Investing Playbook for H2 2025: Quality, AI, and Gold
(1:00) - Breaking Down The Current Market Performance: Should Investors Stay Optimistic?(4:15) - Is Now A Good Time To Take On More Risk In Your Portfolio?(6:35) - Market Themes Investors Should Keep Their Eyes On(9:50) - How Should You Look To Invest Into AI As The Industry Broaden?(14:45) - Diversifying Your Portfolio In The Current Market Environment(18:30) - Key Takeaways From The Most Recent ETF Inflows(21:25) - Episode Roundup: QUS, QUAL, XNTK, QQQE, XAR, ITA, GLD, IAUMPodcast@Zacks.com In this episode of ETF Spotlight, I speak with Matthew Bartolini, Head of SPDR Americas Research at State Street Global Advisors. We discuss the market outlook and the best investment strategies for the second half of 2025.We're now approaching the midpoint of a year that began with great optimism for U.S. stocks. Economic fundamentals looked strong, the AI trade was booming, and the incoming U.S. administration was viewed as pro-growth and investor-friendly.According to State Street’s mid-year outlook, there’s still reason for optimism despite ongoing policy-related uncertainty. Progress on the Trump administration’s pro-growth agenda, looser monetary policy, continued strong earnings growth, more attractive valuations, and a lower likelihood of recession all contribute to a favorable environment for risk assets in the second half of the year. However, risks remain elevated.Matt recommends building equity portfolios that can withstand macroeconomic uncertainty by focusing on high-quality companies, increasing global diversification, and positioning for long-term structural trends such as expanding AI adoption and rising defense spending.The SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF QUS follows a multi-factor strategy that blends quality, value, and low volatility.The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF QUAL targets profitable U.S. companies with low leverage and consistent earnings growth over time.Apple AAPL, Microsoft MSFT, and NVIDIA NVDA are among the top holdings in both ETFs.As the economic benefits of AI spread beyond the “Magnificent 7,” ETFs such as the SPDR NYSE Technology ETF XNTK and the Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares QQQE are worth considering.With bonds no longer providing the same diversification benefits they once did, adding alternatives like gold can be a prudent move.The SPDR Gold Trust GLD remains the most popular gold ETF, while lower-cost options such as the SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust GLDM and the iShares Gold Trust Micro IAUM may be more appealing for long-term investors.Tune in to the podcast to learn more.Make sure to be on the lookout for the next edition of the ETF Spotlight and remember to subscribe! If you have any comments or questions, please email podcast@zacks.com.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA): Free Stock Analysis Report SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): ETF Research Reports iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL): ETF Research Reports SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS): ETF Research Reports SPDR NYSE Technology ETF (XNTK): ETF Research Reports Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares (QQQE): ETF Research Reports SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks
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