HANDLS Monthly Income Report: September 2025

September Category Performance 

8/31/2025 - 9/30/2025 

The graph and table above provide return data for major income-oriented asset categories for the month of September 2025 and YTD 2025. Returns for each asset category are based on the returns of the constituent(s) in the Nasdaq HANDLS™ Base Index representing that category. Also included are returns for the Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index, the Nasdaq 7HANDL™ Index and the Nasdaq 10HANDL™ Index. 

Gold Surges, Growth Shines, but HANDLS Wins the War of Time 

Markets closed the third quarter of 2025 with a decisive tilt toward equity-led income strategies, while MLPs and REITS struggled. Utilities (+4.1% in September, +17.6% YTD) and Growth & Income (+3.9%, +16.5% YTD) led the charge as investors gravitated toward quality dividend payers and defensive growth. Dividend Equity (+11.7% YTD) and Large-Cap Core (+16.8% YTD) continued to post strong results, reflecting a resilient equity market buoyed by expectations of continuing rate cuts. Fixed income returns remained steady with Investment Grade Corporate (+8.2%) and Build America Bonds (+7.6%) providing stability amid lingering inflation fears. The weakest performers were MLPs (-3.6% in August) and REITs, which struggled against the headwinds of elevated financing costs and sector-specific volatility.

A softer dollar and a run-up in gold prices added a new wrinkle to the quarter’s performance story. The weaker greenback bolstered export-linked names but introduced uncertainty in global capital flows—one more variable in a market trying to guess the unknown. The recent circular flow of capital into already high-valued market segments may itself be a quiet call to safety—a reminder that true diversification, as embodied in the HANDLS basket, remains the most reliable refuge when confidence rotates but clarity does not.  In this climate, balance and adaptability may ultimately matter more than concentrated sector bets.

The Nasdaq HANDLS™ Index family once again demonstrated that virtue. Through September, the Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index gained +9.4% YTD, the Nasdaq 7HANDL™ +11.1%, and the Nasdaq 10HANDL™ +14.8%. More telling than absolute performance, however, are the long-term risk metrics: since inception, the 7HANDL has delivered a 9.2% annualized return with just 8.6% volatility—producing a return-to-risk ratio higher than any single constituent.

The HANDLS basket approach never tops the leaderboard in roaring rallies, nor does it plunge to the bottom in drawdowns. Its power lies in compounding disciplined, risk-adjusted performance through multiple regimes. In an environment where gold glitters, currencies wobble, and confidence alternates between fear and relief, that consistency is its edge. 

For investors navigating the drawdown phase—when stability, income, and preservation of capital outweigh raw upside—the HANDLS methodology has demonstrated consistent performance across market regimes. It transforms uncertainty into balance, and volatility into opportunity using a systematic process that stands the test of time.

Since Inception Category 

3/12/2009—9/30/2025

*The graph and table above provide return data for major income-oriented asset categories since inception of HANDLS Indexes (3/12/2009). Returns for each asset category are based on the returns of the constituent(s) in the Nasdaq HANDLS™ Base Index representing that category. Also included are returns for the Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index, the Nasdaq 7HANDL™ Index and the Nasdaq 10HANDL™ Index.  Inception dates for MLPs (1/2/2013), Build America Bonds (1/2/2010) and Active Fixed Income (1/2/2014)

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Important Disclosure. HANDLS Indexes receives compensation in connection with licensing its indices to third parties. Any returns or performance provided within are for illustrative purposes only and do not demonstrate actual performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future investment results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Exposure to an asset class is available through investable instruments based on an index. HANDLS Indexes does not sponsor, endorse, sell, promote or manage any investment fund or other vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide an investment return based on the returns of any index.  There is no assurance that investment products based on an index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. HANDLS Indexes is not an investment advisor, and HANDLS Indexes makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in any such investment fund or other vehicle. A decision to invest in any such investment fund or other vehicle should not be made in reliance on any of the statements set forth in this document. Prospective investors are advised to make an investment in any such fund or other vehicle only after carefully considering the risks associated with investing in such funds, as detailed in an offering memorandum or similar document that is prepared by or on behalf of the issuer of the investment fund or other vehicle. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by Indexes to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice. The information contained herein is intended for personal use only and should not be relied upon as the basis for the execution of a security trade. Investors are advised to consult with their broker or other financial representative to verify pricing information for any securities referenced herein. Neither Indexes nor any of its direct or indirect third-party data suppliers or their affiliates shall have any liability for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein, nor for any lost profits, indirect, special or consequential damages. Either Indexes or its direct or indirect third-party data suppliers or their affiliates have exclusive proprietary rights in any information contained herein. The information contained herein may not be used for any unauthorized purpose or redistributed without prior written approval from HANDLS Indexes. Copyright © 2025 by HANDLS Indexes. All rights reserved.