More stories

  • in

    1 in 5 Americans are ‘doom spending’ — here’s how that can backfire

    Many consumers are concerned about upcoming tariffs.
    Those fears are causing some consumers to spend even more than they would otherwise.
    While “doom spending” may be one way to cope with stress, it comes at the expense of your financial well-being.

    A customer shops at a Costco store in San Francisco.
    Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

    With sweeping U.S. tariffs going into effect, more Americans are concerned about the cost of goods and the possibility that prices will rise further in the months ahead.
    Those fears are causing some consumers to spend even more than they would otherwise.

    To that point , 19% of adults indicate they are “doom spending,” or making impulsive purchases driven by fear and anxiety about the future, according to a recent report by CreditCards.com
    More from Personal Finance:How IRS layoffs could impact your tax filing, refundAs tariffs ramp up, here’s an investment optionDOGE’s FDIC firings put banking system at risk
    President Donald Trump said earlier Thursday that his proposed 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico will start March 4.
    “It’s too soon to say precisely how the new tariffs imposed by President Trump are affecting consumer spending,” says John Egan, a personal finance expert contributor at CreditCards.com. “However, they very well could cause some consumers to rethink their buying habits, especially when it comes to major purchases.”

    Fear of tariffs is driving more buying

    To that end, 28% of Americans have already made a large purchase, such as a home appliance or home improvement supplies. Another 22% have also started stockpiling certain items, including non-perishable food, toilet paper and over-the-counter medications, according to CreditCards.com.

    But these habits are also pushing 34% of credit card borrowers to take on more debt this year, the report also found. CreditCards.com polled 2,000 adults in February.

    The downside of doom spending

    “One of the drawbacks of doom spending is that it could prompt you to overspend and strain your budget,” Egan said. “In addition, doom spending might lead you to pile up credit card debt, which could put you in a financial hole due to interest charges and fees.”

    As credit card debt tops $1.21 trillion, it’s more important to focus on paying down card debt rather than spending even more, experts say.
    “Anyone who tells you they know what the next few months hold for the economy is just speculating,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree and the author of “Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More.”
    “It’s easy to feel powerless with so much uncertainty out there, but there are plenty of things you can do to take more control of your financial situation,” Schulz said.
    “Two of the best things you can do are knocking down your high-interest debt and building your emergency fund, to the degree that you can,” he said. “Both are easier said than done, for sure, but both will put you in a better position to handle whatever situations come your way.”
    Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. More

  • in

    Agency speeds up Social Security Fairness Act timeline, with lump sums, benefit increases for millions of people

    More than 3.2 million individuals stand to receive one-time payments and higher monthly benefit checks after the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law in January.
    The Social Security Administration on Tuesday said it plans to expedite the processing of those payments.
    Here’s when affected beneficiaries may see the money.

    Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images

    Lump-sum payments to begin arriving in February

    In a new update released on Tuesday, the SSA said it will begin issuing retroactive payments in February. Most people will receive the one-time payment by the end of March, according to the agency.

    The SSA plans to process the increase to monthly benefits starting in April.
    The new timeline “supports President Trump’s priority to implement the Social Security Fairness Act as quickly as possible,” Social Security acting Commissioner Lee Dudek said in a statement.
    “The agency’s original estimate of taking a year or more now will only apply to complex cases that cannot be processed by automation,” Dudek said. “The American people deserve to get their due benefits as quickly as possible.”

    Among those affected include some teachers, firefighters and police officers in certain states; federal employees who are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System; and people who worked under foreign social security systems, according to the Social Security Administration.

    What affected beneficiaries should know

    Retroactive payments, which most people should receive by the end of March, will be deposited directly into bank accounts on file with the Social Security Administration.
    All affected beneficiaries should receive a notice by mail from the Social Security Administration with details about their retroactive payment and new benefit amount. Those notices should come two to three weeks after the retroactive payments, according to the agency.

    If your direct deposit information or current mailing address are up to date with the agency, no action is needed, according to the SSA. If you want to double-check the information the agency has on file, you may sign into your personal online account or call the agency.
    If you want to ask about the status of your retroactive payment, the Social Security Administration urges you to hold off until April.
    Beneficiaries should also wait until after they have received their April monthly check before contacting the agency to ask about their new benefit amount.

    Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO More

  • in

    The average IRS tax refund is more than 32% lower this season, early filing data shows. Here’s why

    The average IRS tax refund amount is down 32.4% compared to the previous year, according to early filing data.
    As of Feb. 14, the average refund amount was $2,169, compared to $3,207 reported about one year prior.
    However, the numbers should “even out” as the tax deadline approaches and the agency receives more returns, the IRS said.

    The average tax refund is 10.4% lower than last year according to the latest Internal Revenue Service data, and inflation is taking more of those dollars.
    Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty Images

    The average tax refund this year is down 32.4% compared to last year, according to early filing data from the IRS. 
    Tax season opened on Jan. 27, and the average refund amount was $2,169 as of Feb. 14, down from $3,207 about one year prior, the IRS reported on Friday. That figure reflects current-year refunds only.

    However, the Feb. 14 filing data doesn’t include refunds receiving the earned income tax credit or additional child tax credit, which aren’t issued before mid-February, the IRS noted. The previous year’s filing data included tax returns claiming these credits. The value of these tax breaks can be substantial, even resulting in five-figure refunds, in some cases.
    More from Personal Finance:2025 is a renter’s market, experts say — but less so for this kind of propertyThis tax break for retirement savers is a ‘well-kept secret,’ expert saysHere’s why Trump tariffs may raise your car insurance premiums
    Typically, you can expect a refund when you overpay taxes throughout the year via paycheck withholdings or quarterly estimated payments. By comparison, there’s generally a tax bill when you haven’t paid enough.

    Filing season numbers will ‘even out’

    Although the average refund is currently smaller, “historically, filing season numbers even out as more tax returns come in,” according to the agency.
    As of Feb. 14, the IRS received roughly 33 million individual tax returns of the more than 140 million it expects before the April 15 deadline.

    As of Dec. 27, 2024, the average tax refund for the 2024 season was $3,138, compared to $3,167 in late December 2023. 

    ‘Don’t call the IRS’ for refund updates

    The latest filing statistics come amid mass layoffs for the agency as Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, continues to cull the federal workforce. 
    It’s unclear exactly how the staffing reduction could impact future taxpayer service. But experts recommend double-checking returns for accuracy to avoid extra touch points with the agency.
    “Don’t call the IRS looking for your refund,” said Tom O’Saben, an enrolled agent and director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals. 
    You can check the status of your refund via the agency’s “Where’s My Refund?” tool or the IRS2Go app, which is “available 24 hours a day,” O’Saben said.
    Typically, the agency issues refunds within 21 days of a return’s receipt. But some returns require “additional review,” which can extend the timeline, according to the IRS. More

  • in

    Amid risks to Education Dept., borrowers should ‘immediately’ take key actions, consumer advocates say

    Amid White House threats to eliminate the Education Department and reports that Musk’s DOGE had gained access to student loan data, consumer advocates are issuing warnings to borrowers on ways to protect themselves.
    Student loan holders should gather their account information now, in case their balances or payment progress are reported inaccurately in the future.
    They should also take steps to protect their data.

    Students walk through the University of Texas at Austin on February 22, 2024 in Austin, Texas. 
    Brandon Bell | Getty Images

    Gather student loan records ASAP

    If the Trump administration is successful in dismantling key parts of the Education Department, the Treasury Department would be the next most logical agency to administer student debt, said Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit.
    It’s also possible that the Justice Department or the Department of Labor could carry out some of the Education Department’s functions, according to a December blog post by The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
    But the transfer of tens of millions of borrowers’ account information between agencies would likely lead to errors, experts said. As a result, borrowers should gather the latest information on their student loan balance now, and keep an updated record of it, Yu said.
    More from Personal Finance:Sen. Elizabeth Warren: DOGE’s FDIC firings put banking system at riskTop-rated charities in jeopardy amid White House, DOGE cuts to foreign aidA potential winner from Trump tariffs: Tourists traveling abroad

    At Studentaid.gov, borrowers should be able to access data on their student loan balance and payment progress, Yu said. If you don’t know which company services your student debt, you can find that information on that site, as well.
    Borrowers should also request a complete payment history of their student loans if their debt has been transferred between companies in the past, Yu said. All this documentation will come in handy if your loan balance or payment history is reported inaccurately in the future.
    Those who are pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness should certify their work history with the Education Department now, Yu said, “to ensure all eligible periods of employment count toward PSLF.”(PSLF offers debt erasure for certain public servants after 10 years of payments, and borrowers have already long complained of inaccurate payment counts.)

