Oil ETF Surge Could be Short Lived

However, there are reasons for investors to be cautious with volatile energy ETFs. Moreover, if oil prices falls to new lows and the shale industry is unable to turn a profit, the highly leveraged industry may find it harder to repay debt obligations.

With the U.S. dollar strengthening and the Federal Reserve looking at tightening its monetary policy, the various U.S. market sectors and related exchange traded funds could behave differently in a strong USD environment.

The Trade Weighted U.S. Dollar Index has increased 15% over the past year and is at its highest level in over 10 years, writes Karen Wallace for Morningstar. Energy ETFs can prove particularly vulnerable in the face of a stronger greenback.

United States Oil Fund