What is XLF and what does it track?

State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) 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 XLF in terms of assets under management?

XLF currently manages approximately $49.68B in assets. Larger funds typically benefit from higher liquidity and tighter bid-ask spreads, reducing trading costs.

Does XLF pay distributions or dividends?

XLF currently has a distribution yield of 1.34%. 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 XLF?

XLF 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 6%, reflecting how frequently holdings are replaced within a year.

What does the momentum analysis show for XLF?

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

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

XLF – State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF

ETF

Financial | Inception: 1998-12-16

Quick Stats

Trend Signal

$57.48

Last Close

Official EOD price – basis for all calculations

▲ Long

Swing Trend

Moving average structure confirms uptrend – bulls in control

+5.04%

Signal Edge

Slim positive edge across 3 signals – treat with caution

6.5

Trend Strength (ADX)

Weak / ranging – trend signals less reliable

Options Signals

IV-Rank (52w)

Options are historically cheap – premium buying favored

45% / 55%

Call / Put Flow

Neutral flow – call and put activity roughly balanced

Last Trendchange Signal

10.06.26

Date

Signal entry date

$52.23

Entry Price

Closing price at signal date

40d

Days Held

Trading days since signal

+2.85%

+10d

Return after 10 trading days

+6.34%

+20d

Return after 20 trading days

+6.89%

+30d

Return after 30 trading days

+10.05%

+60d

Return after 60 trading days

Trend Overview

EMA21 Cross – Directional Shift Composite Score: -2 / 7

XLF has just crossed the 21-day EMA at $57.04, now trading above the line. Bulls have reclaimed a key reference. Whether this becomes a sustained move or a failed breakout depends on momentum confirming in the sessions ahead.

What to watch

The cross is a signal, not a confirmation. Watch for a successful retest of the EMA21 from above – that would be the higher-confidence entry.

Options Signal Highlight

HIGH Strength 9 Long Straddle 📖 View full options analysis →

Latest XLF Reports

Options Flow Analysis — Daily Reports The Volatility Inversion: When Options Scream Compression But Dealers Still Hedge Down

Jun 06, 2026

Options Flow Analysis — Daily Reports The Volatility Crush Before the Flip: Why Every Major Index Is Pinned to Its Gamma Edge

May 30, 2026

Options Flow Analysis — Daily Reports The Weekly IV Crush Thesis: When Backwardation Meets Dealer Short Gamma

Apr 26, 2026

Exchange Traded Funds - Signals XLF Signal Follow-Up Review – 10 Days at -0.46% Performance

Apr 25, 2026

XLF Price Chart

Technical Trend Analysis

As of 21.08.2026 · Close: $57.48 · ATR14: $1.10

EMA21 Cross – Directional Shift Composite Score: -2 / 7

What to watch

The cross is a signal, not a confirmation. Watch for a successful retest of the EMA21 from above – that would be the higher-confidence entry.

Indicator	Signal	Detail
Swing Trend	▲ Long	Primary directional bias
Momentum	▼ Down · -1d	Strength: -0.04 – Fading
Trend Strength (ADX)	6.5 – Weak	ADX38: 24.6
Volatility (HV30)	10.9% – Calm	HV90: 12.5% \| HV180: 14.9%
Vola Compression	None	Normal range
MA Structure	Golden Cross ✓	Stack: Fully aligned – bullish stack
EMA21 Distance	~0 ATR – Near line	EMA21: $57.04
GD200 Extension	7.3 ATR – Extended	GD20: -0.1 \| GD50: 2.4 \| GD100: 6.4

🟡 Downside Momentum Easing

Downward momentum has run -1 days but strength is decreasing (-0.04). The move may be exhausting.

⚪ Trend Strength – ADX14: 6.5 (Weak)

Weak or ranging market. ADX38: 24.6. Trend-following signals carry lower reliability.

🔻 Volatility Calm

HV30: 10.9% | HV90: 12.5% | HV180: 14.9%. Short-term vol is below its 90-day average. Calmer conditions favour tighter setups.

⭐ Golden Cross – Long-term Bullish

Golden Cross in place. GD50 $55.98 above GD200 $53.22 by 5.19%. Long-term structure is bullish. MA stack: Fully aligned – bullish stack.

⚡ EMA21 – Fresh Cross

Price has just crossed the 21-day EMA at $57.04, now trading above. Often marks a near-term directional shift.

📏 Extended Move

7.3 ATR from the 200-day SMA. The trend may be maturing. Disciplined stop management becomes increasingly important.

📐 Key Price Levels & ATR Distance

GD20: $57.55 (-0.1 ATR) | GD50: $55.98 (2.4 ATR) | GD100: $53.74 (6.4 ATR) | GD200: $53.22 (7.3 ATR). ATR14: $1.10.