    Protecting your student loan data

    Consumer and privacy advocates are also concerned by recent reports that Musk’s DOGE had entered the Department of Education and gained access to federal student loan data on tens of millions of borrowers.
    In a Feb. 6 letter signed by 16 Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Chuck Schumer of New York, the lawmakers said that the Education Department’s student loan database “contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data.”
    That data “could be used to target financially vulnerable people for Musk’s upcoming financial services company, could be easily breached, or abused in any number of ways,” said Ben Winters, the director of artificial intelligence and privacy at the Consumer Federation of America.
    A federal judge in Maryland on Monday granted a temporary restraining order barring DOGE staffers from accessing individuals’ sensitive data at the Education Department until March 10 while a lawsuit unfolds.

    Unfortunately, “it’s nearly impossible to track a specific source of data, including how it’s leaked or used or sold,” Winters said. With that being said, people can check if certain information was included in a data breach on websites like, haveibeenpwned.com, he said.
    Some services manage your online presence to try to limit where your data ends up, such as one offered by Discover, Winters said. Monitoring your credit score each month to ensure no unauthorized accounts have been opened in your name can also be useful, he added.
    “Also carefully scan your card and account statements periodically,” Winters said.
    If you’re worried about how your personal data with the Education Department may have been used, you can make a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. You may also report it to your state’s attorney general.

    Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO More

  • in

    2025 is a renter’s market, experts say — but less so for this kind of property

    While rent prices for apartment buildings are flattening out because of a supply increase, single-family rentals did not see that same level of construction.
    That dynamic has kept available supply of single-family rentals low, and prices higher.
    “Single family rentals are detached homes, perhaps with a yard,” said Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist at the National Association of Realtors. 

    Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images

    Renters looking for a better deal may need to rethink the kind of properties they’re focused on in their search. 
    As of January, median single-family home rent prices are up about 41% since before the pandemic, according to a recent report by Zillow. Meanwhile, multi-family rents are up 26% in the same timeframe.

    A construction boom of multi-family buildings helped rein in rent prices for apartment units in the U.S., prompting some economists to dub 2025 as a “renter’s market.”
    But single-family rentals did not see that same level of construction, keeping the available supply low.  Single-family rent growth also remains strong amid high demand, as high mortgage rates keep would-be buyers out of the for-sale market, Zillow noted in the report.
    Multi-family housing often includes many units or separated dwellings within the same building, whereas a single-family rental is often in the form of a detached house.
    More from Personal Finance:Federal judge blocks DOGE from access to student loan borrowers’ personal dataTrump, DOGE mass job cuts: Federal workers’ money questions answeredDon’t wait to file your taxes this season, experts say
    The typical asking rent price for a single-family home in January was $2,179, up 0.3% from a month prior, and up 4.4% from a year ago, Zillow found. Meanwhile, the typical asking rent for a property in a multifamily home was $1,820, up 0.2% from a month ago and up 2.7% from a year prior.

    The gap between the costs to rent a single-family home versus a unit in a multi-family apartment is the largest difference Zillow has recorded since it began tracking the metrics in 2015.
    But while there’s a lack of single-family rentals compared to multi-family properties, “demographics play a huge role here,” said Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist at the National Association of Realtors.
    If you can’t afford to buy a home yet, but need the space, here’s what the high cost of single-family rental housing means for you. 

    ‘Renters are stuck renting for longer’

    The millennial generation — those born between 1981 and 1996 — has had a tough time getting into homeownership.
    The typical first-time homebuyer in the U.S. is now 38 years old, an all-time high, according to a 2024 report by NAR.
    “Renters are stuck renting for longer,” said Orphe Divounguy, an economist at Zillow. 
    This means many people are staying renters for longer. Zillow found in a separate 2024 report that the median age of renters in the U.S. is 42, and millennials make up about 31% of renters in the U.S. In Zillow’s analysis, millennials were those age 30 to 44 at the time of the survey.
    As homeownership has become “so unaffordable and out of reach,” the cohort has had to find bigger rental properties to accommodate major life changes, such as getting married, and having kids or pets.

