I'm of the view that passive and active investors alike can find value in owning exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Because there are more ETFs on the market today than individual stocks, there's a fund for every kind of investor. These highly diversified investing vehicles allow investors to purchase a stake in a wide range of companies, with portfolios that are automatically rebalanced based on certain criteria.
After yesterday's monster rally, the S&P 500 is down about 19 points at the moment. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF ( SPY) is also down about $1.82. Dow futures are up about 19, with the NASDAQ down about 116, especially with Nvidia ( NASDAQ: NVDA) and CoreWeave ( NASDAQ: CRWV) under pressure. Nvidia is down a few points in premarket after SoftBank sold its entire stake in the chipmaker for about $5 billion.
I've long been a proponent of diversification, and investing for the long-term in a structured and coherent fashion. Up until recently, most investors looking to create diversified portfolios had to do so on their own, or with the help of an advisor. And before zero trading fees became commonplace (largely due to payment for order flow and the rise of high-speed quantitative investing companies, but that's a story for another day), it was a costly endeavor to do so.
When you plan to hold an investment for decades, you need to be very careful about what you invest in. Gone are the days when the S&P 500 generated steady returns. Amplify CWP Growth & Income ETF, Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:AVDV ) and Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF (NYSEARCA:DIVO ) are ETFs worth considering today.
Many Boomers in 2025 need dependable passive income, and one outstanding way to achieve this is to invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Unlike open-end mutual funds, ETFs trade on major exchanges like stocks. They own financial assets, including stocks, bonds, currencies, debt, futures contracts, and commodities such as gold bars. Having more passive income can help cover rising costs, such as mortgages, insurance, taxes, and other expenses.
However, retirees and conservative investors seeking income for living expenses or just as an investment hedge may feel left out - the paltry dividends from pure stock index ETFs are negligible, yet their double digit gains are reliable portfolio asset growth factors that are essential for staying ahead of inflation. The popularity of the ultra high dividend YieldMax ETFs flipped the script and made covered call dividends themselves into a wealth building platform through dividend compounding.
CEO Larry Fink said the global market currently holds more than $4.5 trillion in digital wallets, spanning crypto, stablecoins, and tokenized assets. "A lot of that money is outside the United States," Fink said on CNBC earlier today, emphasizing the opportunity for the firm to reach new investors through digital channels. Fink said tokenization could allow investors who are entering markets through crypto to access more traditional long-term products, such as retirement funds.
VOO tracks the S&P 500, an index of 500 large-cap U.S. companies across sectors like technology, healthcare, and finance. Giants like Apple ( NASDAQ:AAPL ), Microsoft ( NASDAQ:MSFT ), and Amazon ( NASDAQ:AMZN ) dominate its holdings, reflecting the performance of America's biggest firms. VTI, on the other hand, follows the CRSP US Total Market Index, encompassing over 3,600 stocks, including large-, mid-, small-, and micro-cap companies. This broader scope captures nearly the entire U.S. stock market, offering more diversification.
Gold prices have surged over 45% in 2024, reaching multiple record peaks and heading toward their strongest annual performance in 45 years. Beyond purchases by central banks, the precious metal has gained momentum from the Federal Reserve's interest rate reductions, the global shift away from dollar dependence, and increased investment in gold ETFs. In addition, with the stock market seemingly printing new all-time highs every week, gold and the gold miners are seen as a solid hedge against a market meltdown
