HCM Defender 100 Index ETF

QQH

Market cap $683M

HCM Defender 100 Index does a nice job in up markets, but doesn't "defend" nearly as well as the ETF's name implies. Its track record includes several 20% drops, and a 40% decline, at a time when QQQ fell less. That's not defending. This is far from the only "hedged" approach in the ETF universe that sounds great but doesn't deliver consistently enough.

HCM Defender 100 Index ETF has an interesting methodology that aims to replicate the returns of the Nasdaq and transition to a more conservative stance when signals turn bearish. QQH's structure is driven by active management using trend analysis, automatically switching to lower-risk instruments in a risk-off environment. The fund's performance has been closely aligned with the Nasdaq, with notable outperformance in 2021, but it is susceptible to the risks of the tech sector.