First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd vs Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund — how do they compare? First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd trades at $48.32 (market cap $561.25M), while Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund trades at $49.42 (market cap $7.73B). The key difference: Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund is far larger — about 13.8× First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd's market cap, and Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund is trading nearer its 52-week high, First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd for 50 Days and Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund for 70 Days on average.
| QCLN | XLB | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $561.25M | $7.73B |
Volume | 323,550 | 13,681,146 |
Sector | Sector/Thematic | — |
52-Week High | $68.47 | $53.67 |
52-Week Low | $41.10 | $42.23 |
Typical Hold Time | 50 Days | 70 Days |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
QCLN trades at $49.44, down 2.62% today but maintains a bullish technical outlook with strong moving average support. The clean energy ETF benefits from geopolitical tensions accelerating renewable energy adoption globally. Recent news highlights increased data center energy demand and political focus on clean energy policies as key growth catalysts.
The ETF's performance remains tied to U.S. political outcomes and federal energy policy, with recent outperformance against major indices. Key risks include policy uncertainty and market volatility, while institutional interest grows amid global energy security concerns and the ongoing energy transition.
XLB, the Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF, trades at $49.55, up 1.16% today, but technical indicators signal a bearish trend with moving averages and ADX pointing lower. The fund is heavily concentrated in chemicals (49% of assets) and faces cyclical pressures, with recent news highlighting sector volatility amid AI-driven infrastructure demand. Key support sits at $48, while resistance is at $50.
The outlook for XLB is cautious due to sector overvaluation concerns and bearish technicals. Opportunities lie in long-term infrastructure trends, but risks include economic sensitivity and high concentration. Investors should weigh cyclical exposure against potential growth from manufacturing and AI-related material demand.
Trailing returns across standard periods
QCLN invests in U.S.-listed companies engaged in clean energy technologies. It focuses on solar power, wind, electric vehicles, and energy storage, with major holdings in firms like Tesla, ON Semiconductor, and Rivian.
Read more on QCLN →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.
Read more on XLB →