Aerospace stocks and exchange traded funds have spent ample time in the spotlight since the November U.S. presidential election. That trend is expected to continue as President Donald Trump addresses Congress for the first time Tuesday.
Although the aerospace and defense industry is perceived as being beholden to Uncle Sam’s whims, the allure of late-cycle sectors, including industrials, in a rising rate environment remains in place. Industrials perform well when interest rates rise because rising rates can go hand-in-hand with economic growth.
However, the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEArca: ITA), PowerShares Aerospace & Defense Portfolio (NYSEArca: PPA) and the SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEArca: XAR) were pinched somewhat late last year after Trump criticized the Pentagon’s profligate spending habits.
“Coming one day before delivering his high-stakes “State of the Union” address on Tuesday to a joint session of Congress, Trump will demand a budget with tens of billions of dollars in reductions to the Environmental Protection Agency and State Department, administration officials reported,” reports ETF Daily News.