In a sign that the risk-on trade might be getting new life, ETFs
tracking the financial services sector soared on Thursday. This
could prove to be a crucial point toward extending a rally that has
now gone beyond two months as financial services names are the
second-largest sector allocation within the S&P 500 behind
technology.
While volume is light, the Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE:
XLF
), the largest ETF by assets tracking bank stocks, is up nearly one
percent and trading at its highest levels since May.
"XLF is starting to break out today," said Paul Weisbruch,
Street One Financials vice president of ETF/options sales and
trading, in a note. "XLF is trading at key levels (and we) would
like to see a close here if not above $15 in XLF from a technical
standpoint."
Wells Fargo (NYSE:
WFC
), J.P. Morgan Chase (NYSE:
JPM
), Bank of America and Citigroup (NYSE:
C
) combine for over 26 percent of XLF's weight. The fund has almost
$6.5 billion in assets under management.
Weisbruch recommend watching other bank ETFs in conjunction with
XLF. That list included the First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund
(NYSE:
FXO
), the Vanguard Financials ETF (NYSE:
VFH
) and the Rydex S&P Equal Weight Financials ETF (NYSE:
RYF
). The Rydex S&P Equal Weight Financials ETF is thinly traded
with average daily volume of less than 4,200 shares over the past
three months, but on Thursday, volume in RYF has exceeded 9,300
shares.
"This financials rally seems to be led by the money center banks
as well as brokerage and money management firms," Weisbruch added.
"The iShares Dow Jones US Broker-Dealers Index Fund (NYSE:
IAI
) is a fund to watch closely here as well."
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:
GS
) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE:
MS
) combine for over 16 percent of IAI's weight. The fund has $41.3
million in AUM.
Weisbruch also noted the iShares MSCI Canada Index Fund (NYSE:
EWC
) is another ETF getting a lift from the rally in bank stocks. EWC
devotes 33.2 percent of its weight to financial services names and
four are found among the ETF's top-10 holdings. Each of EWC's
top-three holdings are bank stocks. EWC is also trading at levels
not seen since May.
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