Why ETFs?
As an investor, the size and volatility of the pharma sector can lead to many profitable trading opportunities. If you feel that your portfolio could benefit from some exposure to this sector, you can invest in this industry in a few different ways. You might consider buying individual pharma company stocks. Perhaps this is an index, or even a mutual fund that targets certain niches or samples the overall sector. But you won’t want to miss out on the potential benefits of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Be sure to research a few pharmaceutical ETFs to see if they make sense for you. ETFs come with many advantages over mutual funds. These include lower fees, easier transactions than indexes, and better sector diversification than individual stocks. They also offer tax benefits, such as lower capital gains taxes due to less trading within the fund. If you’re looking for instant exposure to the pharma sector with one simple transaction, a pharmaceutical ETF may be the way to go. To help you do some research to make a more informed decision, the following list includes a selection of pharma ETFs to help you get started. Take the time to check out each fund. That way, you can figure out which might be right for you.
IHE: iShares Dow Jones US Pharmaceuticals ETF
This pharma ETF tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Select Pharmaceuticals Index, and some of the top holdings include Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck.
PJP: Invesco Dynamic Pharmaceuticals ETF
This pharmaceutical ETF follows the Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Intellidex Index. Some of the top holdings in this fund are Amgen, Gilead Sciences, Pfizer, and Merck.
XPH: SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF
This SPDR correlates with the S&P Pharmaceuticals Select Industry Index (SPSIPHTR). This ETF’s top holdings include Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly, and Merck.
Do Your Due Diligence
Before making any trades, make sure to consult your financial advisor, your broker, or a financial professional. Research each pharma ETF individually and have a good feel for how the funds work and how they react to different market conditions. As with any investment (ETF or otherwise), conduct the due diligence necessary to make the right decisions based on your risks and your goals. No investment is risk-free, so make sure you are aware of the pros and cons of any trade or in this case pharmaceutical ETF. If you’re looking for some related ETFs, the following two lists can get you started. The first list includes healthcare ETFs, along with an additional list of biotechnology ETFs.
List of Health Care ETFs
CURE: Direxion Daily Healthcare Bull 3X Shares ETFFXH: First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX ETFIHF: iShares U.S. Health Care Provider ETFIXJ: iShares Global Healthcare Sector ETFIYH: iShares U.S. Healthcare ETFPTH: Invesco DWA Healthcare Momentum ETFRXD: ProShares UltraShort Health Care ETFRXL: ProShares Ultra Health Care ETFRYH: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETFVHT: Vanguard Health Care ETFXHE: SPDR S&P Health Care Equipment ETFXHS: SPDR S&P Health Care Services ETF
List of Biotechnology ETFs
BBH: VanEck Vectors Biotech ETFBIB: ProShares Ultra Nasdaq Biotechnology ETFBIS: ProShares UltraShort Nasdaq Biotechnology ETFFBT: First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index Fund IBB: iShares Biotechnology ETFPBE: Invesco Dynamic Biotechnology & Genome ETFXBI: SPDR S&P Biotech ETF
