These ETFs tap homebuilder gains

Article Excerpt

The U.S. housing market has recovered from the drop in activity earlier this year following the start of COVID-19 lockdowns. Low mortgage rates and limited housing supply—along with buyers who are now looking for more space after being confined to their homes during the pandemic—continue to spur home sales. Meanwhile, though, investors need to be cautious—at some point, the high unemployment level in the U.S. may start to impact housing markets. Here are two funds for ETF investors looking to profit from this expanding industry (see also the supplement on page 99). ISHARES U.S. HOME CONSTRUCTION ETF $54.32 (New York symbol ITB; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $1.5 billion) tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index. The weighting for each stock is mainly based on its market value. Homebuilding companies make up 64% of the ETF’s portfolio, while providers of building products comprise 15%, and home improvement retailers, 11%. The fund holds a portfolio of 44 companies; the top 10 make up a..