iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF

IJR

Market cap $84B

CNBC's “Halftime Report” team discuss their top stocks and final trades.

Earlier this year, when President Trump's tariff-induced market volatility spurred the “sell America” trade, investors vacated large-cap U.S. equities and sought out alternative trades that could minimize the fallout. But it turns out that not all of those outflows ended up overseas.

The iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a strategy based on the S&P 600 index, the U.S. small-cap barometer. IJR has beaten the market proxy IVV since its inception in 2000, but this result was chiefly secured by its resilience to the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s. IJR's edge over IVV disappeared in the 2010s—its returns over 2015–2025 were much weaker than those of the S&P 500 ETF, with higher volatility.

Looking for broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market? You should consider the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on May 22, 2000.

Most investors understand that small-cap stocks often offer enormous upside potential. But they also bring considerably more risk to the table.

As the Federal Reserve's rate cuts become more likely to begin in September, investors may shift their focus back to U.S. small-cap ETFs. Many of these funds have been out of favor in 2025, as large-cap counterparts have captured significant investor attention.

The Fed's recent rate decision has led us to form a higher-for-longer interest rate outlook. We see a few reasons that could help IJR better navigate the interest rate uncertainties ahead than IWM. The top ones are its avoidance of microcaps and more attractive valuation judging by yield.

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, look no further than the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 05/22/2000.

Small business owners grew more optimistic in May, reflecting improved expectations for business conditions and sales, according to the latest data from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The latest data revealed that the small business optimism index climbed to 98.8 in May, up from 95.8 in April.

Driven by high valuations and rising treasury rates after the U.S. credit downgrade, SPDR® S&P 500 ETF Trust's valuation risk is among the highest level since the dot-com bubble. Small-cap ETF such iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF offers a more attractive risk/return profile. IJR's current yield spread over SPY is at a multi-decade high, and its valuation discount is compelling relative to its own historical level too.