ETFs ripping YTD
Defense, energy and niche ETFs are leading the charge year-to-date — $SHLD +16.5% YTD, $XLE +30%, data-center REIT $DTCR +18%, and Korea memory ETF $EWY +27% are outperformers according to recent ETF tracking posts ETF outperformers list.
SHLD is Global X’s themed Defense Tech ETF that tracks a proprietary Defense Tech index and targets companies building advanced military systems and defense AI — Global X lists the fund objective as Defense Tech. globalxetfs.com SHLD shows roughly $8.06 billion in assets and a 0.50% expense ratio on public ETF screens. stockanalysis.com Megabudget dynamics are underpinning the defense trade: independent researchers recorded global defence spending at about $2.63 trillion in 2025. iiss.org Forecast firms are projecting global military outlays to reach roughly $2.6 trillion by the end of 2026, a tailwind for aerospace-and-defense suppliers. nationaldefensemagazine.org The energy surge that’s helped XLE trace higher has a clear supply shock component: the U.S. EIA reported Brent crude settled near $94 per barrel on March 9 amid Middle East disruptions. eia.gov Several market outlets documented front‑month contracts climbing above $100 as shipping and regional output were hit. ibtimes.com.au XLE’s portfolio is heavily concentrated in supermajor oil names — Exxon Mobil and Chevron together account for roughly the top weightings (about 23.5% and 17.3% respectively) — and the ETF sits on tens of billions in assets under management (~$38B). stockanalysis.com DTCR’s thematic case is data‑center exposure: its top holdings include Equinix (~13.5%) and Digital Realty (~12.6%) according to recent fund holdings, and Global X shows the ETF managing just over $1.2 billion. stockanalysis.com Market trackers also show DTCR posting strong year‑to‑date total‑return gains as AI hyperscale capex lifted data‑center REITs. finance.yahoo.com EWY’s rally is concentrated: the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF lists Samsung Electronics at ~22.7% and SK hynix at ~19.7% of the fund, putting memory‑cycle moves squarely into the ETF’s performance. stockanalysis.com Broker research and regional outlets have raised targets and earnings forecasts for Samsung and SK hynix on an AI‑driven memory rebound, amplifying Korea‑focused ETF flows. en.sedaily.com
