Semiconductors Lead as Energy Crumbles – April 25, 2026

ByStockBotty

Semiconductors Lead as Energy Crumbles – April 25, 2026

Executive Summary

Broad sector strength masks a brutal day for momentum across the board. Semiconductors, AI, and autonomous vehicles sit atop massive 9-day strength scores, but yesterday’s session hit them hard-all posting double-digit weakness. Commodities paint the same picture: precious metals and miners built incredible momentum over nine days, only to get hammered yesterday. One bright spot: IGV (Software) flipped positive after weeks of selling, a genuine reversal signal worth watching. Energy remains in freefall. Overall tone is clear-this is profit-taking on a massive scale, not a breakdown in the underlying trend, at least not yet.

Sector ETF Trend Strength April 25, 2026

Sector ETF Trend Strength – Last 10 Days – April 25, 2026

Market Context & Interpretation

Here’s what jumped out at me immediately. Twenty-two of 26 sectors show positive momentum over nine days. That’s a healthy market. But look at yesterday in isolation: almost every single one of those leaders got sold. This is textbook momentum exhaustion, not panic selling. The pullback is surgical-precision profit-taking from traders who rode these moves up.

What matters most right now is scale. SMH (Semiconductors) carries a nine-day strength score of +96.19, massive by any measure, then fell 19.44 points yesterday alone. ARTY (Artificial Intelligence) sits at +90.95 on the nine-day, down 21.10 yesterday. These aren’t small retreats. They’re significant enough to matter.

Commodities tell the same story. GDX (Gold Miners) has a nine-day score of +127.70-legitimately explosive-but gave back 18.77 points on the last session. COPX (Copper Miners) and SIL (Silver Miners) follow the same pattern. Money built these positions, and money is taking partial profits. Nothing breaks here until we see three, four days of continued selling.

Energy is a different animal entirely. XLE carries a nine-day score of -48.16. XOP (Oil & Gas Exploration) sits at -60.46 and fell another 12.10 yesterday. This isn’t profit-taking on a winning position. This is trend weakness meeting fresh selling pressure. Energy has lost the room.

Sector ETF Momentum Rankings

Rank ETF 9-Day Strength Yesterday Signal
1 SMH +96.19 -19.44 Weakening
2 ARTY +90.95 -21.10 Weakening
3 DRIV +88.13 -17.10 Weakening
4 CHAT +80.20 -17.71 Weakening
5 XBI +74.45 -12.40 Weakening
6 BLOK +65.47 -16.04 Weakening
7 GRID +64.22 -12.19 Weakening
8 XLB +62.98 -9.31 Weakening
9 XLK +57.43 -13.35 Weakening
10 XLI +44.16 -7.93 Weakening
11 NUKZ +43.80 -9.45 Weakening
12 XLF +43.37 -7.77 Weakening
13 PHO +43.05 -7.00 Weakening
14 VCR +42.58 -9.81 Weakening
15 XLRE +39.56 -8.20 Weakening
16 XLY +38.49 -9.17 Weakening
17 IFRA +38.26 -6.55 Weakening
18 XLC +28.23 -6.58 Weakening
19 XLV +14.95 -2.45 Weakening
20 XLP +6.27 -1.57 Weakening
21 XLU +5.49 -0.32 Slowing
22 SHLD +4.97 -0.88 Slowing
23 BUG +0.45 +3.70 Accelerating
24 IGV -15.99 +5.85 Reversal
25 XLE -48.16 -9.65 Downtrend
26 XOP -60.46 -12.10 Downtrend

Sector story in one sentence: the winners built into yesterday are taking it on the chin. SMH, ARTY, and DRIV each gave back massive scores, but the underlying 9-day foundation remains strong-this is correction within an uptrend, not a reversal. Watch how these bounce on the next session. If sellers come back again with equal force, we need to reassess. For now, this is healthy.

Two signals stand out. IGV flipped positive yesterday with a +5.85 momentum score after running negative for nine days straight. This is a genuine momentum reversal, not just a bounce. Software sector was in the doghouse and just posted the first green day. BUG (Cybersecurity) sits at +0.45 on the 9-day but accelerated yesterday with +3.70. Both worth monitoring as potential sector restarts.

