The broader consumer discretionary sector has been solid to start 2017 and there are signs once downtrodden retailers are on the mend as well.
For example, the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSEArca: XRT), the largest dedicated retail exchange traded fund, jumped more than 2% last week. So did the VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (NYSEArca: RTH) and that ETF is now up nearly 3% year-to-date.
RTH covers the 25 largest U.S. companies involved in retail distribution, wholesalers, on-line, direct mail and TV retailers, multi-line retailers, specialty retailers and food and other staples retailers. The ETF’s exposure to traditional department stores is light.
“The broader macroeconomic trends are quite bullish for retail names, said Gina Sanchez, CEO of Chantico Global. Citing economics research firm Oxford Economics, Sanchez said the economy is going to continue to expand this year. Retail sales can be viewed as a way to gauge economic health,” reports CNBC.
Other consumer discretionary and retail ETFs have been thriving, namely those with heavy tilts toward e-commerce names.