What is XLB and what does it track?

State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) 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 XLB in terms of assets under management?

XLB currently manages approximately $7.25B in assets. Larger funds typically benefit from higher liquidity and tighter bid-ask spreads, reducing trading costs.

Does XLB pay distributions or dividends?

XLB currently has a distribution yield of 1.79%. 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 XLB?

XLB 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 29%, reflecting how frequently holdings are replaced within a year.

What does the momentum analysis show for XLB?

The momentum analysis tracks the daily rate of change of XLB'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 XLB data updated?

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

XLB – State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF

ETF

Natural Resources | Inception: 1998-12-16

Quick Stats

Trend Signal

$53.54

Last Close

Official EOD price – basis for all calculations

▲ Long

Swing Trend

Moving average structure confirms uptrend – bulls in control

+17.44%

Signal Edge

Moderate edge across 1 signals – signal performs above random, not exceptional

35.6

Trend Strength (ADX)

Strong trend – directional signals reliable

Options Signals

IV-Rank (52w)

Options are historically cheap – premium buying favored

91% / 9%

Call / Put Flow

Bullish positioning – call premium dominates options flow

Last Trendchange Signal

28.07.26

Date

Signal entry date

$52.34

Entry Price

Closing price at signal date

10d

Days Held

Trading days since signal

+1.6%

+10d

Return after 10 trading days

+2.29%

+20d

Return after 20 trading days

–

+30d

Not yet reached

–

+60d

Not yet reached

Trend Overview

Trend Intact – Bullish Setup Composite Score: +6 / 7

XLB is in a well-structured bull trend. All major signals are aligned: positive swing trend, rising momentum over 19 days, a fully aligned moving average stack, a golden cross in place, and trend strength confirmed by ADX at 35.6. This is the type of environment where trend-following strategies carry a structural edge.

What to watch

The trend is your friend here. As long as momentum strength continues to hold or rise, the path of least resistance remains higher. Manage the trade with a trailing stop rather than a fixed target.

Options Signal Highlight

HIGH Strength 7.3 Long Call 📖 View full options analysis →

Latest XLB Reports

Exchange Traded Funds - Signals XLB Signal Review – 10 Days: +1.60% Performance on 17.11% Edge

Aug 11, 2026

Exchange Traded Funds - Signals XLB Signal Follow-Up – 10 Days: +0.04% Performance Review

Apr 22, 2026

Exchange Traded Funds - Signals XLB Trade Setup: 17.50% Historical Edge with Clear Exit Rules

Apr 08, 2026

XLB Price Chart

Technical Trend Analysis

As of 21.08.2026 · Close: $53.54 · ATR14: $1.63

Trend Intact – Bullish Setup Composite Score: +6 / 7

What to watch

The trend is your friend here. As long as momentum strength continues to hold or rise, the path of least resistance remains higher. Manage the trade with a trailing stop rather than a fixed target.

Indicator	Signal	Detail
Swing Trend	▲ Long	Primary directional bias
Momentum	▲ Up · 19d	Strength: 0.13 – Rising
Trend Strength (ADX)	35.6 – Strong	ADX38: 17.0
Volatility (HV30)	18.3% – Calm	HV90: 19.1% \| HV180: 18.8%
Vola Compression	None	Normal range
MA Structure	Golden Cross ✓	Stack: Fully aligned – bullish stack
EMA21 Distance	0.83 ATR ↑	EMA21: $51.85
GD200 Extension	4.9 ATR – Normal	GD20: 1.5 \| GD50: 2.3 \| GD100: 2.6

🚀 Momentum Accelerating

Upward momentum active for 19 days and still gaining strength (current: 0.13). Trend is building, not fading.

💪 Trend Strength – ADX14: 35.6 (Strong)

A strong and well-defined trend. ADX38: 17.0. Trend-following has clear edge here.

🔻 Volatility Calm

HV30: 18.3% | HV90: 19.1% | HV180: 18.8%. Short-term vol is below its 90-day average. Calmer conditions favour tighter setups.

