What is XLU and what does it track?

State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) providing diversified exposure to a basket of securities. ETFs trade on major stock exchanges like individual stocks, combining diversification with intraday flexibility.

How large is XLU in terms of assets under management?

XLU currently manages approximately $24.36B in assets. Larger funds typically benefit from higher liquidity and tighter bid-ask spreads, reducing trading costs.

Does XLU pay distributions or dividends?

XLU currently has a distribution yield of 2.51%. ETF distributions are typically paid monthly or quarterly and are passed through from income generated by the underlying holdings.

What are the costs of holding XLU?

XLU has an annual expense ratio (TER) of 0.08%. This fee is deducted directly from the fund's assets. Lower expense ratios are generally preferable, as costs compound over time. The portfolio turnover rate is 2%, reflecting how frequently holdings are replaced within a year.

What does the momentum analysis show for XLU?

The momentum analysis tracks the daily rate of change of XLU's smoothed price average. A consistently positive and rising value indicates the ETF's trend is gaining strength. A declining or negative value suggests the trend is weakening.

How often is the XLU data updated?

All data on this page is updated once per trading day after the US market closes, using official end-of-day prices.

XLU – State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF

ETF

Utilities | Inception: 1998-12-16

Quick Stats

Trend Signal

$42.77

Last Close

Official EOD price – basis for all calculations

▼ Short

Swing Trend

Moving average structure confirms downtrend – bears in control

+8.48%

Signal Edge

Slim positive edge across 1 signals – treat with caution

21.6

Trend Strength (ADX)

Moderate strength – trend forming, not confirmed

Options Signals

IV-Rank (52w)

Options are historically cheap – premium buying favored

23% / 77%

Call / Put Flow

Bearish positioning – put premium dominates options flow

Last Trendchange Signal

25.06.26

Date

Signal entry date

$45.85

Entry Price

Closing price at signal date

Days Held

Trading days since signal

-1.57%

+10d

Return after 10 trading days

+0.74%

+20d

Return after 20 trading days

-2.05%

+30d

Return after 30 trading days

–

+60d

Not yet reached

Trend Overview

Neutral – No Clear Edge Composite Score: -1 / 7

XLU is in a neutral phase with no clear directional edge. Trend and momentum indicators are roughly balanced between positive and negative readings.

What to watch

No actionable setup is present. The market is not offering a clean edge in either direction. Patience is the discipline here.

Options Signal Highlight

HIGH Strength 7.3 Long Put 📖 View full options analysis →

Latest XLU Reports

Exchange Traded Funds - Signals XLU Signal Follow-Up Review – 10 Days, -3.91% Performance

Apr 22, 2026

Exchange Traded Funds - Signals XLU Trade Setup: 8.36% Historical Edge with Clear Exit Rules

Apr 08, 2026

XLU Price Chart

Technical Trend Analysis

As of 21.08.2026 · Close: $42.77 · ATR14: $1.61

Neutral – No Clear Edge Composite Score: -1 / 7

XLU is in a neutral phase with no clear directional edge. Trend and momentum indicators are roughly balanced between positive and negative readings.

What to watch

No actionable setup is present. The market is not offering a clean edge in either direction. Patience is the discipline here.

Indicator	Signal	Detail
Swing Trend	▼ Short	Primary directional bias
Momentum	▼ Down · -17d	Strength: -0.11 – Fading
Trend Strength (ADX)	21.6 – Moderate	ADX38: 11.0
Volatility (HV30)	14.0% – Calm	HV90: 16.7% \| HV180: 15.9%
Vola Compression	None	Normal range
MA Structure	Golden Cross ✓	Stack: Partially aligned (1/3)
EMA21 Distance	-0.84 ATR ↑	EMA21: $43.89
GD200 Extension	-2.7 ATR – Normal	GD20: -1.9 \| GD50: -2.8 \| GD100: -3.2

🟡 Downside Momentum Easing

Downward momentum has run -17 days but strength is decreasing (-0.11). The move may be exhausting.

🟡 Trend Strength – ADX14: 21.6 (Moderate)

Moderate trend strength. ADX38: 11.0. Sufficient for directional bias but not ideal for aggressive sizing.

🔻 Volatility Calm

HV30: 14.0% | HV90: 16.7% | HV180: 15.9%. Short-term vol is below its 90-day average. Calmer conditions favour tighter setups.

⭐ Golden Cross – Long-term Bullish

Golden Cross in place. GD50 $44.83 above GD200 $44.75 by 0.18%. Long-term structure is bullish. MA stack: Partially aligned (1/3).

📈 EMA21 – Trend Accelerating

Price is pulling away from the EMA21 ($43.89) with -0.84 ATR distance and growing.

📐 Key Price Levels & ATR Distance

GD20: $44.10 (-1.9 ATR) | GD50: $44.83 (-2.8 ATR) | GD100: $45.09 (-3.2 ATR) | GD200: $44.75 (-2.7 ATR). ATR14: $1.61.

