Loading…
Loading…
Markets remain under pressure as geopolitical and economic risks rise. Defensive ETFs could help investors navigate volatility without abandoning growth.
In the first seven months of 2026, investors pushed $1.23 trillion into exchange-traded funds. When ETFs were first introduced, they largely tracked major indexes and competed on cost.
Your pension check is frozen while groceries cost 25% more than they did five years ago, and Social Security's next adjustment barely makes a dent. Three ETFs can act as the raise mechanism your retirement income was never built with.
VPU gives investors a diversified basket of U.S. utilities. That basket could be well insulated against the next market downturn.
It's time to start looking for the next wave of AI beneficiaries beyond the big tech names.
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU) is evaluated as an investment at current levels. VPU has underperformed the S&P 500 recently, with utilities sector returns flat year-to-date versus double-digit S&P 500 gains. I see recent weakness in VPU as an opportunity, supporting an upgrade to 'buy' based on a strong forward outlook.
Billionaire investor Leon Cooperman is warning that the U.S. economy could slip into recession next year, potentially ending the market's AI-fueled run, according to Business Insider.
These funds give investors exposure to top oil and gas and utility stocks, while paying above-average dividends.