Ride the Volatility Wave With These ETFs

Yahoo

17-07-2025

Persistent economic uncertainty and a volatile global trade landscape have elevated investors' anxiety, pushing them toward safe-haven assets. Over the past week, the S&P 500 has faced increased volatility, with the broad market index falling 0.29% and then rebounding 0.37% (as of July 16).
The CBOE Volatility Index increased over the past week, indicating rising market turmoil. Any blow to investor sentiment or risk appetite can add to the headwinds that the S&P 500 already faces in the near term.
Key Drivers of Market Turbulence
Economists' concerns about renewed inflationary pressures triggered by President Trump's tariffs have proven accurate. According to recent data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as quoted on CNBC, the Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in June, lifting the annual inflation rate to 2.7%.
According to Reuters, top Wall Street bank executives have expressed concern over rising inflation and the potential weakening of the U.S. economy as new tariffs take effect, anticipating a slowdown in consumer spending in the second half of the year if price pressures continue to escalate.
Concerns over U.S. debt levels are weighing on investor confidence, increasing risk aversion and market anxiety. The passage of President Trump's tax-cut and spending bill has renewed concerns over the United States' mounting long-term debt risks. Lawmakers raised the U.S. government's borrowing limit by an additional $5 trillion, potentially adding at least $3 trillion to the already staggering $37-trillion U.S. debt load.
The geopolitical landscape in 2025 can best be described as complex and unstable, with ongoing tensions, particularly in the Middle East, adding another layer of volatility to global markets.
President Trump's comments about Fed Chair Jerome Powell, hinting at a possible leadership change, have added pressure to the markets. If Trump were to move forward with firing Powell, it would likely trigger a sharp negative reaction, sparking an equity selloff and deepening investor uncertainty.
However, Trump downplayed the possibility of a leadership change, calling it unlikely, though the uncertainty continues to linger over the markets, according to Reuters.
ETFs to Explore
In periods of rising uncertainty, increasing exposure to volatility ETFs in the short term can be a winning move for investors. These funds have delivered short-term gains during periods of market chaos and may climb further if volatility endures.
In the current economic environment, volatility-focused funds and strategies are ideal to reassess volatility exposure and for investors with a short-term horizon.
With the potential for heightened volatility, driven by geopolitical and policy risks, adding these ETFs may be a smart strategic move (See: all Volatility ETFs here).
iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN VXX
iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN seeks to track the performance of the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return and has amassed an asset base of $439.4 million. The index offers exposure to a daily rolling long position in the first and second month VIX futures contracts.
VXX charges an annual fee of 0.89% and has a one-month average trading volume of 4.65 million shares.
iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN has gained 17.87% over the past three months and 16.56% over the past year.
ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF VIXY
ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF seeks to track the performance of the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index and has amassed an asset base of $218.6 million. The index measures the movements of a combination of VIX futures and is designed to track changes in the expectation for one month in the future.
The fund is ideal for investors looking to gain from an increase in expected volatility of the S&P 500. VIXY has a one-month average trading volume of 1.25 million shares.
ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF has gained 17.48% over the past three months and 14.66% over the past year. The fund charges an annual fee of 0.85%.
ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETFVIXM
ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF seeks to track the performance of the S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures Index and has amassed an asset base of $24.1 million. The index measures the movements of a combination of VIX futures and is designed to track changes in the expectation for VIX five months in the future.
The fund is ideal for investors looking to gain from an increase in expected volatility of the S&P 500. VIXM has a one-month average trading volume of about 151,000 shares.
ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF has gained 12.64% over the past three months and 22.03% over the past year. The fund charges an annual fee of 0.85%.
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iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX): ETF Research Reports
ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY): ETF Research Reports
ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF (VIXM): ETF Research Reports
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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