Monthly Performance History

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
2010	-4.99	-1.95	0.34	1.23	-6.71	0.61	7.96	-0.61	-0.32	0.54	-2.07	0.71	0.84
2011	0.73	0.22	0.25	3.24	2.11	-0.12	-2.10	1.86	-0.15	6.19	3.19	2.48	14.26
2012	-1.87	0.26	0.17	1.25	0.06	3.58	1.88	-3.40	-0.27	1.88	-3.26	-0.51	-1.19
2013	2.87	2.04	4.27	6.20	-8.14	-0.34	5.65	-5.78	1.36	3.47	-2.64	0.26	6.78
2014	4.57	4.28	3.52	4.96	-1.50	3.58	-5.86	4.52	-1.87	7.42	0.50	2.45	26.29
2015	1.85	-6.80	0.16	-0.56	0.07	-6.96	5.47	-3.98	4.79	2.27	-2.24	0.28	-8.77
2016	5.16	0.98	7.71	-2.79	0.70	6.47	-0.69	-5.60	0.02	2.34	-3.67	4.72	12.46
2017	1.51	7.12	0.00	0.78	4.77	-4.17	2.90	2.71	-3.19	3.73	3.27	-6.61	8.73
2018	-2.20	-2.35	2.98	2.83	-0.80	3.49	0.88	1.94	-1.97	2.33	4.00	-5.75	1.40
2019	5.29	4.51	1.82	1.63	T 0.24	1.36	0.12	T 4.02	1.65	-0.53	-1.62	T 3.16	24.25
2020	8.10	-10.14	-15.84	T 9.95	T 6.82	T -6.57	T 5.33	-1.53	1.38	T 4.00	-1.43	-0.92	-1.74
2021	T 1.69	-6.55	T 7.36	4.28	-2.32	T -2.36	T 3.21	3.10	-8.01	4.74	T -2.06	8.64	17.11
2022	-2.29	-0.59	T 10.57	-5.62	T 5.39	-5.50	T 2.92	0.42	-13.13	-0.96	T 6.55	-1.22	-0.52
2023	-2.00	-53.04	5.88	2.60	-6.03	1.54	1.73	-4.97	-5.92	6.23	T 3.96	-0.31	-55.09
2024	-4.36	-0.83	T 6.37	2.28	7.72	-5.22	T 7.57	2.96	6.04	-1.87	T 6.14	-6.73	17.81
2025	2.11	1.17	T -0.61	T -0.19	3.53	-0.63	4.55	-1.72	T 3.77	1.19	1.66	-3.54	11.94
2026	T 0.16	11.99	-3.12	T 1.60	-4.58	T 5.20	-0.94	-3.58					-0.95

T A T badge marks a Trendchange signal in that month. Hover for entry price.

Trendchange Signal History

The last 10 Trendchange signals for XLU:

Date	Entry Price	Days Held	+10d	+20d	+30d	+60d
25.06.26	$45.85	7d	-1.57%	+0.74%	-2.05%	+0%
30.04.26	$46.85	3d	-2.43%	-2.43%	-2.43%	+0%
08.04.26	$46.78	4d	-2.2%	-0.88%	+0%	+0%
27.01.26	$43.43	30d	+0.12%	+8.68%	+7.21%	+5.25%
24.09.25	$43.12	49d	+4.56%	+5.06%	+4.46%	+7.92%
23.04.25	$39.16	55d	+2.8%	+5.67%	+3.36%	+14.34%
01.04.25	$39.52	4d	-0.16%	+0.32%	+0%	+0%
20.03.25	$39.63	2d	+0.2%	+0%	+0%	+0%
21.11.24	$40.95	12d	-1.47%	-2.69%	-2.69%	-1.1%
22.07.24	$35.36	60d	+4.95%	+5.26%	+7.88%	+12.68%

Signal Statistics – Historical Edge

Calculated edge for XLU: 8.48%

Range	N	10d	20d	30d	60d	Signal
5-7%	1	+5.67%	+0%	+0%	+0%	Close
3-5%	5	+4.56%	+4.23%	+5.87%	-3.9%	Close
1-3%	7	+2.28%	+4.46%	+5.43%	+7.63%	Hold
0-1%	11	+0.56%	+1.61%	+2.15%	+3.7%	Hold
-1-0%	8	-0.6%	+0.85%	+0.12%	+4.96%	Neg
-3-1%	7	-1.94%	-1.02%	-0.95%	-0.26%	Neg
-5-3%	1	-3.58%	-3.58%	-3.58%	-3.48%	Neg

Exit Rules: Stoploss: -10% | Close if below 0% after 10 days

Signal data as of August 21, 2026

HIGH ALERT ● Neutral Strength: 7.3

Options Metrics

IV-Rank (52w)

Bottom 20% of the past 52 weeks – options are historically cheap. Conditions favor premium buyers (Long Call, Long Put).

Call / Put Flow

23% / 77%

More than 60% of options premium is flowing into puts. This indicates net bearish positioning by market participants.

