When I’m trying to understand what the overall market is doing, I usually start with a few big ETFs before looking at individual stocks.
Some of the main ones I watch:
• SPY – tracks the S&P 500 (broad market health)
• QQQ – tracks the Nasdaq (tech/growth sentiment)
• DIA – tracks the Dow (large, established companies)
• IWM – tracks small caps (risk appetite)
• XLF – financial sector (banks, economic expectations)
• XLK – technology sector (growth strength)
These help answer simple questions like: Is the whole market moving together?Is money flowing into growth or safety?Are small caps participating or lagging?
Before getting lost in individual charts, I like seeing what these are doing first.
If you follow any of these (or others), drop which one you watch most and why 👇
(Educational discussion only.)