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Across twenty five of the most widely traded market, sector and industry ETFs, healthcare and energy were among January’s top performers.
Why should you care? Because January’s leaders are often among the best performers come year end.
The strongest healthcare ETF was biotech. Outside of healthcare, capital markets (AMEX:KCE), oil & gas equipment (AMEX:XES), transports (AMEX:IYT) and insurance were all strong. Homebuilders (AMEX:XHB) also continued to trade higher, following through on last year’s gains.
In technology, the broader technology ETF (AMEX:XLK) trailed; increasing 1.91% versus a 5.12% increase in the SPY. However, semiconductors (AMEX:XSD) were strong, increasing 6.06% and software (AMEX:IGV) increased 5.87%; suggesting technology exposure should be tilted toward those industries.
Finally, for fixed income investors, Muni’s (AMEX:MUB) performed best; up 0.81% during the month.
The following table breaks out the best ETFs through the first five trading days of January and for the entire month.
| ETF Returns: 1st 5 & January | |||
| Symbol | 1st 5 Days | Symbol | January |
| XBI | 7.17% | KCE | 11.23% |
| IBB | 5.20% | XES | 10.95% |
| XPH | 5.15% | IYT | 9.22% |
| KRE | 4.40% | KIE | 8.48% |
| KBE | 4.28% | XHB | 8.35% |
| KCE | 4.25% | XLE | 8.30% |
| XES | 4.16% | XBI | 8.17% |
| IYT | 3.73% | XPH | 7.89% |
| XLF | 3.48% | XLV | 7.60% |
| XHB | 3.42% | IYH | 7.50% |
| XOP | 3.16% | XRT | 7.49% |
| KIE | 3.09% | XOP | 7.43% |
| KOL | 3.06% | MDY | 7.08% |