GEX (Mio.)

-2,400,408.5

Negative GEX: market makers are short gamma. They sell dips and buy rallies, which amplifies moves and increases volatility.

GEX Flip Strike

$41.50 · 3%

The GEX flip strike is the price level where dealer gamma exposure shifts from positive to negative. A break through this level often accelerates the move.

Max Pain

$44.00 · 2.9%

Max Pain is the price at which the most options contracts expire worthless. As expiration approaches, price often gravitates toward this level due to dealer hedging flows.

Spot Price

$42.77

Last traded price at signal calculation time

Gamma Exposure Timeline

Key GEX levels, Max Pain, and unusual activity across weekly and monthly expirations, plotted around the current spot price.

XLU GEX timeline showing put/call gamma pins, max pain and flip strike

Key GEX levels, Max Pain, Anchor, Ceiling and unusual activity across 14-30 DTE, plotted around the current spot price.

Put and call pins mark strikes where dealer gamma exposure concentrates. The GEX flip strike is where dealer hedging shifts from stabilizing (positive gamma) to amplifying (negative gamma) price moves. Max Pain is the strike where the most options expire worthless. Dashed markers flag unusual options activity. Learn how to use these signals in our options strategy guides →

Strategy Setups – You Decide

Based on current options data, 2 setups match the current conditions. Each strategy has different risk/reward characteristics – the final decision is always yours.

Setup 1 of 2 Long Put Full guide →

Why this fits today

IV-Rank at 5% – options are historically cheap. Bearish flow (23% calls) supports buying downside premium at below-average cost.

Advantages

✓ Profits from significant downside moves with limited maximum risk

✓ Cheap entry when IV-Rank is historically low

✓ Can be used as portfolio protection against existing long positions

Risks

✕ Time decay erodes value daily – timing the entry matters

✕ Needs a substantial move below the strike to be profitable

✕ Full premium is lost if the stock stays above the strike

▶ FAQ: Long Put

What is a Long Put?

A Long Put gives the buyer the right to sell the underlying at the strike price before expiration. It is a bearish strategy with maximum loss limited to the premium paid. It is often used as a hedge against existing long positions.

When is buying puts most cost-effective?

Buying puts when IV-Rank is low means you are purchasing protection at below-average cost. Many traders fail to hedge when volatility is cheap and scramble to buy expensive puts when fear spikes. Buying puts proactively when IV is historically low is a disciplined risk management approach.

Setup 2 of 2 Long Straddle Full guide →

Why this fits today

IV-Rank at 5% – buying both sides is cost-effective. A subsequent vol expansion or large move benefits both legs simultaneously.

Advantages

✓ Profits from any large directional move without needing to pick a side

✓ Buying when IV is historically cheap reduces the breakeven hurdle

✓ An unexpected vol expansion benefits both the call and put simultaneously

Risks

✕ Requires a significant move to recover the combined premium paid

✕ Theta decay accelerates as expiration approaches

✕ If the stock stays flat, both legs expire worthless

▶ FAQ: Long Straddle

What is a Long Straddle?

A Long Straddle buys a call and a put at the same strike and expiration. It profits from a large move in either direction. When IV is low, the premium cost is reduced, making the breakeven easier to reach on a directional move.

Why buy a straddle when IV is low?

Low IV means you are buying the options cheaply. If IV subsequently rises - due to an event or a directional move - both legs can gain value simultaneously, giving you a double benefit. The key is entering before the vol expansion.

All setups above are personal trade journal observations derived from options flow data. This is not financial advice. The decision to trade, and which strategy to use, is entirely yours.

View full options flow data and historical signals on the Options Flow Analysis Overview →

About State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF

In seeking to track the performance of the index, the fund employs a replication strategy. It generally invests substantially all, but at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index. The index includes securities of companies from the following industries: electric utilities; water utilities; multi-utilities; independent power and renewable electricity producers; and gas utilities. The fund is non-diversified.

Fund Overview

Metric	Value
Assets under Management	$24.36 B
Expense Ratio	0.08%
Dividend Yield	2.51%
Portfolio Turnover	2%
YTD Return	1,182.99%
3-Year Return	14.78%
5-Year Return	10.69%

Sector Allocation

Sector	Weight
Utilities	99.3%

Top 10 Holdings

Symbol	Company	Weight
NEE	NEXTERA ENERGY INC	13.25%
SO	SOUTHERN CO	7.48%
DUK	DUKE ENERGY CORP	7.11%
CEG	CONSTELLATION ENERGY CORP	6.54%
AEP	AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC	4.92%
SRE	SEMPRA	4.29%
D	DOMINION ENERGY INC	3.71%
VST	VISTRA CORP	3.54%
EXC	EXELON CORP	3.48%
XEL	XCEL ENERGY INC	3.31%

Frequently Asked Questions – State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU)

Disclaimer: All trade history on this page reflects the author's personal trading activity only. This is not financial advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. See our full Disclaimer.