A Buying Spree Lifted All The Major Asset Classes Last Week

In a rare display of uniformly bullish behavior, all the major asset classes posted gains last week, based on a set of proxy ETFs. Emerging-market stocks led the field higher during the shortened US trading week. For the second week in a row, the Vanguard Emerging Market ETF (VWO) was the top performer, posting a 2.6% total return for the four trading days through June 3.

The weakest performer among the major asset classes last week: US junk bonds. The SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) inched ahead by a thin 0.1%.

The upside bias lifted an ETF-based version of the Global Markets Index (GMI.F), an investable, unmanaged benchmark that holds all the major asset classes in market-value weights. The index increased 0.9% last week, marking its second straight weekly rise.

gmi.etfs.1wktr.barplot2016-06-06

For the trailing one-year return, US real estate investment trusts (REITs) continue to hold the top spot. The Vanguard REIT ETF (VNQ) is up 13% in total return terms for the 12 months through June 3—comfortably above the median gain for its historical one-year performances over the last three years.

major.asset.classes.boxp.252.2016-06-06

Meantime, broadly defined commodities remain dead last among the major asset classes on a one-year-performance basis. The iPath Bloomberg Commodity ETN (DJP) is down nearly 16% for the year through last week’s close. Note, however, that DJP has made progress this year in paring its losses, courtesy of the strong rally that has prevailed since late-February. In fact, the Financial Times today notes that commodities overall are outperforming global stocks and bonds so far in 2016.

One thought on “A Buying Spree Lifted All The Major Asset Classes Last Week

  1. Pingback: 06/06/16 – Monday’s Interest-ing Reads | Compound Interest-ing!

Comments are closed.