Gold and Precious Metals ETFs See Surge in Trading Volume

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Macro Summary

Total ETF market volume registered $205.68 billion, a relatively subdued session at just 81% of the recent 30-day average. The trading day was characterized by a significant divergence in activity across asset classes. Equity volume was notably quiet, while fixed income traded in line with recent norms. The clear standout was the commodities complex, where a surge of interest in precious metals drove activity well above its typical levels, a theme that also echoed in thematic equity and non-traditional products.

Asset Class Volume 30D Avg. % of 30D Avg.
Equity $126.53B $170.69B 74%
Fixed Income $27.00B $27.27B 99%
Commodities $8.88B $5.67B 157%
Digital Asset $2.52B $4.55B 55%
Currencies $88.9M $109.1M 81%
Alternatives $835.0M $743.2M 112%
Non-Traditional $39.64B $45.91B 86%
Multi-Asset $183.9M $228.9M 80%
Total $205.68B $255.16B 81%

Equity

Equity ETFs saw a quiet day, trading just $126.53 billion, or 74% of their 30-day average volume. The session’s activity was heavily concentrated in thematic funds, particularly those focused on Precious Metals, which traded at 232% of their average. Natural Resources (136%) and Multi-Sector (131%) themes also saw elevated interest. Individual fund outliers included Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF (FLGB) at an exceptional 835% of its average, iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF (DYNF) at 483%, and JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF (BBJP) which traded $427.8 million at 394% of its norm.

High-Volume Categories

Category Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1-Day Return
Equity: Thematic – Precious Metals 232% $4.86B +6.70%
Equity: Thematic – Natural Resources 136% $1.18B +2.19%
Equity: Thematic – Multi-Sector 131% $704.0M +1.72%

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

Ticker Name Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1D Return
FLGB Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF 835% $35.1M +0.69%
DYNF iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF 483% $630.0M +0.52%
JEMA JPMorgan ActiveBuilders Emerging Markets Equity ETF 408% $34.2M +0.41%
OUSM ALPS O'Shares US Small-Cap Quality Dividend ETF 398% $13.0M +0.58%
BBJP JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF 394% $427.8M +1.77%
FVAL Fidelity Value Factor ETF 351% $11.6M +0.81%
LRGC AB US Large Cap Strategic Equities ETF 339% $11.7M +0.47%
EPP iShares MSCI Pacific ex-Japan ETF 322% $53.1M +1.02%
GFLW VictoryShares Free Cash Flow Growth ETF 316% $15.2M +1.97%
SPSM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF 291% $274.2M +0.46%

Fixed Income

Fixed Income ETFs experienced a typical session, with volume of $27.00 billion landing at 99% of the 30-day average. Pockets of heightened activity were seen in Government Long duration products, which traded at 172% of their average, and Defined Maturity funds at 131%. A few specific funds saw massive volume spikes, led by the State Street Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF (FISR) trading an incredible 2,919% of its ADV. Similarly, the State Street SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF (SPAB) saw 913% of its typical volume, while the high-yield focused State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) turned over $853.0 million at 361% of its average.

High-Volume Categories

Category Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1-Day Return
Fixed Income: Taxable – Government Long 172% $5.19B +0.28%
Fixed Income: Specialty – Defined Maturity 131% $406.9M +0.14%

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

Ticker Name Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1D Return
FISR State Street Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF 2,919% $119.7M +0.20%
SPAB State Street SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF 913% $522.4M +0.24%
EVLN Eaton Vance Floating-Rate ETF 524% $18.4M +0.35%
CLOX Eldridge AAA CLO ETF 512% $19.5M +0.20%
LDUR PIMCO Enhanced Low Duration Active ETF 507% $30.4M +0.09%
HYEM VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF 429% $17.7M +1.05%
IBDY iShares iBonds Dec 2033 Term Corporate ETF 412% $23.9M +0.20%
BSCQ Invesco BulletShares 2026 Corporate Bond ETF 362% $57.4M +0.05%
JNK State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF 361% $853.0M +0.21%
CALI iShares Short-Term California Muni Active ETF 333% $17.4M -0.02%

Commodities

The commodities space was the center of attention, with total volume of $8.88 billion representing a robust 157% of its 30-day average. This surge was almost entirely driven by the Precious Metals category, which saw activity at 187% of its norm and accounted for $7.90 billion of the asset class’s total volume. Major gold ETFs led the charge, with SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) trading over $5.1 billion at 211% of its average. Other bullion products like iShares Gold Trust Micro ETF of Benef Interest (IAUM) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU) also saw significantly heightened turnover.

High-Volume Categories

Category Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1-Day Return
Commodity: Focused – Precious Metals 187% $7.90B +2.05%

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

Ticker Name Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1D Return
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro ETF of Benef Interest 281% $216.6M +2.22%
GLD SPDR Gold Shares 211% $5.17B +2.20%
PALL abrdn Physical Palladium Shares ETF 202% $31.4M +0.64%
IAU iShares Gold Trust 168% $662.2M +2.20%
AAAU Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF 167% $72.3M +2.17%
CPER United States Copper Index Fund 163% $25.2M -1.93%
GLDM SPDR Gold Minishares Trust of beneficial interest 151% $402.9M +2.21%

Digital Asset

Digital Asset ETFs saw a very quiet session, with trading volume reaching only $2.52 billion, or 55% of the 30-day average. Activity was broadly subdued across the space, with no specific categories or individual tickers registering volume significantly above their recent norms.

