Exchange-traded funds have taken the market by storm, with more than $1.5 trillion in assets under management across more than 3,000 securities. These ETFs provide everyday investors with exposure to previously inaccessible corners of the market, while enabling them to build a diversified and low-fee stock portfolio both quickly and easily [see The Cheapest ETF for Every Investment Objective]. Consumer ETFs have become a popular way for investors to hedge a portfolio due to the relatively stable nature of consumer spending. For example, there’s little question that consumers will continue buying toilet paper from companies like Procter & Gamble Inc. (PG) or Kimberly Clark Corporation (KMB), even if the economy turns south. What’s the Appeal? Consumer spending drives approximately 70% of the U.S. gross domestic product (“GDP”), according to data from the World Bank, making consumer stocks an integral part of any diversified stock portfolio. But with so many moving parts [...] Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com. Related Posts: Beyond XLY: Considering Consumer Discretionary ETFs ETF Sector Rotation Strategies: Beyond The SPDRs ETFs & Sector Rotation: Large Cap, Small Cap, Or International? Three Years Later: Best Performing ETFs Since Markets Bottomed Out 3 Sector Rotation Strategies ETF Investors Must Know