Materials, Technology And Gold ETFs To Watch This Week

The air once again came out of stocks last week as continued unsteady price action underscores the heightened volatility this year. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF SPY is sitting just above the flat line in 2015 and the end of the quarter is only a few short days away.

The week ahead features several important economic releases including core inflation, Case-Shiller home price index, motor vehicle sales, and unemployment data.

Here are the key ETFs to watch for the week of Monday, March 30:

Material Select Sector SPDR XLB

Basic materials stocks have experienced a bumpy start to the year that included a slingshot higher in February followed by a slow bleed lower through March. XLB has nearly $3 billion dedicated to 31 large-cap companies engaged in chemical, mining and packaging industries.

Mining companies in particular have been under pressure as commodity prices continue their deflationary trend. This ETF slipped below its 200-day moving average last week and is proving to be one of the weaker sectors over the last month.

If XLB can regain its footing in the week ahead, it may prove to be a positive sign for the market as a whole.

Related Link: 3 Earnings To Bring This Season To A Close

iShares Exponential Technologies ETF XT

Companies engaged in global technological advancement are the underpinnings for a new cutting-edge technology fund from Barclays. XT just recently debuted as a way to access a diversified portfolio of world-wide stocks with strong potential for innovation.

XT was seeded with over $500 million in assets spread among 198 publicly traded companies. The United States represents two-thirds of the fund, which is heavily weighted towards solar and biotechnology stocks.

This new ETF will be one to watch in the coming weeks as a unique option for investors seeking revolutionary technology exposure across a broad range of industries.

SPDR Gold Shares ETF GLD

Gold bullion has re-emerged as a potential hiding spot amid the volatility in stocks. GLD recently re-tested the $110 level, which proved to be a strong line of support that was established last November.

This heavily traded ETF has now bounced 5 percent higher and may be offering investors a glimpse at another rally attempt. GLD has been unable to escape the deflationary spiral in commodities, but will give some short-term traders an interesting look next week as additional economic data is released.