SPDN: An Inexpensive Way To Profit When The S&P 500 Falls

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.

Battle Between Affiliate Marketing and Network Marketing

The confusion between affiliate marketing and network marketing or multi-level marketing is quite interesting. Some people even think affiliate marketing business and network marketing businesses are scams. While others think they are one and the same with different names. In this article, we will discuss and look at the definitions, distinctions and some misconceptions. At the end of this article, we should have been able to provide some clarity.What is Affiliate Marketing?Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing system in which a business rewards a person(s) or affiliate(s) for each visitor or customer brought by the person’s own marketing efforts.What is Network Marketing?Network Marketing is totally different. Here the marketer becomes associated with a certain product that they like or believe in, which they then buy from their supplier and resell to the public at a profit. Before the marketer starts selling products of a larger company, he/she signs some paper work which gives him/her a small franchise of the large business.Differences between Affiliate Marketing and Network Marketing.In affiliate marketing, affiliates are not selling any product directly. They are simply the mouthpiece, or the advertising board that tells people where to go and buy products. You will not have to purchase anything, but you will still make money just for telling people where to go get a product. Affiliates get a commission when the person that they refer to a website buys something, so in this way the company is paying for a good lead and they will be paid generously.In network marketing, the foundation is in growing a team. You can start with one person (also known as a down-line) who then introduces the next person and that person introduces another and the chain goes on and on. The beauty of network marketing is that it is a game of numbers. The more individual down lines you have under you, the bigger your team, the more money you make.Another difference is that in affiliate marketing, commissions are paid usually on single level depending on business laws in different countries.In network marketing, commissions are paid on infinite levels of down lines. The “deeper” you build the closer you are to residual income.Which brings in More Money?Depending on your business goals, affiliate marketing can make you a decent fortune in a few years if can get a good number of customers to buy your affiliate company’s products.While Network marketing can generate an income more than you can comprehend if you consistently work hard at it. If you happen to belong to the top 10 network marketing business that are structured, a good one should have a rare provision in their company policy like making the business will-able. So you work the business and after you stop working it, you can hand it over to the next person. And that person does not start from scratch but continues from where you stopped. A recommendation of one of such companies can be found at the end of this article.What Affiliate Marketing and Network Marketing Are Not.Whether you decide to do affiliate marketing or network marketing, once you have a good understanding of each, you will be sure that:1. It is not a pyramid scheme.2. It is not a “get rich quick” business.3. It is not for non business minded people.4. It’s not for those that want a “nice-play-thing” kind of business.5. It is not a one man’s show. It needs people with common business goals to thrive.

Exciting Careers in Fashion

Fashion has a rippling effect on people from different walks of life. It gradually gains popularity among different strata of society. To help fashion reach out to the consumers, a large number of professionals are needed. Apart from fashion designing, you can find a number of exciting jobs related to fashion.If you are not into designing but still want to remain connected with fashion, you can perform other job duties such as Fashion marketing/ merchandising/buying and forecasting in context of every kind of wear be it the sophisticated haute-couture, ready-to-wear or for the mass market and street wear.Basically, the fashion and the retail industry at large works as team where fashion advisors, buyers, forecasters, merchandisers and marketers, fashion designers play their part well and keep the industry going. If you love fashion and want to be related to this field professionally, you can take up jobs such as that of marketing/ merchandising/buying and forecasting in this field. These jobs enable you to execute functions that help designers to sell their collections. As a buyer you have to perform a number of functions such as that of a fashion buying. You’ll be entrusted with the job of buying raw material/accessories for fashion houses, buying houses, export houses and retail line. For this you need to have a superior knowledge about the new trends that are likely to hit the market and probably which will fetch a large number of consumers. Fashion Marketing is basically concerned with making fashion reach out to maximum number of consumers and assisting fashion designers, retail stores to make fashion accessible to the target customers. You have to work with fashion designers, suppliers and also at the manufacturing level in order to even the process that precedes fashion designing.You can also be highly involved in fashion by running a retail store. If you have knowledge about fashion and how the industry operates, you can open a retail store. Alternatively, if you are not too keen on entrepreneurship you can take up jobs as retail managers/executives in fashion houses and retail stores.Fashion Forecasting is another area where you can exhibit your love for fashion and work in the industry. As the name suggests, the job includes predicting fashion trends, the colours which will be popular in a particular a season or a year and the styles that are likely to become rage over a particular period of time. The designer takes cue from the trends predicted by forecasters and then decides upon the styles, fabrics, colours for the clothes line they want to launch and the clothes they want to design for creating a collection pertaining to a particular season. Analysing and evaluating new trends is necessary and designers/ retail houses depend a lot on extensive market research which forecasters make. The job may require you to travel extensively to get a peek into different markets in different geographical areas. You have to forecast the new colours which will become trend in the upcoming season, the new styles and trends that will become popular.