Ticker Reports for March 23rd
3 ETFs That Could Cushion Your Portfolio From War Risk
Though oil prices have not yet climbed to the levels that some analysts have predicted, a sharp spike in the early days of the Iran war has nonetheless caused increases at the pump and contributed to a 3.5% selloff of the S&P 500 in the last month. As most retail investors have built their portfolios with the assumption of calm conditions that favor traditional equities, there is a risk that investors may find themselves unprotected if the geopolitical situation sends further shockwaves through markets.
Fortunately, there are accessible exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that may help absorb some of that potential shock. Investors anticipating further market turmoil if the war continues and escalates may consider rebalancing to add one or more of the following funds that are designed for this type of scenario.
A Tail Risk Hedge That Offers Protection When Equities Plunge
First up is the Cambria Tail Risk ETF (BATS: TAIL), an actively managed fund with a relatively high expense ratio (0.59%) that reflects this structure. The fund aims to limit downside risk in the market by combining "out of the money" put options on the S&P with U.S. Treasurys for income potential. It acts as a sort of insurance policy for an equities portfolio, gaining value during sharp selloffs in the broader market.
The fund has outperformed the broader market year-to-date (YTD), providing returns of close to 3% while the S&P 500 is down 3.4% over the same period. Investors may see this as proof that the fund's strategy can indeed pay off during turbulence. At the same time, the Treasury bond component may also benefit when investors seek refuge from markets in government debt, while also providing income potential. TAIL pays a dividend yield of 2.1%.
This fund is not ideal as a buy-and-hold option, mostly because of its high expense ratio.
It may also be unable to execute its strategy as effectively if other tail-hedge options proliferate. However, its recent success may point to its continued potential during a highly volatile time.
A Multi-Pronged Hedge Using Managed Futures
The KraneShares Mount Lucas Index Strategy ETF (NYSEARCA: KMLM) targets an index of 22 liquid futures contracts that trade on both U.S. and international exchanges, including a combination of commodities, currencies, and bond markets. As an uncorrelated fund, this managed futures approach may help hedge risk across equities, bonds, and commodities.
KMLM has a track record of success, including in 2022 when the S&P 500 and the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index had a sharply negative year, and the ETF returned close to 30%.
With oil prices surging, inflation picking back up, and bonds facing challenges related to interest rates and more, the environment in 2026 may be similar.
With a dividend yield of 4.7%, KMLM also appeals for its passive income benefit.
Like TAIL above, KMLM has outperformed YTD, with 7% in returns so far in 2026.
And also like TAIL, this fund is not ideal for a long-term position in a portfolio because of its high expense ratio (0.90%) and its weaker performance during periods of market calm—but it may be well-suited for the continued uncertainty in the current moment.
Floating-Rate Bonds Provide Competitive Yields in Difficult Environments
Employing a strategy involving investment-grade floating rate notes, the VanEck Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF (NYSEARCA: FLTR) has a portfolio of bonds that can reset periodically along with market rates. The result is a fund with competitive yields and lacking duration risk that can become a significant issue for many bond investors amid periods of rising inflation.
Inflation is once again a growing concern for investors, with oil prices rising and shipping costs expected to escalate across many categories of goods.
In this scenario, fixed-rate bond funds face pressure while rate expectations move higher. On the other hand, FLTR can help to translate inflation risk into additional income thanks to a rising yield.
With an expense ratio of just 0.14% and a dividend yield of 4.9%, FLTR could be called the most conservative of the three funds, appealing to investors keen to avoid risk amid uncertainty.
However, all three of the funds provide different potential benefits and protection and may successfully be used in combination to form a multi-layered protection against potential futures shocks due to the war.
Elon Musk already made me a "wealthy man"
Elon Musk already made me a "wealthy man"
These 2 Bitcoin ETFs Are Seeing Inflows for the First Time in Months
After peaking above $126,000 last fall, Bitcoin is about to enter the second quarter of 2026 near a one-year low of roughly $69,000. The relatively low price may have been a catalyst for institutional investors to once again take interest in digital tokens, even while other corners of the traditional market were facing stresses associated with the Iran war. Indeed, institutions poured more than $458 million into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the span of a single day in early March.
This is a major shift from the cryptocurrency fund outflow trend that dominated in the first two months of the year, and it came with relatively little fanfare while investors were busy paying attention to the price of oil and gasoline, concerns about reigniting inflation, and more. Retail investors may wonder if the funds that were the primary recipients of this institutional attention—including the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ: IBIT) and the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (BATS: FBTC)—are still enticing after the flow reversal.
IBIT's Dominance in the Bitcoin ETF Space Becomes More Evident
After Bitcoin ETF outflows of about $1.8 billion in the first two months of the year and the extreme drop in the price of the token, cryptocurrency investors did not seem to be optimistic as of the start of March, making the sudden shift toward inflows all the more surprising.
The large majority of those inflows went to IBIT, a suggestion that large institutional investors are engaging in coordinated buying of BTC through what is arguably the most popular Bitcoin fund.
For retail investors, it's tempting to immediately follow institutions that have recently moved hundreds of millions of dollars to IBIT. The implication of this collective investments is that a large amount of Bitcoin just shifted hands toward long-term institutional investment—which may create something of a supply squeeze for other BTC investors.
IBIT is an attractive option for those seeking an indirect way to access Bitcoin. It has an overall modest expense ratio of 0.12%, which is the trade-off for not having to manage and store BTC holdings. The fund is immensely popular, with about $58 billion in assets under management (AUM) and a one-month average trading volume above 63 million.
