ETFdb Logo
ETFdb Logo
  • ETF Database
  • Channels
    • Active ETF
    • Alternatives
    • Beyond Basic Beta
    • China Insights
    • Climate Insights
    • Commodities
    • Core Strategies
    • Crypto
    • Disruptive Technology
    • Dividend
    • Dual Impact
    • Emerging Markets
    • Energy Infrastructure
    • ESG
    • ETF Building Blocks
    • ETF Education
    • ETF Strategist
    • Fixed Income
    • Free Cash Flow
    • Future ETFs
    • Global Diversification
    • Gold & Silver Investing
    • Innovative ETFs
    • Institutional Income Strategies
    • Leveraged & Inverse
    • Managed Futures
    • Market Insights
    • Megatrends
    • Modern Alpha
    • Multi-Asset
    • Night Effect
    • Portfolio Strategies
    • Retirement Income
    • Richard Bernstein Advisors
    • Tax Efficient Income
    • Thematic Investing
    • Volatility Resource
  • Tools
    • ETF Screener
    • ETF Country Exposure Tool
    • ETF Sector Tracker Tool
    • ETF Database Categories
    • Head-To-Head ETF Comparison Tool
    • ETF Stock Exposure Tool
    • ETF Issuer Fund Flows
    • Indexes
    • Mutual Fund To ETF Converter
    • ETF Data for Journalists
    • ETF Nerds
  • Research
    • First Bitcoin ETF
    • ETF Education
    • Equity Investing
    • Dividend ETFs
    • Leveraged ETFs
    • Inverse ETFs
    • Index Education
    • Index Insights
    • Top ETF Sectors
    • Top ETF Issuers
    • Top ETF Industries
  • Webcasts
  • Themes
    • AI ETFs
    • Blockchain ETFs
    • See all Thematic Investing ETF themes
    • ESG Investing
    • Marijuana ETFs
  • Multimedia
    • ETF 360 Video Series
    • ETF Trends on Videos
    • ETF Trends on Podcasts
    • ETF Prime Podcast
  • Company
    • About Us
    • Swag Store
  • PRO
    • Pro Content
    • Pro Tools
    • Advanced
    • FAQ
    • Pricing
    • Free Sign Up
    • Login
  1. ETF Trading Strategies
  2. ETF Trading Cheat Sheet
ETF Trading Strategies
Share

ETF Trading Cheat Sheet

Stoyan BojinovApr 24, 2015
2015-04-24

With over 1,600 ETFs on the market, finding the right fund to trade can be more challenging than you might suspect.

In an effort to assist traders with narrowing down the right fund for their goals, below we’ve compiled a list of the most popular asset classes along with the related leveraged and inverse pairs (when available) for each one:

  • Major Equity Indexes
  • Domestic Sectors
  • Domestic Industries
  • Europe Equity
  • Asia Equity
  • North & South America Equity
  • Bonds
  • Commodities
  • Volatility & Currency

Please note that for all of the following groups of inverse and leveraged ETFs we have only listed the most liquid option available. For example, assuming there are several 2x leveraged S&P 500 ETFs, we have listed only the most liquid one based on average daily trading volumes.

Click Here to download a PDF version of “The Best ETFs To Trade Everything”.

ETFs to Trade Major Equity Indexes

This group of funds tracks the most well known broad-based equity indexes in the global stock market, including the S&P 500 Index, which is generally regarded as the “Go-To” barometer for U.S. markets, as well as the EAFE Index, which is the most coveted benchmark for tracking developed markets. This group also includes several “style” ETFs which have garnered a lot of attention in the active trading community, including High Beta, Low Volatility, and Equal Weight.


Content continues below advertisement

-3x-2x-1xStocks1x2x3x
SPXUSDSSH

S&P 500

SPYSSOUPRO
SQQQQIDPSQ

Nasdaq 100

QQQQLDTQQQ
SDOWDXDDOG

Dow Jones Industrial Average

DIADDMUDOW
TZATWMRWM

Russell 2000

IWMUWMTNA
DPK EFUEFZ

EAFE Index

EFAEFODZK
EDZEEVEUM

MSCI Emerging Markets

EEMEETEDC

S&P 500 High Beta

SPHB

S&P 500 Low Volatility

SPLV

S&P 500 Equal Weight

RSP

ETFs to Trade Domestic Sectors

Those who wish to get a bit more granular with their trading strategy can utilize sector ETFs for their ease-of-use when it comes to establishing timely, tactical exposure to a particular corner of the market. Sector ETFs have opened up the doors to investment strategies that were previously too costly to execute for mainstream investors; for example, self-directed investors can easily employ everything from Sector Rotation to Pairs Trading Strategies, and do so in a cost-effective manner.

