep moving in the same direction than change. Consequently, the investment style relies more on short-term trends instead of market fundamentals. [Index Changes Benefit PowerShares ETFs]
Due to PTF’s focus on relative strength, the fund is heavily tilted toward more nimble and smaller companies. PTF’s market-cap allocations include mega-cap 5.6%, large-cap 19.8%, mid-cap 39.6%, small-cap 27.7% and micro-cap 7.3%.
The PowerShares ETF is filled with growth stocks like MICROS Systems (NasdaqGS: MCRS) 6.5%, SunEdison (NYSE: SUNE) 5.8% and Amphenol Corp (NYSE: APH) 5.8%.