Kirsten Chang

Senior Industry Analyst at VettaFi

VettaFi Senior Industry Analyst, fmr. @CNBC Markets Producer, NYU econ grad, aspiring market maven, seasoned traveler and lover of all things catlike.

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Articles

Enhanced Income ETFs Thrive in a Low-Upside Market

1 week ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

Coming off stellar gains from last year, many entered 2025 expecting limited upside. But upside may be even more limited following the recent rebound in equities as the tariff rhetoric cools. Even if the worst of the tantrum is over, tariffs leave a bitter aftertaste in the market’s mouth. The federal funds futures market is pricing in fewer and fewer rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. And inflation will likely remain on the stickier side for the foreseeable future.
Engine of Active ETF Creation: Latest Flight of Fixed Income Offerings

2 weeks ago | advisorperspectives.com | Kirsten Chang

The market narrative appears to change on a dime these days. Stocks may have staged a comeback to recoup almost all their post-“Liberation Day” losses. But the bottom line on the fixed income market hasn’t changed all that much. Bonds are continuing to sell off — sending the 30-year Treasury yield soaring above 5%. And the yield curve continues to remain steep. Investors are scrambling to sift through the noise and weather the volatility storm. And more issuers are stepping up to heed the call.
Latest Flight of Fixed Income Offerings

2 weeks ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

The market narrative appears to change on a dime these days. Stocks may have staged a comeback to recoup almost all their post-“Liberation Day” losses. But the bottom line on the fixed income market hasn’t changed all that much. Bonds are continuing to sell off — sending the 30-year Treasury yield soaring above 5%. And the yield curve continues to remain steep. Investors are scrambling to sift through the noise and weather the volatility storm. And more issuers are stepping up to heed the call.
Hidden Gems: The Rise of Under-the-Radar Active Bond ETFs

3 weeks ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

Talk about a wild ride for interest rates. Market odds have gone from pricing in three or four rate cuts this year to pricing in just one or two following the U.S./China trade truce last weekend. Behemoth bond ETFs like those from Pimco and JPMorgan might dominate headlines. But a new wave of more niche active bond ETFs is quietly delivering outperformance. And they’re attracting smart money to boot.
Fixed Income ETF Flowdown: Market Jitters Spark Skittish Moves

1 month ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

Investors were eager to close the books on April’s tariff-fueled market tantrum, which left both the Dow and S&P 500 riding three-month losing streaks despite a recent rebound. Equity ETF flows cooled, while fixed income ETFs put on a decisively skittish performance. Since the low nearly one month ago, money continued to flow heavily in favor of the short end of the yield curve and other shorter-duration fixed income products.
Rush to De-Risk: Nervous Exodus From Structured Credit ETFs

1 month ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

Rising tariff turmoil has sparked a run from credit-sensitive instruments, with escalating trade tensions threatening economic stability. Wednesday’s GDP print stoked recessionary fears when it showed the U.S. economy contracted for the first time since early 2022. Meanwhile, the ADP private payrolls report was much softer than expected. The latest wave of tariffs has triggered a $2.1 billion exodus from leveraged loan funds over the past month.
ETF Market Booms: Record Launches & Sophisticated Strategies

1 month ago | advisorperspectives.com | Kirsten Chang

Even with the constant barrage of tariff uncertainty, there’s simply no stopping the engine of ETF creation. More than 288 new ETFs have already launched this year – well beyond the 120 new launches by the same time a year ago. At the current pace of 75+ monthly launches, the year could see 1,000 new ETFs, eclipsing 2024’s record of 750. So far, active equities have dominated the scene. Roughly 70% of all launches have been equity ETFs, with nearly 200 in active products.
ETF Market Booms: Record Launches and Sophisticated Strategies

1 month ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

Even with the constant barrage of tariff uncertainty, there’s simply no stopping the engine of ETF creation. More than 288 new ETFs have already launched this year – well beyond the 120 new launches by the same time a year ago. At the current pace of 75+ monthly launches, the year could see 1,000 new ETFs, eclipsing 2024’s record of 750. So far, active equities have dominated the scene. Roughly 70% of all launches have been equity ETFs, with nearly 200 in active products.
Tariff Impact: Placing Precise Bets on Single-Country ETFs

1 month ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

With trade wars wreaking havoc on the markets, investors and advisors are scrambling to pinpoint areas to place their geographic bets across the globe. Despite the temporary breather on “reciprocal” tariff policies, many expect more uncertainty ahead and are shying away from tariff-exposed regions. This includes China-focused funds. They are instead pivoting to other areas benefiting from a boost to defense spending and supply chain relocation.
Active ETFs Steal the Show: Topping $1 Trillion Mark

2 months ago | etftrends.com | Kirsten Chang

Despite the ETF industry’s passive roots, active has stolen the show. Active ETF assets just topped the $1 trillion threshold, making up nearly 10% of the total ETF pie. Roughly one third of all inflows have gone into active ETFs this year, with almost 90% of new launches in actively managed strategies. But these are not your grandfather’s active. Enhanced yield is the name of the game — with many advisors clinging to the idea that additional income will ease the pain of extreme market volatility.