-3x-2x-1xSectors1x2x3x
FAZSKFSEF

Financials

XLFUYGFAS
SDP

Utilities

XLUUPW
SIJ

Industrials

XLIUXI
SZK

Staples

XLPUGE
SCC

Discretionary

XLYUCC
TECSREW

Technology

XLKROMTECL
RXD

Health Care

XLVRXLCURE
SMNSBM

Basic Materials

XLBUYMMATL
ERYDUG

Energy

XLEDIGERX

ETFs to Trade Domestic Industries

Digging deeper, traders can get even more granular with their ETF strategies without sacrificing any diversity in options or liquidity. When it comes to establishing long positions in the various industries out there, ETFs can answer virtually any calling. On the inverse and leveraged fronts, however, the industry ETF group certainly has room for improvement in “filling out” the options available to traders.

-3x-2x-1xIndustries1x2x3x

Transportation

IYT
MLPS

MLPs

AMLP MLPL

Retail

XRT RETL

Homebuilders

XHB
DRVSRSREK

Real Estate

VNQUREDRN

Metals & Mining

XME
DUST

Gold Miners

GDX NUGT
BIS

Biotech

IBBBIB

Aerospace & Defense

ITA
TLL

Telecom

IYZLTL
SOXSSSG

Semiconductors

SOXXUSDSOXL

ETFs to Trade Europe

Traders aren’t limited to their options for accessing overseas markets thanks to the proliferation of ETFs. When it comes to Europe, there are a plethora of country-specific ETFs, allowing for traders to establish targeted exposure whenever necessary. Aside from the well known funds targeting developed European countries, there is a growing number of instruments focused on emerging Europe as well.

-3x-2x-1xEurope1x2x3x
EURZEPV

Europe Developed

EZUUPVEURL

Europe Emerging

ESR

United Kingdom

EWU

Germany

EWG

France

EWQ

Sweden

EWD

Finland

EFNL

Denmark

EDEN

Norway

NORW

Austria

EWO

Netherlands

EWN

Belgium

EWK

Spain

EWP

Italy

EWI

Greece

GREK

Poland

EPOL

Ireland

EIRL

Switzerland

EWL
RUSS

Russia

RSX RUSL

ETFs to Trade Asia

Moving along to the East, country-specific options are also plentiful for those looking to trade opportunities in Asia. Given the lack of many country-specific options from the African continent at the moment, this group also includes ETFs to trade Egypt as well as South Africa.

-3x-2x-1xAsia1x2x3x

Turkey

TUR

Egypt

EGPT

South Africa

EZA
YANGFXPYXI

China

FXIXPPYINN

India

EPIINDL

Taiwan

EWT

Malaysia

EWM

Singapore

EWS

Indonesia

IDX

Thailand

THD

Vietnam

VNM
KORZ

South Korea

EWY KORU
JPNSEWV

Japan

EWJEZJJPNL

Australia

EWA

New Zealand

ENZL

ETFs to Trade North & South America

South American markets have made a big splash in the last few years as investors have embraced opportunities beyond the BRIC, although Brazil still remains the most accessible country via ETFs from the region.

-3x-2x-1xAmericas1x2x3x

Canada

EWC
SMK

Mexico

EWWUMX
BRZSBZQ

Brazil

EWZUBRBRZU

Chile

ECH

Colombia

GXG

Argentina

ARGT

Peru

EPU

ETFs to Trade Bonds

Although equity ETFs dominate the Top 100 List by Trading Volume, there is no shortage of trader-friendly bond funds. Investors can implement everything from a duration-focused strategy to one that targets just one particular segment of the fixed income world.

