What do you think of when you hear the words “Silicon Valley”? If your mind conjures up images of mammoth tech organizations like Google, Netflix, and Facebook, small scrappy startups with lots of venture funding, and a hit HBO show, you’re probably among the majority of folks. However, software and startups are not the original cast of characters, and with these players often taking most of the headlines, it can be easy to forget about the hardware revolution that took place and the semiconductor manufacturers that gave the region its name.
It seems that in the last 5 years, a lot of the world has also forgotten just how important these tiny devices are to the tech-filled lives we lead. This year has been a serious wake-up call.
Everyone Needs More Chips
Semiconductor sales were already growing, but COVID-19 launched a scramble as demand for computers, smart devices, and video game technology spiked, in conjunction with tightened sanctions on Chinese chip companies. One outlier was the auto industry; predicting that car sales would be significantly lower for an extended period of time, big manufacturers around the globe canceled huge orders for semiconductors and related components. Unexpectedly, car sales recovered quickly, and the surplus from the orders had already been bought out by electronics manufacturers with an estimated 1.3 million fewer vehicles because of the shortage.
Pushed by pressure from manufacturers and citing defense and national security concerns, the White House responded with an ambitious goal to empower American semiconductor capabilities: a proposed $37 billion investment to boost chip manufacturing, with billions going toward research, development, and startups to ensure that the U.S. stays ahead of China.
Getting In On the Action
All this equates to significant opportunities in the industry for increased growth and profits. Enter the Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3x Shares (NYSE: SOXL). With a three times daily leverage on the PHLX Semiconductor Sector Index, SOXL has managed to rise 20.88% in the past month (as of 4/21/21), and tracked for a total YTD Daily Total Return of 31.03%.
With the shortage capable of dragging on for up to a couple of years by many accounts, the case for an ETF like SOXL seems to be a compelling option for traders with a bullish outlook on the semiconductor industry. Investors should take a serious look at the gravity of the semiconductor shortage and consider creating positions to take advantage of the significant and ongoing opportunity.
Investing in a Direxion Shares ETF may be more volatile than investing in broadly diversified funds. The use of leverage by a Fund increases the risk to the Fund. The Direxion Shares ETFs are not suitable for all investors and should be utilized only by sophisticated investors who understand leverage risk, consequences of seeking daily leveraged, or daily inverse leveraged, investment results and intend to actively monitor and manage their investment.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate. An investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. For the most recent month-end and standardized performance click here
Short-term performance, in particular, is not a good indication of the fund’s future performance, and an investment should not be made based solely on returns. Because of ongoing market volatility, fund performance may be subject to substantial short-term changes. For additional information, see the fund’s prospectus.
An investor should carefully consider a Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. A Fund’s prospectus and summary prospectus contain this and other information about the Direxion Shares. To obtain a Fund’s prospectus and summary prospectus call 866-476-7523 or visit our website at direxion.com. A Fund’s prospectus and summary prospectus should be read carefully before investing.
Shares of the Direxion Shares are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from a Fund. Market Price returns are based upon the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at 4:00 pm EST (when NAV is normally calculated) and do not represent the returns you would receive if you traded shares at other times. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Fund returns assume that dividends and capital gains distributions have been reinvested in the Fund at NAV. Some performance results reflect expense reimbursements or recoupments and fee waivers in effect during certain periods shown. Absent these reimbursements or recoupments and fee waivers, results would have been less favorable.
Direxion Shares Risks – An investment in each Fund involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Each Fund is non-diversified and includes risks associated with the Funds’ concentrating their investments in a particular industry, sector, or geographic region which can result in increased volatility. The use of derivatives such as futures contracts and swaps are subject to market risks that may cause their price to fluctuate over time. Risks of each Fund include Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk, Leverage Risk, Market Risk, Market Disruption Risk, Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk, Counterparty Risk, Intra-Day Investment Risk, and risks specific to the Semiconductor Industry. Companies that are in the semiconductor industry may be affected by particular economic or market events, which may, in certain circumstances, cause the value of securities of all companies in the semiconductor sector of the market to decrease. Additional risks include, for the Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares, Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk and Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk, and for the Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares, Daily Inverse Index Correlation/Tracking Risk, and risks related to Shorting and Cash Transactions. Please see the summary and full prospectuses for a more complete description of these and other risks of each Fund.
Distributor: Foreside Fund Services, LLC.
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