Exchange-Traded Funds, or ETFs, are an excellent choice for beginner investors. They offer a multitude of benefits, including low expense ratios, high liquidity, a wide range of investment options, diversification, and low investment thresholds. These features make ETFs well-suited for a variety of trading strategies employed by new traders and investors.

Here are the top 5 trading strategies to consider when working with ETFs.

1. Dollar Cost Averaging

Here is the most straightforward strategy: dollar-cost averaging (DCA). It involves investing a fixed amount of money in an asset on a regular basis, regardless of the asset’s current price. For young investors, experts recommend taking out a consistent sum, such as a few hundred dollars each month, and instead of placing it in a low-yield savings account, investing it in an exchange-traded fund (ETF).

By purchasing assets at varying prices over time, DCA helps to mitigate the influence of short-term market fluctuations on overall investment returns. It also instills discipline in investors by encouraging a long-term investment perspective, which counteracts impulsive decision-making or emotional investing based on short-term market movements.

2. Asset diversification

Asset allocation, a technique involving dividing a portfolio across diverse asset classes like stocks, bonds, commodities, and cash to achieve diversification, is a potent investment tool. The low minimum investment for most ETFs makes it simple for beginners to implement a basic asset allocation strategy based on their investing timeline and risk appetite.

Numerous ETFs are inherently diversified by design. For instance, an exchange-traded fund that mirrors a widespread market index like the S&P 500 will contain a basket of stocks representing a broad spectrum of companies from various sectors. However, it’s crucial to remember that not all ETFs are inherently diversified in this manner and may concentrate on a single sector such as technology.

3. Swing trading

Swing trading aims to capitalize on substantial price swings in stocks or other assets like currencies and commodities. The characteristics of ETFs that make them suitable for swing trading are their diversification and narrow bid-ask spreads. Furthermore, as ETFs are available across numerous investment classes and a diverse range of sectors, a beginner can select an ETF based on a sector or asset class where they possess specialized expertise or knowledge.

 

4. Bet on seasonal trends

ETFs also present novice investors with a practical means to exploit seasonal patterns. One widely recognized seasonal tendency is the “Sell in May and Go Away” phenomenon. This refers to the observation that US stocks have traditionally exhibited inferior performance during the six-month period from May to October compared to the period from November to April.

Another seasonal trend is gold typically appreciating in September and October, spurred by robust demand from India in preparation for the wedding season and Diwali, a festival of lights that typically occurs between mid-October and mid-November.

 

5. Sector rotation

ETFs also provide beginners with the opportunity to strategically shift their investments between sectors based on the economic cycle’s current phase. For instance, an investor who has been holding shares in the iShares Biotechnology ETF might decide to liquidate their holdings and move into a more recession-resistant sector, such as consumer staples, by purchasing shares in the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP).

Nevertheless, it’s crucial to recognize that sector rotation also entails potential drawbacks. Success in this strategy hinges on accurately timing the market’s movements, a challenging task due to the inherent unpredictability of economic cycles. In fact, one of the most common pieces of advice offered to novice investors is to avoid attempting to time the market for sector rotations.