Commodity ETF Momentum Rankings

Commodity ETF Trend Strength April 25, 2026

Commodity ETF Trend Strength – Last 10 Days – April 25, 2026

Rank ETF 9-Day Strength Yesterday Signal
1 GDX +127.70 -18.77 Weakening
2 COPX +124.29 -20.75 Weakening
3 SIL +120.96 -19.87 Weakening
4 SETM +111.68 -20.02 Weakening
5 LIT +104.90 -17.80 Weakening
6 SLX +101.32 -16.48 Weakening
7 REMX +91.92 -17.89 Weakening
8 URA +74.62 -16.14 Weakening
9 URNM +73.65 -14.89 Weakening
10 SLV +59.23 -12.54 Weakening
11 CPER +55.01 -10.76 Weakening
12 PLTM +54.76 -10.23 Weakening
13 USO +52.89 -3.87 Slowing
14 DBB +41.69 -8.39 Weakening
15 IBIT +33.54 -9.00 Weakening
16 GLD +32.35 -6.39 Weakening
17 SOYB +1.58 -0.52 Weakening
18 WEAT -20.16 +0.35 Reversal
19 CORN -31.29 +0.08 Reversal
20 CANE -78.13 -14.65 Downtrend
21 UNG -120.66 -16.83 Downtrend

Commodities sit at 18 positive trends against 4 negative. Precious metals and miners are the story here-GDX, COPX, SIL, and SETM all sport momentum scores over +110 for the 9-day window, explosive by any measure. But yesterday burned them all. This is profit-taking on commodity rallies that ran too hard too fast.

Two small reversals emerged: WEAT (Wheat) and CORN both flipped positive after running negative. These are tiny scores-+0.35 and +0.08 respectively-but they mark the first green days in downtrends. Keep watching. UNG (Natural Gas) and CANE (Sugar) remain in pure freefall territory with no sign of stabilization.

Key ETFs to Watch Right Now

Three names matter most across both groups. Start with SMH-it leads the entire sector ETF universe with a +96.19 momentum score. If semiconductors hold their support after that -19.44 yesterday, we know the correction is buying opportunity. If they roll over again, watch for broader tech weakness. Pair it with GDX, which carries the strongest 9-day commodity score at +127.70. Gold miners signal inflation expectations and fed policy positioning. When GDX and SMH both stabilize, risk appetite is returning.

Don’t sleep on the reversals. IGV flipping from -15.99 to +5.85 is the most important flip here. Software got hammered but just posted its first bullish day. This matters because software leadership often precedes broader tech leadership. Watch if this momentum extends.

Energy remains the weakest link. XOP at -60.46 combined with yesterday’s -12.10 score signals serious structural weakness. Oil and gas exploration is not attracting capital right now. Until you see a green day, avoid catching this falling knife.

The Bottom Line for Traders

This is pullback, not panic. Profit-taking on massive 9-day momentum scores is healthy market behavior. Sellers took aggressive positions yesterday, but the foundation beneath the leaders remains solid. Watch how today and tomorrow trade. If weakness extends for three, four straight days across SMH, ARTY, and the commodity leaders, we’ve got a problem. One day of pain? That’s just cleaning up excesses.

Energy is the true concern. XLE and XOP are in downtrends, not corrections. That’s a different animal. Avoid them until you see genuine reversal signals.

Disclaimer: This report reflects momentum analysis based on technical scoring systems and is presented for informational purposes only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or a solicitation for investment. Past momentum patterns do not guarantee future results. ETF prices, holdings, and performance can change rapidly. Conduct your own due diligence and consult a financial advisor before making any investment decisions. All data is believed accurate but is not guaranteed. The author and StockBotty are not liable for losses incurred based on this analysis.
Author Disclosure: The author may hold or has held positions in ETF-related instruments directly or through derivative constructs at the time of publication. This is not a trading recommendation.

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