The following list showcases ETFs with high stability attributes. Based on historical data going back ten years with a monthly time-frame, we have counted the number of times a certain ticker has had its EMA (Exponential Moving Average) and MACD (Moving Average Convergence-Divergence) crossed. The small amount of research we have done can help long-term investors buy & hold (& trade) a set of valuable assets that have low volatility. In other words, the list of ETFs below barely move in the wrong direction and are considered highly stable for long-term growth.
Our research is very simple and to the point, using everyday technical indicators with a bit of internal calculations. For those who are curious, the technical analysis/indicator parameters used are detailed below. The values are based on the findings of a very popular professional trader who wrote several books, guides and articles for many years.
- Chart Length (Time Frame): 10 years
- Chart Frequency: Monthly
- EMA (2-line): 7, 27
- MACD: 7, 27, 7
Now, on to the list! In regards to the number of MACD and EMA crosses, the lower the value the better. In the last column, the low volatility indicator (using our trusty boolean values, aka “Yes” and “No”) will solidify your trust in the chosen assets. The latter column shows you how close the price was to the mean in the span of ten years.
| Symbol | Name | EMA Crosses (#) | MACD Crosses (#) | Low Volatility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Symbol | EMA Crosses (#) | MACD Crosses (#) | Low Volatility |
| UNG | United States Natural Gas Fund | 0 | 0 | |
| TBT | ProShares Ultrashort Barclays 20+ Year Treasury | 0 | 2 | |
| SSO | Pro Shares Trust Ultra S&P 500 | 1 | 1 | |
| USO | United States Oil Fund | 1 | 1 | |
| SDS | ProShares Ultra Short S&P 500 | 1 | 2 | |
| GLD | SPDR Gold Trust | 1 | 4 | Yes |
| XOP | P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF | 2 | 3 | |
| QQQ | Power Shares QQQ Trust | 2 | ||
| DIA | SPDR Dow Jones Ind Av ETF Trust | 3 | ||
| GDX | Market Vectors Gold Miner ETF | 3 | 2 | |
| SLV | iShares Silver Trust | 3 | 2 | |
| XME | SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF | 3 | 3 | |
| IWM | iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund | 3 | ||
| XLE | Energy Sector SPDR | 3 | 6 | |
| XLF | Financial Select Sector SPDR | 3 | 5 | Yes |
| FXI | iShares FTSE/Xinhua China Index Fund | 3 | 4 | |
| EWZ | iShares Brazil Index ETF | 4 | 4 | |
| FXE | Currency Shares Euro Trust | 5 | 5 | |
| SPY | S&P 500 Depository Receipts | 5 | 4 | |
| XLB | Materials Select Sector SPDR | 5 | 7 | |
| TLT | iShares Trust Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund | 8 | 9 |
For those who fancy stocks (with or over exchange-traded funds) then consider our list of highly stable stocks for the last decade.