Income-focused ETFs are rapidly gaining interest from investors as they search for yield in a macroeconomic environment practically defined by uncertainty. Flows into derivative-based income ETFs have outpaced traditional dividend strategies in recent years; equity-based options income ETFs have exploded into a $150 billion category by the start of this year.
The demand reflects a broader shift in how investors think about income.
Nicholas Wealth expands its income-focused ETF lineup with two new funds: the Nicholas Nuclear Income ETF (NUKX) and Nicholas Defense and Rare Earth Income ETF (WEPN), both listed on the NYSE.
NUKX targets the nuclear energy ecosystem, while WEPN focuses on defense industries and companies in rare earth elements and critical materials supply chains.
Municipal issuance in 2026 remains on track for around $555bn despite an early-year lag. Tom Kozlik at Hilltop Securities notes his November forecast called for $555bn amid a wide range of estimates from low $500bn to over $640bn. "There are two big factors that really drive overall issuance" he says: economic growth fueling new-money deals and interest rates influencing refundings.
For decades, the 60/40 portfolio (60% equities and 40% bonds) served as the foundation of investing. But in today’s market, that framework is increasingly being challenged.
“The 60/40 is designed to counterbalance during times of crisis and volatility,” said Christian Magoon, Founder and CEO of Amplify ETFs, in a recent interview on The ETF Show. But in 2022, he noted, “both went down”.
Canadian household financial assets hit $7.7tn mid-2025, poised to exceed $8tn for the first time, driven by market gains and inflows. Carlos Cardone of ISS Market Intelligence attributes two-thirds to three-quarters of recent growth to equity valuations, with net new savings under pressure from higher rates, inflation, and debt service post-pandemic.
S&P Dow Jones Indices launched three new S&P 500-based factor indices at the end of 2024: the S&P 500 Market Leaders Index, S&P 500 GARP 100 Index, and S&P 500 Resilient Shareholder Yield Index. S&P DJI’s Elizabeth Bebb explains these stand out from traditional single-factor indices by blending multiple signals with granular data.
CalPERS maintains conviction in private markets despite market cycles, with Marcie Frost highlighting a specialized approach focused on high-quality managers. Private credit allocation stands at around 4% after an 8% peak, diversified enough to weather software exposure concerns. Private equity delivered 14.3% last fiscal year, private debt 12.8%. "We still have a lot of conviction in our private markets allocation," Frost says.
Gold's surge to record highs in January 2026, with prices holding well above 5000, has sparked unprecedented Google search interest. Kim Inglis at Raymond James notes the spike reflects widespread curiosity about the drivers. "There has been a lot of interest in gold lately," she says, pointing to the chart showing search volume at all-time highs.
Janus Henderson's JAAA continues strong inflows, absorbing $2.7bn year-to-date after $7.8bn in 2025, pushing assets over $27bn. John Kerschner, Global Head of Securitized Products & Portfolio Manager at Janus Henderson attributes demand to growing institutional adoption seeking low-volatility, floating-rate exposure with enhanced yield. Moving down the capital stack to AA-rated CLOs from AAA picks up 50-60 basis points currently, potentially 100 over a cycle, appealing to institutions comfortable with incremental volatility.
The Bloomberg Commodity Index rallied sharply in late 2025 and carried momentum into 2026, but Kathy Kriskey, Head of Alternatives ETF Strategy at Invesco stresses broad exposure over chasing "shiny objects" like gold or silver. Client conversations often fixate on precious metals, yet diversification matters as in equities. Energy, once overlooked with glut narratives and $40 crude forecasts, has surged on geopolitics, China stockpiling, and under-investment.
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