Monthly Performance History

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
2010	-3.47	1.80	8.36	0.50	-10.87	-3.90	7.53	-10.08	1.92	0.41	-0.69	8.14	8.58
2011	0.61	0.66	-0.61	-0.91	-2.88	0.26	-5.31	-9.29	-9.71	19.68	-0.39	2.04	-20.25
2012	5.40	3.36	5.90	-3.08	-10.13	8.52	-0.48	3.91	2.84	1.53	-2.11	4.39	22.86
2013	3.02	-0.11	3.23	3.20	7.30	-2.06	5.02	-6.63	1.58	2.59	4.17	1.82	29.58
2014	-3.13	5.70	3.76	-1.88	1.32	1.74	-2.05	5.13	-1.19	4.15	1.96	2.06	13.75
2015	-6.96	4.15	-1.71	0.17	1.07	-0.98	1.86	-6.95	-0.04	6.22	0.61	-4.03	-3.64
2016	-7.06	-2.50	3.21	2.69	0.98	-3.95	4.00	4.11	-2.87	2.76	14.50	1.53	22.47
2017	-0.85	5.14	-5.98	-0.63	-1.82	4.80	0.24	-2.26	4.40	1.99	3.30	1.20	18.72
2018	6.52	-3.83	-2.82	1.82	T -1.02	-3.24	T 4.60	1.36	-3.13	-5.09	T 2.16	-12.23	-14.68
2019	T 7.99	1.80	-3.67	T 6.38	-6.41	5.42	1.15	-2.50	T 5.11	4.71	3.54	2.74	28.14
2020	-3.60	-11.87	-25.51	T 16.57	6.12	-2.28	4.75	T 3.98	-4.22	T -1.04	14.69	4.13	-5.15
2021	-0.45	10.16	2.19	5.19	4.25	-4.00	-1.24	T 5.12	T -1.70	T 5.53	-5.76	4.02	34.28
2022	T -1.19	T -2.73	T 3.29	-9.71	2.75	-9.89	5.74	T -1.14	-8.42	T 8.98	6.57	-5.26	-13.48
2023	T 6.53	-2.30	-9.69	2.98	-3.99	T 5.02	4.22	-2.69	T -4.38	-1.61	T 10.22	3.95	9.56
2024	2.65	3.92	4.54	-3.65	T 3.17	-0.65	T 6.17	6.08	-0.18	3.11	10.08	-4.92	27.99
2025	T 6.76	1.79	-3.73	T -1.99	4.53	2.73	-0.55	T 5.04	0.52	-1.91	T 2.26	T 3.55	13.61
2026	-2.71	-4.81	-3.76	T 5.44	-0.65	T 4.24	3.94	0.17					4.64

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

Trendchange Signal History

The last 10 Trendchange signals for XLF:

Date	Entry Price	Days Held	+10d	+20d	+30d	+60d
10.06.26	$52.23	40d	+2.85%	+6.34%	+6.89%	+10.05%
13.04.26	$51.66	15d	-0.46%	+0.35%	+0.54%	+0%
01.12.25	$52.89	44d	+3.89%	+4.59%	+4.54%	-0.51%
12.11.25	$53.67	1d	-2.27%	+0%	+0%	+0%
18.08.25	$52.50	44d	+2.84%	+2.25%	+3.1%	+4.06%
28.04.25	$48.17	50d	+3.51%	+3.9%	+5.88%	+11.48%
22.01.25	$50.41	29d	+1.45%	+3.53%	+2.64%	+1.17%
11.07.24	$42.24	53d	+0.8%	-0.43%	+3.69%	+22.49%
08.05.24	$41.36	28d	+1.98%	+0.68%	+0.29%	+1.69%
09.11.23	$33.53	84d	+5.19%	+7.19%	+11.12%	+30.45%

Signal Statistics – Historical Edge

Calculated edge for XLF: 5.04%

Range	N	10d	20d	30d	60d	Signal
5-7%	3	+5.72%	+5.98%	+6.38%	+12.81%	Hold
3-5%	5	+3.67%	+3.33%	+4.31%	+5.34%	Close
1-3%	11	+1.97%	+3.39%	+3.58%	+7.14%	Hold
0-1%	5	+0.55%	+0.03%	+1.09%	+1.29%	Close
-1-0%	3	-0.49%	+0.35%	+2.76%	-2.35%	Neg
-3-1%	4	-1.8%	-1.2%	+1.17%	+14.53%	Neg
-5-3%	4	-4.06%	-2.32%	-0.86%	-1.18%	Neg

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

Signal data as of August 21, 2026

HIGH ALERT ● Neutral Strength: 9

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

45% / 55%

Call and put premium are roughly balanced. No clear directional bias from options flow.

GEX (Mio.)

-2,748,860.3

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

GEX Flip Strike

$56.50 · 1.7%

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

Max Pain

$57.50 · 0%

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

$57.48

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.

XLF 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, one setup stands out. Each strategy has different risk/reward characteristics – the final decision is always yours.

Setup 1 of 1 Long Straddle Full guide →

Why this fits today

IV-Rank at 9% – 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 Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF

The fund generally invests substantially all, but at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index. The index includes companies that have been identified as Financial companies by the Global Industry Classification Standard, including securities of companies from the following industries: financial services; insurance; banks; capital markets; mortgage real estate investment trusts; and consumer finance. The fund is non-diversified.

Fund Overview

Metric	Value
Assets under Management	$49.68 B
Expense Ratio	0.08%
Dividend Yield	1.34%
Portfolio Turnover	6%
YTD Return	-603.87%
3-Year Return	18.43%
5-Year Return	9.25%

Sector Allocation

Sector	Weight
Financials	85.3%
Consumer Discretionary	1.7%

Top 10 Holdings

Symbol	Company	Weight
BRK-B	BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS B	12.8%
JPM	JPMORGAN CHASE & CO	11.05%
V	VISA INC CLASS A	7.42%
MA	MASTERCARD INC CLASS A	5.91%
BAC	BANK OF AMERICA CORP	4.48%
GS	THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC	3.38%
WFC	WELLS FARGO & CO	3.37%
C	CITIGROUP INC	2.72%
MS	MORGAN STANLEY	2.67%
AXP	AMERICAN EXPRESS CO	2.27%

Frequently Asked Questions – State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF)

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.