The Weekly ETF Market Monitor (May 18-22, 2026)

Sector Equity ETF Flows: Technology Leads While Materials Sees Largest Outflow

Information Technology ETFs recorded the strongest sector inflow, attracting $1.96 billion during the week. Consumer Discretionary gathered $571.4 million, while Communication Services added $339.7 million. Consumer Staples ETFs attracted $173.3 million, and Real Estate added $67.6 million.

On the negative side, Materials ETFs registered the largest outflow at $850.5 million. Energy declined by $498.1 million, while Utilities recorded outflows of $404.0 million. Financials lost $369.1 million, and Industrials declined by $249.7 million. Health Care ETFs posted outflows of $76.8 million.

Sector Equity ETF Performance: Utilities and Real Estate Lead Gains

Utilities recorded the strongest sector performance, rising 3.25% over the week. Real Estate advanced 2.78%, while Health Care gained 2.62%. Information Technology rose 2.50%, and Consumer Discretionary added 2.49%.

Industrials advanced 2.01%, while Financials rose 1.67%. Energy finished marginally positive with a gain of 0.03%.

Consumer Staples declined 0.03%, Communication Services fell 0.13%, and Materials recorded the weakest sector performance with a decline of 2.19%.

Geographic Equity ETF Flows: US and Developed Markets Dominate Allocations

US-focused equity ETFs gathered $5.83 billion in inflows, the largest geographic allocation of the week. Developed Markets exposures attracted $2.90 billion, while World ETFs added $787.4 million.

North America mandates gathered $726.9 million, and Emerging Markets ETFs collected $481.3 million. Australia exposures attracted $126.6 million, while Developed Pacific added $66.6 million.

China ETFs recorded the largest regional outflow at $377.3 million. South Korea exposures declined by $325.6 million, while Europe lost $313.3 million. Latin America ETFs fell by $253.3 million, Canada declined by $236.5 million, and Taiwan exposures recorded outflows of $175.7 million.

Geographic Equity ETF Performance: Sweden Leads Weekly Gains

Sweden recorded the strongest geographic performance among the highlighted exposures, advancing 5.86% over the week. Taiwan gained 5.16%, while Finland rose 4.77%. South Korea advanced 4.36%, and Argentina gained 4.06%.

Ireland rose 3.94%, while the Netherlands added 3.63%.

Indonesia recorded the weakest geographic performance, declining 8.08%. Turkey fell 4.36% during the period.

Thematic ETF Flows: Space & Deep Sea Leads Inflows

Space & Deep Sea ETFs gathered $725.7 million in inflows, the largest thematic allocation of the week. Smart City strategies attracted $237.7 million, while Artificial Intelligence & Big Data added $164.2 million.

North America Energy Infrastructure ETFs gathered $98.7 million, and Disruptive Technology strategies attracted $95.5 million. Global Infrastructure added $84.0 million, while Cloud Computing gathered $68.4 million. China Disruptive Technology ETFs added $58.0 million, and Cybersecurity attracted $56.2 million.

Future Mobility recorded the largest thematic outflow at $880.3 million. Next Generation Internet declined by $582.0 million, while Multiple Trends ETFs lost $364.9 million. China Digitalization fell by $227.3 million, and Digital Infrastructure & Connectivity declined by $212.9 million.

Thematic ETF Performance: Space & Deep Sea and Hydrogen Economy Outperform

Space & Deep Sea ETFs delivered the strongest thematic performance, rising 10.43% during the week. Hydrogen Economy advanced 9.09%, while BioTech & Genomics gained 6.90%.

Cybersecurity rose 6.85%, and Europe Defense added 6.65%. 5G ETFs advanced 5.98%, while Travel Technology & Services gained 5.97%.

China Digitalization recorded a decline of 4.62% over the period.

Fixed Income ETF Flows: Government Investment Grade Leads

Government Investment Grade ETFs attracted the largest fixed income inflow of the week at $6.71 billion. Aggregate Investment Grade products gathered $4.70 billion, while Municipal Investment Grade ETFs added $1.30 billion.

Corporate Investment Grade exposures attracted $945.3 million, and Government Agencies Investment Grade products gathered $521.9 million. Municipal Aggregate ETFs added $338.6 million, while Corporate High Yield products attracted $261.8 million. Corporate Aggregate ETFs gathered $201.6 million.

Government Aggregate products recorded outflows of $124.3 million during the period.

Cryptocurrency ETF Flows: Bitcoin Records Largest Outflow

Bitcoin ETFs registered outflows of $1.49 billion during the week, the largest decline among cryptocurrency products. Ether exposures fell by $271.5 million.

Hyperliquid ETFs attracted $65.0 million in inflows, while XRP products added $19.8 million.

Commodity ETF Flows: Multi Commodities Leads Inflows

Multi Commodities ETFs attracted $286.9 million in inflows during the week. Agriculture products added $21.7 million.

Gold ETFs recorded outflows of $266.0 million, while Silver declined by $105.4 million. Crude Oil exposures lost $54.1 million, and Natural Gas products recorded outflows of $31.5 million.

Top ETF Issuers by Weekly Net Inflows

1. Vanguard: $9.84 billion
2. Invesco: $2.61 billion
3. iShares: $1.88 billion
4. American Century Investments: $1.56 billion
5. Dimensional: $1.46 billion
6. VanEck: $1.43 billion
7. J.P. Morgan Asset Management: $1.31 billion
8. Capital Group: $1.30 billion
9. Schwab ETFs: $1.18 billion
10. SEI: $1.05 billion

Top Performing ETFs of the Week

1. Corgi Quantum Computing ETF (CQTM): 25.31%
2. 21Shares Hyperliquid ETF (THYP): 25.05%
3. Bitwise Hyperliquid ETF (BHYP): 24.93%
4. Global X Space Tech ETF (ORBX): 12.91%
5. WisdomTree Quantum Computing Fund (WQTM): 12.62%
6. VanEck Space ETF (WARP): 12.35%
7. Roundhill Space & Technology ETF (MARS): 12.34%
8. Tema Space Innovators ETF (NASA): 11.75%
9. Roundhill Meme Stock ETF (MEME): 10.01%
10. Corgi Space & Satellite Communications ETF (DIPR): 9.92%

Most Popular ETFs by Weekly Net Inflows

1. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO): $3.43 billion
2. iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV): $2.30 billion
3. Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND): $1.49 billion
4. VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH): $1.48 billion
5. SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA): $1.28 billion
6. SEI High Yield Bond & Alternative Credit ETF (LEND): $1.03 billion
7. Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX): $961.2 million
8. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI): $943.4 million
9. iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA): $863.2 million
10. Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM): $812.3 million

Please note this article is for information purposes only and does not in any way constitute investment advice. It is essential that you seek advice from a registered financial professional prior to making any investment decision.