According to ETF.com, Fixed-income-based exchange-traded funds are on track for a record year, with the funds accruing $130 billion in inflow as of mid-November. If the year ended there, that would be the largest-ever annual haul for fixed-income ETFs. But for the ETF industry, gains have really been across the board for much of 2019. The ETF that tracks the S&P 500 Index (NYSE: SPY) for instance, saw growth of over +1% this week and increases of almost +26% for the year to date. The Invesco QQQ Trust (NYSE: QQQ) has also grown well this year, with the fund increasing over +1.6% for the week and almost +33% for the year so far. The trade fund that tracks the Dow Jones (NYSE: DIA) is also not too far behind, with weekly growth clocking in at +0.75% and yearly growth just shy of +21%. The year so far has been a powerhouse of growth for the major U.S. market averages.
Stock Sector ETFs have also seen great growth for the year. Financials (NYSE: XLF), for example, has posted gains of almost +27% for the year so far, with the bond growing a modest +0.77% for the week. This sector keeps climbing to new 52-week highs as bank stocks carry it through its rally. Technology (NYSE: XLK), carried by FANG stocks, has also been a powerhouse in 2019's market, with the bond increasing over +42% for the year so far and jumping almost +2% for the week. Industrials (NYSE: XLI), the sector that has experienced market volatility from the year's trade war, has also posted some explosive growth; the sector increased over +27% for the year and rose +0.45% for the week. Consumer Staples (NYSE: XLP) is also raking in share growth and posting new 52-week highs, with the ETF increasing over +22% for the year and +1% for the week. Consumer Discretionary (NYSE: XLY) has also grown despite the volatility surrounding trade tariffs between U.S. and China. The ETF has grown almost +24% for the year and +2% for the week. Utilities (NYSE: XLU) is also a sector that has been increasing quite steadily, with the bond posting gains of +19% for the year to date and a modest growth of +0.08% for the week. Health Care (NYSE: XLV) has also seen stable growth, with the sector climbing +15% for the year and +1.25% for the week.
Energy (NYSE: XLE) is really the only sector for the year so far that has not seen real growth. The sector so far on has an increase of +2.69% for the year and continues to drop for the week with share declining -1.57%. This ETF is being touted as a junk bond and the losing sector of the year.
Lastly, for Commodity and Currency ETFs, most funds have been trading well and posting substantial growth. For example, Gold (NYSE: GLD) has climbed almost +14% for the year and has grown steadily week by week. United States Oil (NYSE: USO) may have had some declines for the week, but for the year the fund has been trading well; the fund posted a gain of over +20%. United States Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG) on the other hand has been suffering in current markets, with the fund slipping almost -28% for the year to date and -14% for the week. Finally, for currencies, The Dollar (NYSE: UUP) has been increasing for the year, with the fund's year to date increase being +5.74%. The Pound (NYSE: FXB) has also grown modestly in its turbulent political climate, with the currency increasing +1.42% for the year. The Euro (NYSE: FXE) however has not been fairing as well, with the fund continuously dropping and its year to date growth plummeting almost -5%.