-3x-2x-1xBonds1x2x3x
TMVTBTTBF

US 20yr Treasury

TLTUBTTMF
TYOPSTTBX

US 7-10yr Treasury

IEFUSTTYD
TBZ

US 3-7yr Treasury

IEI

US 1-3yr Treasury

SHY
IGS

AAA Corporates

LQDIGU
SJB

High Yield

HYGUJB
TPS

TIPS

TIP

Emerging Markets

EMB

ETFs to Trade Commodities

Commodities trading has been around for decades, but the barriers to entry in the futures market have been enough to keep many on the sidelines. ETFs have opened up the doors to previously difficult, if not altogether impossible, to reach asset classes; traders can now easily and cost-effectively move in and out of instruments offering exposure to everything from gold to natural gas.

-3x-2x-1xCommodities1x2x3x
DGLDGLLDGZ

Gold

GLDDGPUGLD
DSLVZSL

Silver

SLVAGQUSLV
BOMBOS

Industrial Metals

DBBBDD
DWTISCODNO

Crude Oil

USOUCOUWTI
DGAZKOLD

Natural Gas

UNGBOILUGAZ
DEEDDP

Broad

DBCDYY
AGAADZ

Agriculture

DBADAG

ETFs to Trade Volatility & Currency

The roster of alternative asset classes accessible via the ETF wrapper continues to expand, further democratizing the global investment landscape. Traders can utilize volatility funds to target a previously hard-to-reach asset class reserved for sophisticated investors only. The foreign exchange market is also at the tips of ETF traders’ fingertips; there are a number of country-specific currency ETFs as well as broad options for targeting currencies of developing economies.

-3x-2x-1xVolatility & Currency1x2x3x
XIV

Volatility (VIX)

VXXUVXY
UDNT UDN

US Dollar

UUP UUPT
EUOEUFX

Euro

FXEULE
CROC

Aussie

FXAGDAY
YCS

Yen

FXYYCL

Pound

FXB

Real

BZF

Canadian

FXC

Swiss

FXF

Rupee

ICN

Emerging Markets

CEW

For more ETF analysis, make sure to sign up for our free ETF newsletter.

» Popular Pages

  • Tickers
  • Articles

Jan 26

Despite GDP Growth, Recession Fears Still Linger

Jan 26

Commodities Have Their Say as Bonds Soar

Jan 26

Diversify Portfolios by Challenging Home Country Bias

Jan 26

Look to Equal-Weight RYT for Seagate Exposure

Jan 26

ETF of the Week: SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

Jan 26

Use USNZ To Help Meet Paris Agreement Goals

Jan 26

China Reopening Foregrounds Commodities

Jan 26

Don’t Ignore MUSI, a Current Income ETF

Jan 26

Join the Finance Community to Support These Non-Profits at Exchange

Jan 26

Don’t Miss Out: KARS Is on the Rise

QQQ

Invesco QQQ Trust

SPY

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

VOO

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

VGT

Vanguard Information...

SMH

VanEck Semiconductor ETF

XLK

Technology Select Sector SPDR...

VTI

Vanguard Total Stock Market...

SOXX

iShares Semiconductor ETF

BLOK

Amplify Transformational Data...

META

Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF

Loading Articles...
Help & Info
  • Contact Us
Tools
  • ETF Screener
  • ETF Analyzer
  • Mutual Fund to ETF Converter
  • Head-To-Head ETF Comparison
  • ETF Country Exposure Tool
  • ETF Stock Exposure Tool
  • ETF Performance Visualizer
  • ETF Database Model Portfolios
  • ETF Database Realtime Ratings
  • ETF Database Pro
More Tools
  • ETF Launch Center
  • Financial Advisor & RIA Center
  • ETF Database RSS Feed
Explore ETFs
  • ETF News
  • ETF Picks of the Month
  • ETF Category Reports
  • Premium Articles
  • Alphabetical Listing of ETFs
  • Best ETFs
  • Browse ETFs by ETF Database Category
  • Browse ETFs by Index
  • Browse ETFs by Issuer
  • Compare ETFs
Legal
  • Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
  • © 2023 VettaFi LLC. All rights reserved.
Follow ETF Database
Follow ETF Database

Advertisement

Is Your Portfolio Positioned With Enough Global Exposure?

ETF Education Channel

How to Allocate Commodities in Portfolios

Tom LydonApr 26, 2022
2022-04-26

A long-running debate in asset allocation circles is how much of a portfolio an investor should...

Core Strategies Channel

Why ETFs Experience Limit Up/Down Protections

Karrie GordonMay 13, 2022
2022-05-13

In a digital age where information moves in milliseconds and millions of participants can transact...

}
X