High-Volume Categories

No items met the inclusion criteria for this session.

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

No items met the inclusion criteria for this session.

Currencies

Currency ETFs traded $88.9 million, a quiet day at 81% of the asset class’s 30-day average volume. While overall activity was muted, the Invesco CurrencyShares Euro Trust (FXE) stood out, trading at 214% of its typical volume with $16.1 million changing hands.

High-Volume Categories

No items met the inclusion criteria for this session.

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

Ticker Name Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1D Return
FXE Invesco CurrencyShares Euro Trust 214% $16.1M +0.36%

Alternatives

Alternatives ETFs posted a slightly elevated session, with $835.0 million in volume representing 112% of the 30-day average. The activity was highly concentrated in the Managed Futures category, which traded at 325% of its norm. This was largely attributable to a single fund, the iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF), which saw turnover at 496% of its average on volume of $289.3 million.

High-Volume Categories

Category Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1-Day Return
Alternative: Absolute Return – Managed Futures 325% $308.3M -0.08%

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

Ticker Name Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1D Return
DBMF iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF 496% $289.3M -0.05%

Non-Traditional

Non-Traditional ETFs saw a below-average session with $39.64 billion in turnover, representing 86% of the 30-day average. While no categories stood out, the precious metals theme was evident in leveraged products, with MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETN (GDXU) and Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bull 2X ETF (NUGT) trading at 319% and 255% of their respective averages. Single-stock focused ETFs also saw heavy action, including Tradr 2X Long AAOI Daily ETF (AAOX) at 372% of its ADV.

High-Volume Categories

No items met the inclusion criteria for this session.

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

Ticker Name Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1D Return
AAOX Tradr 2X Long AAOI Daily ETF 372% $405.0M +16.18%
GDXU MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETN 319% $407.3M +20.97%
NUGT Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bull 2X ETF 255% $179.6M +13.96%
NBOS Neuberger Option Strategy ETF 248% $6.9M +0.18%
MSTU T-Rex 2X Long MSTR Daily Target ETF 245% $442.1M +6.40%
RSPA Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Income Advantage ETF 228% $27.1M +0.86%
UGL ProShares Ultra Gold 209% $157.1M +4.35%
PTIR GraniteShares 2x Long PLTR Daily ETF 198% $134.8M +20.06%
UJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF – January 198% $5.5M +0.17%
PLTY YieldMax PLTR Option Income Strategy ETF 189% $8.8M +7.90%

Multi-Asset

Trading in Multi-Asset ETFs was muted, with total volume of $183.9 million coming in at just 80% of the recent 30-day average. There were no notable high-volume categories or individual fund outliers during the session.

High-Volume Categories

No items met the inclusion criteria for this session.

High-Activity Ticker Outliers

No items met the inclusion criteria for this session.

Single-Stock Volume

Activity in single stocks was marked by several massive volume spikes, likely tied to earnings reports and other corporate news. Doximity, Inc. Class A (DOCS) was the standout, trading an exceptional 2,185% of its 30-day average on $1.78 billion in volume. Other significant movers included Atlassian Corp Class A (TEAM) at 786% of its ADV and The Trade Desk, Inc. Class A (TTD) at 570%. Many of these active names are widely held across the ETF landscape; for instance, Airbnb, Inc. Class A (ABNB), which traded at 500% of its average, is a constituent in 380 different ETFs.

High-Activity Single Stocks (vs 30-Day ADV)

Stock Name Activity vs ADV $ Volume 1D Return ETFs Holding
DOCS Doximity, Inc. Class A 2,185% $1.78B +35.74% 118
TEAM Atlassian Corp Class A 786% $2.86B +35.23% 182
HTZ Hertz Global Holdings Inc 735% $508.3M +13.86% 58
TTD Trade Desk, Inc. Class A 570% $1.80B -21.68% 194
HALO Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. 534% $746.2M +18.59% 184
TWLO Twilio, Inc. Class A 504% $1.86B +25.02% 237
ABNB Airbnb, Inc. Class A 500% $2.59B +17.13% 380
CART Maplebear Inc. 373% $652.9M +11.37% 191
CHYM Chime Financial, Inc. Class A 339% $534.5M -6.08% 59
CELH Celsius Holdings, Inc. 334% $861.1M +15.71% 112
NET Cloudflare Inc Class A 296% $2.53B +6.01% 248
DKNG DraftKings, Inc. Class A 282% $801.6M +7.96% 114
NTRA Natera, Inc. 280% $1.01B +20.16% 193
SPCX Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Class A 270% $30.38B +15.94% 226
AAOI Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. 266% $3.12B +8.74% 86

Disclaimer: This AI-assisted commentary is for informational purposes only. The “High-Volume Categories” table includes categories with over $100M in volume and activity at least 125% of their 30-day average, limited to the top 5 by activity percentage. The “High-Activity Ticker Outliers” table shows the top 10 ETFs from each asset class, sorted by the highest trading activity versus their 30-day average. All reported ETFs have AUM over $250M and an ADV greater than $2.5M.

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.