Weekly Channel Summary
The Specialty Equity channel holds $20.45 billion in assets across 82 ETFs from 54 different issuers. Investors added a net $37 million to the channel this week, contributing to a robust year-to-date inflow of $5.20 billion. Over the past year, the channel has successfully attracted $6.23 billion in new assets.
This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards
Both Specialty Equity categories finished the week with negative returns. The Long | Short category posted a modest decline of -0.42%, while the Hedged category fell further, losing -0.70%. Despite the weekly dip, both categories remain firmly in positive territory year-to-date. The Long | Short group leads with a 10.61% gain so far in 2026.
Category Performance Snapshot
| Category | WTD | 1 Month | 3 Month | 6 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | Short | -0.42% | 0.19% | 3.32% | 9.91% | 10.61% | 15.31% |
| Hedged | -0.70% | -0.68% | 2.59% | 7.80% | 7.81% | 11.28% |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by Weekly Performance
In a challenging week for the category, the TradersAI Large Cap Equity & Cash ETF (HFSP) stood out with a 1.80% gain. Similarly, the Gotham Short Strategies ETF (SHRT) also delivered positive returns, rising 1.66%. At the other end of the spectrum, the Castellan Targeted Equity ETF (CTEF) was the weakest performer, declining by -2.47% for the week.
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Top Performers | ||
| HFSP | TradersAI Large Cap Equity & Cash ETF | 1.80% |
| SHRT | Gotham Short Strategies ETF | 1.66% |
| BTAL | AGF U.S. Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund | 1.24% |
| HXE | Mast HedgeIndex Adaptive Equities ETF | 0.87% |
| MKTN | Federated Hermes MDT Market Neutral ETF | 0.57% |
| Bottom Performers | ||
| CTEF | Castellan Targeted Equity ETF | -2.47% |
| ISWN | Amplify BlackSwan ISWN ETF | -2.30% |
| HFEQ | Unlimited HFEQ Equity Long/Short ETF | -2.23% |
| PCR | Simplify VettaFi Private Credit Strategy ETF | -2.18% |
| LBAY | Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF | -1.86% |
Analyzing the Weekly Flows
Net flows into the Specialty channel were subdued this week, totaling just $37 million. The Long | Short category captured the bulk of these new assets, bringing in $29 million. The Hedged category also saw positive interest, albeit smaller, with $8 million in net inflows, continuing a trend of steady demand seen throughout the year.
Category Flows Summary
| Category | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | Short | 29 | $7.57B | $29M | $603M | $2,503M | $3,306M | $3,547M |
| Hedged | 53 | $12.88B | $8M | $274M | $1,318M | $1,898M | $2,679M |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow
The Convergence Long/Short Equity ETF (CLSE) was the week’s top asset gatherer, securing $8 million in new capital. On the redemption side, outflows were also moderate across the channel. The Simplify Hedged Equity ETF (HEQT) experienced the largest withdrawal at -$6 million, followed by the John Hancock Hedged Equity ETF (JHDG) with -$3 million in outflows.
| Ticker | Fund Name | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Inflows | ||
| CLSE | Convergence Long/Short Equity ETF | $8M |
| MKTN | Federated Hermes MDT Market Neutral ETF | $7M |
| HELO | JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF | $7M |
| BTAL | AGF U.S. Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund | $6M |
| CAOS | Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF | $5M |
| Outflows | ||
| HEQT | Simplify Hedged Equity ETF | -$6M |
| JHDG | John Hancock Hedged Equity ETF | -$3M |
| CSM | ProShares Large Cap Core Plus | -$3M |
| SPUC | Simplify US Equity Income ETF | -$3M |
| OVLH | Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF | -$2M |
Issuer League Table Update
JPMorgan continues to dominate the issuer landscape, commanding a 24.91% market share, with First Trust holding the second position at 12.36%. Convergence led all issuers in weekly asset gathering, bringing in $8 million. Conversely, Simplify saw the largest net redemptions for the week, with investors pulling a net $9 million from its funds.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Brand | Fund Count | AUM | AUM Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan | 4 | $5.09B | 24.91% |
| First Trust | 1 | $2.53B | 12.36% |
| iShares | 1 | $2.11B | 10.29% |
| Fidelity | 2 | $1.00B | 4.89% |
| Convergence | 1 | $920M | 4.50% |
Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow
| Brand | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|
| Inflows | |
| Convergence | $8M |
| Federated Hermes | $7M |
| JPMorgan | $7M |
| Outflows | |
| Simplify | -$9M |
| John Hancock | -$3M |
| ProShares | -$3M |
For a deeper dive into these trends, access our FREE, in-depth EQ: Specialty ETF reports in the right side panel of this page.
Disclosures
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. All investments, including ETFs, involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Investors should consider their investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing.
This analysis was developed by the team at ETF Action. We leverage advanced AI tools to assist in the drafting and refinement of our content, based on our expert prompts, direction, and final review.