⭐ Golden Cross – Long-term Bullish

Golden Cross in place. GD50 $51.58 above GD200 $49.58 by 4.04%. Long-term structure is bullish. MA stack: Fully aligned – bullish stack.

📈 EMA21 – Trend Accelerating

Price is pulling away from the EMA21 ($51.85) with 0.83 ATR distance and growing.

📐 Key Price Levels & ATR Distance

GD20: $52.23 (1.5 ATR) | GD50: $51.58 (2.3 ATR) | GD100: $51.38 (2.6 ATR) | GD200: $49.58 (4.9 ATR). ATR14: $1.63.

Monthly Performance History

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
2010	-11.41	0.51	6.07	-1.51	-9.48	-4.67	13.47	-5.57	2.53	4.79	1.18	6.25	12.90
2011	-0.72	-0.03	3.98	1.74	-2.05	2.23	-4.33	-6.71	-15.78	20.75	2.95	-2.33	-13.48
2012	7.99	-1.54	-1.10	-2.19	-8.32	6.62	-0.77	2.30	4.58	-2.41	-0.08	4.22	9.03
2013	1.40	-2.56	1.74	1.83	3.73	-5.31	4.95	-0.86	3.29	3.74	1.53	4.50	20.11
2014	-3.95	9.46	0.66	0.27	3.61	0.73	-2.23	3.78	-1.53	-0.04	2.29	-0.14	5.95
2015	-1.97	7.00	-5.88	3.07	-1.25	-4.42	-5.57	-4.89	-5.04	12.16	0.37	-5.71	-10.75
2016	-9.29	7.37	4.53	4.11	-0.70	-1.40	5.03	0.29	-2.07	-1.97	7.44	-0.52	16.28
2017	3.94	0.06	-1.61	1.65	-0.04	0.17	0.66	0.71	2.47	2.75	0.46	2.47	21.08
2018	2.54	-3.96	-3.52	2.35	2.14	-1.69	3.41	0.25	-1.58	-10.08	T 0.96	-9.09	-17.71
2019	T 5.06	2.88	0.95	1.99	-6.49	T 7.52	-1.03	-2.28	T 3.49	T 2.39	1.75	3.33	20.95
2020	-5.06	T -10.40	-18.08	T 20.62	9.18	0.93	6.89	4.95	-1.73	T 0.70	8.75	0.86	19.26
2021	-1.48	T 2.91	4.50	4.47	3.54	-6.97	1.52	T 3.14	-7.35	T 5.91	-0.79	8.14	26.37
2022	-5.57	-2.76	T 8.21	-4.55	1.49	T -13.58	5.41	T -2.70	-8.61	T 5.50	T 11.42	-6.24	-13.14
2023	T 9.09	-51.98	-2.19	-0.76	-6.82	T 9.01	3.05	-2.87	-6.29	-1.87	T 8.29	2.63	-44.88
2024	-3.72	T 4.76	5.60	-4.36	T 2.74	-2.95	T 5.97	2.74	4.60	-2.86	1.77	-11.17	-1.46
2025	T 6.71	-0.14	-1.15	T -2.79	3.38	1.11	-2.61	T 6.41	-2.15	-3.39	T 5.00	1.70	9.00
2026	6.83	7.57	-6.16	T 2.00	-0.39	T -0.18	T -1.16	4.96					16.09

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

Trendchange Signal History

The last 10 Trendchange signals for XLB:

Date	Entry Price	Days Held	+10d	+20d	+30d	+60d
28.07.26	$52.34	10d	+1.6%	+2.29%	+0%	+0%
12.06.26	$52.18	9d	-1.11%	-1.28%	-1.28%	+0%
02.06.26	$51.52	4d	+1.9%	+0%	+0%	+0%
08.04.26	$51.75	13d	+0.04%	-0.43%	-0.15%	+0%
28.11.25	$44.70	51d	+0.94%	+3.15%	+8.55%	+11.77%
18.08.25	$44.76	31d	+3.09%	+1.6%	+1.6%	+8.41%
25.04.25	$41.31	41d	+2.08%	+3.93%	+6.25%	+10.07%
30.01.25	$44.72	10d	-0.92%	+0.3%	+0.3%	-2.9%
16.07.24	$46.01	19d	-0.58%	-2.15%	+1.22%	-9.3%
13.05.24	$45.89	20d	-0.46%	-0.86%	-0.86%	-1.9%

