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Special Report 3 ETFs Catapulting Beyond the S&P to Start the YearReported by Nathan Reiff. Published: 1/29/2026. 
Quick Look - A month into 2026, several standout ETFs are separating from the broader market—driven by niche themes beyond the usual mega-cap tech trade.
- Top performers include a pure-play drone ETF and a nickel miners fund, reflecting investor appetite for defense tech and EV-linked metals.
- A covered-call income ETF tied to Moderna is also surging, but its strategy trades upside potential for high distributions and adds complexity risk.
About a month into the new year, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have started to build enough of a 2026 performance record to separate themselves from the broader market. The funds leading the pack so far this year may surprise some investors. Beyond leveraged funds (which are generally unsuitable for long-term buy-and-hold strategies) and ETFs that have benefited from the big rallies in gold and silver, several top performers focus on drone technology, nickel mining and covered-call strategies. Pure-Play Drone Exposure at a Pivotal Time for the Industry If you can be at your computer between 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on most weekdays, I'll show you a simple trading strategy that could help accelerate your retirement goals. It's called the Retirement Trade — a short-term approach designed to capture consistent morning setups without waiting months for results. Claim your free copy of How To Master The Retirement Trade now By combining technologies such as AI and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drone companies have the potential to transform defense, infrastructure, agriculture and more. A growing number of ETFs target this market, and the REX Drone ETF (NASDAQ: DRNZ), launched in October 2025, is among the newest. DRNZ stands out as the only pure-play drone ETF with global exposure, which allows the fund to capture UAV technology's shift from military and defense applications into a wider set of industries. It holds a relatively concentrated portfolio of 43 names, with companies such as Ondas Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) and DroneShield Ltd. (ASX: DRO) comprising a large share of the lineup. The top three holdings account for roughly a third of the portfolio, so investors should be mindful of any overlapping positions they hold outside DRNZ to avoid overexposure. DRNZ charges an expense ratio of 0.65%, which can be reasonable given its near-30% return so far in 2026. As a very new fund, however, it has relatively low assets under management and trading volume, which could create liquidity concerns. Off-the-Beaten-Path Metals Fund With International Focus and Strong Returns With much attention on recent gold and silver rallies, some investors may overlook other precious-metals opportunities. The Sprott Nickel Miners ETF (NASDAQ: NIKL) is one such option, positioned to benefit from producers of nickel — a key metal used in many electric-vehicle (EV) battery chemistries and nickel-zinc (NiZn) batteries. Nickel's role in extending EV driving range could drive growing demand in the years ahead. Among metals ETFs, NIKL is the only pure-play nickel-miner fund. It holds 27 global mining companies, primarily small- and mid-cap firms operating in nickel-rich regions such as Indonesia, Australia and Canada. That international exposure gives U.S. investors access to miners they might otherwise miss. NIKL's expense ratio is 0.75%, a modest premium for this specialized exposure. In return, the fund has delivered strong performance — roughly 31% year-to-date and about 94% over the past 12 months — along with a dividend yield of 1.80%. Unique Covered-Call Strategy on Moderna Has Paid Off The YieldMax MRNA Option Income Strategy ETF (NYSEARCA: MRNY) may not be the obvious choice for many investors, but it uses a covered-call strategy on shares of biotech giant Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA) to generate weekly income. With an annual distribution of $19.15 — roughly a 92.16% yield — MRNY has successfully achieved that objective over its more than two-year history. MRNY also retains long exposure to MRNA, so gains in the underlying stock have helped: MRNA's roughly 55% year-to-date rally has contributed to MRNY's approximately 47% return so far in 2026. That said, the covered-call overlay limits upside when MRNA rises, so investors should not expect MRNY to mirror the stock's gains exactly. MRNY is a niche, specialized fund that may appeal chiefly to sophisticated investors, and its 1.27% expense ratio reflects that specialization. Still, the ETF has delivered an attractive mix of distributions and capital appreciation recently and could continue to perform well if Moderna's momentum persists.
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