Consumer ETFs showing the real inflation picture

Investors trying to gauge the real inflation picture should be paying close attention to how and where consumers are spending their money, and two exchange-traded funds are telling part of this story, as pointed out by Larry McDonald, founder of the Bear Traps Report, during an appearance on FOX Business. 

The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF, which counts General Motors, Chipotle and Deckers among its top holdings, is down for the year, as consumers swap spending on items they want for items they need. 

By comparison, the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF is up more than 8%. Its top holdings include Procter & Gamble, Costco and Walmart. 

Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, said this week that it continues to lure upper-income shoppers – those with incomes above $100,000.

"We see the effect of that in our business specs as they're spending more of their paychecks on non-discretionary categories and less on general merchandise," Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey told analysts on the earnings call Thursday.

WEALTHY SHOPPERS HITTING WALMART IN DROVES

 Walmart shares hit a new record high this week following quarterly earnings. 

Luxury fashion house Burberry, where the brand's traditional men’s trench coat retails north of $2,500, dropped a bomb on investors, disclosing annual profits dropped 34% and same-store sales declined 1%.

"Executing our plan against a backdrop of slowing luxury demand has been challenging," Burberry CEO Jonathan Akeroyd said in the report. 

The consumer price index for April provided a mixed picture for Wall Street. 

APRIL INFLATION REMAINS ELEVATED

Annual inflation remained elevated, sitting at 3.4% vs. 3.5% in March, while month-over-month prices eased to 0.3% vs. 0.4%, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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