VettaFi ETF Trends

Welcome to Trends with Benefits, the podcast that gives you an insider’s edge into finance, tech, and investing. Hosted by Ed Lopez, VanEck’s Head of Product Management. Explore why the S&P may be mispricing geopolitical risk, the case for India, the dollar’s decline, and gold as a trade (not a strategy), with Mercer Advisors CIO Don Calcagni. For more news, information, and strategy, visit the Beyond Basic Beta Content Hub. Earn free CE credits and discover new strategies

As I sat down to start my work week, I realized that I didn’t eat a single hot dog over the holiday weekend to celebrate the 250th birthday of America. Instead, I sat at Otto’s Pub and Brewery in State College, PA, with my gluten free Beef on Weck and birch beer float. I would easily argue that my meal celebrates American culture, but it’s not the gold standard for the holiday.

The S&P 500 posted its second straight winning week, finishing up 1.3% from last Friday. Key Takeaways The S&P 500 posted a 1.3% weekly gain. The index is currently sitting 0.5% below its record close reached on June 2nd, 2026. The S&P 500 is currently up 10.7% year-to-date, while the S&P Equal Weight is up 11.8% year-to-date. Here is a snapshot of the index from the past week: The index is currently sitting 0.5% below its record close reached on June 2nd, 2026.

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The yield on the 10-year note finished July 10, 2026 at 4.56% while the 2-year note ended at 4.21%. The chart below overlays the daily performance of several Treasury bonds, starting from the pre-recession equity market peaks, along with the Federal Funds Rate (FFR) since 2007. This next table shows the highs and lows of yields and the Federal Funds Rate (FFR) since 2007.

The artificial intelligence (AI) sector experienced an important shift this week, as OpenAI released its highly anticipated GPT-5.6 models (Sol, Terra, and Luna) alongside its brand-new enterprise application, ChatGPT Work. The rollout followed a rigorous 12-day White House security review, representing the first time that a U.S. model has launched behind a government-vetted customer preclearance list.

In the current higher-for-longer interest rate regime, more fixed income investors are seeking alternate paths to diversify their income sources. One option that may not have yet considered is private credit or more specifically, the Simplify Private Credit Strategy ETF (PCR) . PCR offers a compelling alternative or complement to traditional corporate bonds by providing institutional-grade private credit exposure within an ETF wrapper.

If there’s any bond category that’s really intriguing right now, it might be corporate bonds. The 2026 bond landscape faces some intriguing shifts as interest rates face growing structural inflation. Key Takeaways: Corporate bonds remain an important opportunity set in the 2026 bond landscape. Active ETFs like FCOR offer access to the segment with the active adaptability investors want. The fund could help portfolios get a bit more durability for an uncertain second half.

Bitcoin is trading around $64,085, up about 3.3% for the month. Even as a hawkish Federal Reserve and renewed Middle East tensions keep markets on edge, the waters are steadily calming for the premier cryptocurrency. Key Takeaways: Bitcoin trades near $64,000 as Fed policy and geopolitical risk keep pressure on prices. Peak daily volatility has fallen from 7.58% in 2013 to a record low of 2.24% in 2025. A 5% bitcoin allocation lifted a 60/40 portfolio’s return to 11.64% from 8.56% annually.

The Fed regime shift has ushered in a truly data-dependent environment, where each print carries more weight than in prior cycles. Warsh’s more balanced tone at Sintra landed without a meaningful pickup in volatility — a sign the market is respecting his credibility for now. That credibility buys the Fed room, not a free pass; it holds only as long as inflation continues to grind toward target.