We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
The first half of 2020 has been marked by the coronavirus outbreak and the resultant seesaw ride in various asset classes. While recession fears weighed on risky assets and boosted the safe-haven ones at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a splurge of economic stimulus boosted risk-on sentiments in later on.
Against this economic backdrop, below we highlight a few top-performing currency ETFs of the first half of 2020.
U.S. Dollar
Despite a super-dovish Fed, the greenback has been the top-performer this year. The reason for the rally is the U.S. economy’s improved position among developed markets and the greenback being viewed as a safe-haven asset. Investors sold their possessions to retain money in U.S. dollars at the start of pandemic-induced lockdown due to the unparalleled uncertainty caused by the virus contagion (read: U.S. Dollar Climbs: ETFs to Gain/Lose).
Though the currency jumped at the start of the year, an improving virus outlook, easing lockdowns and a trillion-dollar stimulus announcement by the Fed cut some strength off the U.S. currency in recent weeks. Overall, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund (USDU - Free Report) (up 2.36%) and Invesco DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund (UUP - Free Report) (up 0.7%) are the top-performing greenback ETFs so far this year (read: Winning ETF Strategies To Fight A Weak Dollar).
Swiss Franc
The Swiss franc climbed to its highest in more than two months versus the greenback in early June. Swiss franc is often viewed as a safe-haven asset. Swiss GDP shrank 2.6% sequentially in 1Q20 due to the adverse effects of the coronavirus-led lockdown. While the rate of decline was a record for the country, it was quite less compared with many other global superpowers. Invesco CurrencyShares Swiss Franc Trust (FXF - Free Report) hasadded 1.94% this year.
Yen
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, demand for safe-haven assets like yen remained high. Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (FXY - Free Report) gained 1.67% in the first half of 2020. GDP growth-wise too, the Japanese economy appeared better positioned. The Japanese economy contracted 0.6% sequentially in Q1 2020 compared with the preliminary estimate of a 0.9% shrinkage and market consensus of a 0.5% decline. This also explains the strength in the Japanese currency.
Euro
Euro has not succumbed to massive losses this year despite ultra-dovish ECB and a QE policy that is in place since late last year. The massive stimulus announcement kept the currency charged up amid the pandemic. The latest driver of the euro strength was the proposal of the European Commission for launching a new 750-billion-euro recovery fund dubbed under “Next Generation EU.”
Moreover, the Eurozone economy contracted by 3.6% sequentially in the first three months of 2020 compared with preliminary estimates of a 3.8% contraction. The latest volley of upbeat economic data points has also supported the currency. Invesco CurrencyShares Euro Currency Trust (FXE - Free Report) hasadded about 0.4% in the first half of 2020.
Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?
Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >>
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
Top-Performing Currency ETFs of First-Half 2020
The first half of 2020 has been marked by the coronavirus outbreak and the resultant seesaw ride in various asset classes. While recession fears weighed on risky assets and boosted the safe-haven ones at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a splurge of economic stimulus boosted risk-on sentiments in later on.
Against this economic backdrop, below we highlight a few top-performing currency ETFs of the first half of 2020.
U.S. Dollar
Despite a super-dovish Fed, the greenback has been the top-performer this year. The reason for the rally is the U.S. economy’s improved position among developed markets and the greenback being viewed as a safe-haven asset. Investors sold their possessions to retain money in U.S. dollars at the start of pandemic-induced lockdown due to the unparalleled uncertainty caused by the virus contagion (read: U.S. Dollar Climbs: ETFs to Gain/Lose).
Though the currency jumped at the start of the year, an improving virus outlook, easing lockdowns and a trillion-dollar stimulus announcement by the Fed cut some strength off the U.S. currency in recent weeks. Overall, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund (USDU - Free Report) (up 2.36%) and Invesco DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund (UUP - Free Report) (up 0.7%) are the top-performing greenback ETFs so far this year (read: Winning ETF Strategies To Fight A Weak Dollar).
Swiss Franc
The Swiss franc climbed to its highest in more than two months versus the greenback in early June. Swiss franc is often viewed as a safe-haven asset. Swiss GDP shrank 2.6% sequentially in 1Q20 due to the adverse effects of the coronavirus-led lockdown. While the rate of decline was a record for the country, it was quite less compared with many other global superpowers. Invesco CurrencyShares Swiss Franc Trust (FXF - Free Report) hasadded 1.94% this year.
Yen
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, demand for safe-haven assets like yen remained high. Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (FXY - Free Report) gained 1.67% in the first half of 2020. GDP growth-wise too, the Japanese economy appeared better positioned. The Japanese economy contracted 0.6% sequentially in Q1 2020 compared with the preliminary estimate of a 0.9% shrinkage and market consensus of a 0.5% decline. This also explains the strength in the Japanese currency.
Euro
Euro has not succumbed to massive losses this year despite ultra-dovish ECB and a QE policy that is in place since late last year. The massive stimulus announcement kept the currency charged up amid the pandemic. The latest driver of the euro strength was the proposal of the European Commission for launching a new 750-billion-euro recovery fund dubbed under “Next Generation EU.”
Moreover, the Eurozone economy contracted by 3.6% sequentially in the first three months of 2020 compared with preliminary estimates of a 3.8% contraction. The latest volley of upbeat economic data points has also supported the currency. Invesco CurrencyShares Euro Currency Trust (FXE - Free Report) hasadded about 0.4% in the first half of 2020.
Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?
Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >>