Tech Sector

XLK offers fairly broad exposure to the US technology segment, but its S&P 500-only portfolio tilts away from our segment benchmark. XLK includes all of the big names associated with technology but also a few that seem like misfits, such as financial payment processers or telecom firms. Its limited selection universe excludes small-caps and most midcaps. Avoiding smaller, less-stable firms results in lower volatility and a tilt toward value compared to our broad tech-industry benchmark index, and can cause other minor performance differences. XLK is among the cheapest and largest funds in its segment and by far the most liquid—active traders need look no further. For many investors, XLK is the go-to choice in the segment.