A Smaller, More Expensive Alternative—But Variety May Be Worthwhile
FBTC is a much smaller fund than IBIT—it holds about $13 billion in AUM and has roughly 5.8 million in one-month average trading volume—and it is also more expensive, with an expense ratio of 0.25%. As such, the fund has drawn substantially lower inflows from institutional investors than IBIT, which is not surprising. Still, FBTC added $48 million in a single day in early March, a potential sign of support from retirement account providers and other institutional clients of Fidelity.
The existence of FBTC as a second fund receiving support in recent weeks, even at a lower level than IBIT, lends credence to the position that the recent renewed interest in BTC may be more widespread and likely to stick. Fundamentally, FBTC offers investors a similar proposition to IBIT: it provides Bitcoin exposure with custodial backing.
Despite FBTC's higher cost and lower liquidity, it may appeal to investors interested in boosting their Bitcoin exposure but reluctant to do so through a single provider. Because both funds are tied to the spot price of Bitcoin, performance should be effectively the same (accounting for the difference in expense ratio), but holding Bitcoin in these two funds instead of just one may reduce operational risk.
Of course, investors may also take the signal from institutions as motivation to consider alternative ETFs focused on cryptocurrencies. A new BlackRock fund—the iShares Staked Ethereum (ETHB)—launched in March and is the first iShares fund with a staking yield component, which may appeal to investors seeking passive income potential. At the same time, continued instability on the global stage may send Bitcoin and other crypto prices up or down, and investors should keep in mind that uncertainty and risks remain.
For those who may be cautious, the recent surge in institutional investor interest in Bitcoin ETFs may warrant a closer look at fund flows on a regular basis. After a period when institutions seemed to lose their appetite for cryptocurrency funds, the recent trend may signal a larger shift back toward bullishness.
Ticker Revealed: Pre-IPO Access to "Next Elon Musk" Company
Ticker Revealed: Pre-IPO Access to "Next Elon Musk" Company
Can These 3 Rare Earth Stocks Gain From Iran War Disruption?
Weeks into the war in Iran, many investors have set their sights on oil prices and are attempting to navigate what could be a devastating impact on global energy supplies. But investors who neglect to take a broader view of the war's implications may not appreciate the potential disruption to the rare-earth and critical minerals market as well. According to estimates by the Iranian government, the country holds more than $27 trillion in mineral reserves. Further, with China continuing to dominate global rare-earth resources, if the conflict draws that nation closer to Iran, it may further disrupt the flow of those resources to the United States and elsewhere.
There are U.S. rare-earth producers operating domestically, but the country has historically relied heavily on imported materials. Notably, the U.S. military announced in late February that securing domestic rare-earth elements is a key national security priority. The companies below may be best positioned to achieve that goal.
MP Materials' Strong Infrastructure and Growth Trajectory Put It in a Dominant Position
There's a reason MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) is one of the first names investors think of when it comes to domestic rare-earth operations—this company is the largest producer of these minerals in the entire western hemisphere and is unique in the United States as a fully integrated producer. MP remains a solid Buy with all but one of the 16 Wall Street analysts reviewing shares viewing the company favorably. What's more, despite climbing by a whopping 115% in the last year, shares could still rise by another 37% based on price targets.
Thanks to military financing and a price floor agreement on rare-earth metals, revenue climbed 10% year-over-year (YOY) in 2025, and the company swung to net income in the final quarter of the year from a loss in the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA improved dramatically as well on a YOY basis for the latest quarter.
A critical advantage that MP has over other domestic producers is its scale. The firm anticipates reaching 6,000 tons in refining capacity by the end of the year, and heavy rare-earth separation facilities are set to be commissioned by mid-year as well. Any would-be competitors have a major uphill battle in the face of this infrastructure edge.
USA Rare Earth's Advantageous Operations and Government Investment Still Yield High Risk/Reward
USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) may have the highest risk/reward calculation of any domestic rare earth firm. On one hand, as of the latest quarter, the company is pre-revenue and had net losses of almost $157 million, with management expecting higher adjusted operating expenses going forward. But on the other hand, the company is rapidly expanding, and those losses are due to major investments in infrastructure buildout and the acquisition of other firms, like Texas Mineral Resources Corp. (OTCMKTS: TMRC) (announced in early March 2026).
This acquisition, in particular, is notable because it provides USA Rare Earth with sole operator access to the Round Top deposit, North America's richest known deposit of terbium and dysprosium, two rare-earth elements vital to defense system applications.
Another major advantage for this company is its heavy investment by the U.S. government, which acquired a 10% equity stake in the firm and which should provide much-needed capital and stability in this pre-revenue period. Nonetheless, USA Rare Earth's fledgling status is important to note, and investors enticed by the prospect of 87% in upside potential should keep in mind that the risk is equally high here.
Energy Fuels Offers Dual Focus on Rare-Earths and Uranium
Diversified critical minerals producer Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN: UUUU) provides a balanced approach to both uranium and rare earth minerals, offering exposure to two essential markets in a single investment. The company is facing top- and bottom-line challenges as well: for 2025, it totaled losses of 38 cents per share, wider than 28 cents per share in 2024.
On the other hand, production is accelerating, and analysts are bullish—the company boosted uranium mining, production, and sales last year, while lowering unit costs YOY and generating $48 million in uranium revenue.
Investors keen to focus on rare earths in particular should keep in mind that Energy Fuels is a nascent rare earth producer. In January 2026, the company announced positive results from a feasibility study for a Phase 2 expansion into both light and heavy rare-earth elements. Energy Fuels could be a company to watch, in particular for its neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide capabilities—NdPr can be used to produce specialized magnets for use in electric and hybrid vehicles.
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