Signal Statistics – Historical Edge

Calculated edge for XLB: 17.44%

Range	N	10d	20d	30d	60d	Signal
10-15%	1	+10.07%	+13.66%	+12.39%	+13.39%	Hold
5-7%	1	+5.3%	+10.21%	+9.65%	+19.37%	Hold
3-5%	7	+4.02%	+4.06%	+6.39%	+11.9%	Hold
1-3%	11	+1.68%	+3.04%	+3.72%	+6.47%	Hold
0-1%	6	+0.46%	+0.31%	+1.88%	-8.08%	Close
-1-0%	5	-0.74%	-0.9%	+0.84%	+2.32%	Neg
-3-1%	6	-1.46%	-0.11%	+0.08%	+2.17%	Neg
-5-3%	2	-4.14%	-2.73%	-2.95%	+0.48%	Neg

Exit Rules: Stoploss: -10% | Close if below 1% 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

91% / 9%

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

GEX (Mio.)

675,595.6

Positive GEX: market makers are long gamma. They buy dips and sell rallies, which suppresses volatility and keeps price in a range.

GEX Flip Strike

$53.00 · 1%

GEX flip strike is very close to spot price. Crossing this level can trigger a regime change – from suppressed to amplified volatility.

Max Pain

$52.00 · 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

$53.54

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.

XLB 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 Call Full guide →

Why this fits today

IV-Rank at 5% – options are historically cheap. Bullish flow (91% calls) supports buying upside premium at below-average cost.

Advantages

✓ Unlimited upside potential with maximum loss capped at the premium paid

✓ Low IV-Rank means you are buying at historically cheap levels

✓ Benefits from both a price increase and a subsequent rise in implied volatility

Risks

✕ Time decay (theta) works against the position every day

✕ Requires a meaningful move to overcome the premium paid

✕ Full premium is lost if the stock stays below the strike at expiration

▶ FAQ: Long Call

What is a Long Call?

A Long Call gives the buyer the right to purchase the underlying at the strike price before expiration. The maximum loss is limited to the premium paid. It expresses a bullish directional view and profits if the underlying rises significantly above the strike price.

Why buy calls when IV-Rank is low?

Low IV-Rank means implied volatility is historically cheap - options are priced below their typical levels. Buying premium when it is cheap reduces the hurdle rate for profitability. If IV subsequently rises, the option gains value from both the price move and the increase in implied volatility.

What is the breakeven on a Long Call?

The breakeven equals the strike price plus the premium paid. For example, a call with a $100 strike bought for $3 breaks even at $103. Above that level, the position profits dollar-for-dollar with the stock. Below the strike at expiration, the full premium is lost.

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 Materials 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: chemicals; metals and mining; paper and forest products; containers and packaging; and construction materials. The fund is non-diversified.

Fund Overview

Metric	Value
Assets under Management	$7.25 B
Expense Ratio	0.08%
Dividend Yield	1.79%
Portfolio Turnover	29%
YTD Return	1,783.72%
3-Year Return	10.67%
5-Year Return	6.35%

Sector Allocation

Sector	Weight
Materials	94.4%

Top 10 Holdings

Symbol	Company	Weight
LIN	LINDE PLC	14.8%
NEM	NEWMONT CORP	7.66%
FCX	FREEPORT-MCMORAN INC	5.3%
APD	AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS INC	4.91%
CTVA	CORTEVA INC	4.88%
SHW	SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO	4.74%
ECL	ECOLAB INC	4.44%
CRH	CRH PLC	4.4%
NUE	NUCOR CORP	3.98%
MLM	MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS INC	3.77%

Frequently Asked Questions – State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB)

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.