ETFs: AI-Driven Selling Spree (For Now) Over

For many weeks, tech stocks—and AI stocks in particular—were being sold off from portfolios due to doubts about AI valuations. That’s over now; buying is once again on the rise. Broadly diversified ETFs are popular anyway. August 18, 2026. FRANKFURT (Deutsche Börse). The mood in ETF trading remains bullish, albeit with lower trading volumes than in previous weeks. “The focus is on global and U.S. stocks, with a clear buying bias,” reports Frank Mohr of Société Générale. In addition, tech stocks are now in demand again. “For us, it’s all about tech and semiconductor ETFs, driven by quarterly reports,” explains Andreas Schröer of Lang & Schwarz. Ivo Orlemann of ICF sees renewed interest in gold ETCs.Things continue to go well on the stock markets. The DAX reached a new all-time high last week, and U.S. stock markets are trading near their highs. The U.S. tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 has recovered significantly following its slump in July and has nearly made up for its losses. “South Korea Is No Longer an Issue”According to Mohr, the most popular global equity ETFs are the iShares Core MSCI World ( ) and the Vanguard FTSE All-World ( ), as well as the actively managed ETF Dimensional Global Core Equity ( ). The iShares MSCI World SRI (IE00BYX2JD69) is being sold off. Almost always in demand at ICF: the VanEck Morningstar Developed Markets Dividend Leaders (NL0011683594).When it comes to U.S. stocks, Société Générale clients are buying S&P 500 trackers from iShares ( ), Vanguard ( ), or Amundi ( ), as well as Nasdaq trackers from various issuers. Orlemann reports many purchases of the Invesco MSCI USA ( ). European stocks are taking a back seat. However, there is a tendency to buy here as well, such as MSCI Europe and Stoxx Europe 600 ETFs from iShares ( , ). In addition, the Amundi SDAX ( ) is popular, as are short DAX ETFs from Xtrackers or Amundi ( , ).No longer a major topic: Asian stocks, and South Korean stocks in particular. “The momentum has faded,” notes Schröer. The South Korean KOSPI stock index, considered an AI barometer, had risen rapidly through June, followed by a plunge of about one-third.Tech Stock Sell-Off OverTrading in sector ETFs is once again dominated by tech ETFs. Mohr reports inflows into the iShares Automation & Robotics ( ), L&G Cyber Security ( ), and Xtrackers AI & Big Data ( ), as well as outflows from the iShares S&P 500 IT ( ). At ICF, sales of the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( ) continue. Schröer of Lang & Schwarz observes high trading volumes in the Xtrackers Artificial Intelligence & Big Data and the VanEck Semiconductor ETFs, with both buying and selling—driven by the latest quarterly reports from U.S. tech companies.Also seeing strong trading volume: banking and insurance ETFs, with a net buying position, as Mohr notes. The L&G Clean Water ( ) remains a favorite among ICF clients. “It’s striking that interest in defense ETFs has almost disappeared,” Orlemann adds.Portfolio ETFs Are Growing in PopularityFour out of ten German ETF investors already use portfolio ETFs—that is, ETFs that combine different asset classes such as stocks and bonds. This is the finding of a survey commissioned by BlackRock and conducted by extraETF. “The results suggest that investors are increasingly looking for simple, professionally managed portfolio solutions that help them avoid common mistakes such as insufficient diversification or emotionally driven investment decisions,” explains Manuela Sperandeo of BlackRock. Learn more: cdn.extraetf.comWanted: Gold ETCs and Money Market ETFsThe fact that the price of gold has risen from 4,400 to over 4,400 U.S. dollars per troy ounce in a short period of time is reflected in the interest in gold ETCs, as Orlemann also reports. Gold price trackers—both those with currency hedging ( ) and those without ( )—are in high demand.Ivo OrlemannIn the bond ETF market, interest in money market trackers remains high, with a current buying surplus, as Mohr notes, for example, for the overnight products from Xtrackers ( ) and Amundi. European government bonds with short- and medium-term maturities are being sold off, such as the Invesco Euro Government Bond 1-3 Year ( ). ◄Previous►NextBy Anna-Maria Borse, August 18, 2026, © Deutsche Börse AG About the Author Anna-Maria Borse is a finance and business editor specializing in financial markets, the stock market, and economic issues.Please send feedback and questions to live@deutsche-boerse.com

ETFs: AI-Driven Selling Spree (For Now) Over

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