    The appeal of single-family rentals, experts say, is a homeownership experience without the same costs. That can be meaningful for buyers who are faced with affordability challenges in the for-sale market. Coming up with the down payment can be a hurdle, as well as navigating volatile mortgage rates and rising home prices.
    The median sale price for homes nationwide was $375,475 in the four weeks ending February 16, up 3.7% from a year prior, according to Redfin.
    Meanwhile, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage inched down to 6.87% the week ending Feb. 13, per Freddie Mac data. That’s the lowest so far in the year, and down from the latest peak of 7.04% in January.

    What to do in the meantime

    Factors like “having a strong income, strong credit score and lower debt-to-income ratios” are essential for renters in looking into single-family rental homes, Divounguy said.
    Paying down debt can help improve your debt-to-income ratio, which measures your debt repayment obligations relative to your income.
    When landlords look at your financials, it helps them gauge how easily you can afford the rent based on your current income.
    This measure is even more important for renters looking into single-family rental properties, Divounguy said. If you plan to buy a home in the future, keeping this in check will increase your chances of having an approved mortgage application.

    Overall, stay on top of your bills and make sure to keep tabs of your credit reports from the major bureaus to ensure there are no errors that could be problematic when you apply. Having a solid credit history makes you more competitive as a renter, and it can also set you up for success if you ever look at the for-sale market, experts say.  More

  • in

    Here’s what upcoming budget negotiations may mean for Social Security

    Social Security benefit cuts are off the table for now in the upcoming budget negotiations, experts say.
    But without more funding, the agency will continue to struggle with customer service issues.

    Richard Stephen | Istock | Getty Images

    As lawmakers in Washington, D.C., work to rein in government spending, some advocates and consumers are concerned that Social Security could see cuts.
    Congress faces a March 14 deadline to extend funding for the federal government in order to avoid a government shutdown. Meanwhile, the Trump administration had hoped to slash $2 trillion in government spending.

    Because Social Security accounts for 21% of the budget, or $1.5 trillion in spending in 2024, there are concerns that the program could be a target.
    Here’s what experts are keeping a watchful eye on with regard to Social Security in the upcoming negotiations.

    Benefit cuts are off the table in budget reconciliation

    Last year, the Republican Study Committee, a large group of House Republicans, released a budget proposal to cut federal spending by $17.1 trillion over 10 years.
    That included a proposal to raise the Social Security retirement age to 69. Currently, retirees are eligible for the full benefits they’ve earned at age 66 to 67, depending on their date of birth.
    With that change, anyone born after 1971 would see their benefit cuts an average of 13%, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

    Importantly, no changes can be made to Social Security benefits in upcoming budget reconciliation legislation, due to the Byrd Rule. That law prevents the addition of extraneous provisions, according to Maria Freese, senior legislative representative at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

    But a proposal to raise the retirement age came up during last-minute Senate negotiations over the Social Security Fairness Act in December, and could come up again, experts say.
    “Any opportunity that they [Congress] have, I could see it coming up,” Freese said. “They just can’t put it in reconciliation.”
    For his part, President Donald Trump said he is opposed to cutting Social Security, except for any waste, fraud or abuse of the program.

    Underfunding agency would hurt customer service

    Efforts to renew federal spending will likely address the amount of funding the Social Security Administration has available to provide services including toll-free phone call center services and disability determinations.
    Budget limitations put in place over the past decade have already put a strain on the agency’s customer service, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities notes in recent research. Social Security Administration staff dropped by 11% between 2010 and 2024, while the number of beneficiaries increased by 24% over that time, according to the research.
    “Cuts that worsen the underfunding of SSA would further compromise its ability to provide the customer service that beneficiaries deserve,” the research states.

    Without additional funding, it may take the agency more time to implement the Social Security Fairness Act, a new law that provides benefit increases to more than 3 million beneficiaries, experts have said.
    “Congress has consistently and repeatedly underfunded that agency,” Freese said.
    That has left the agency more susceptible to criticism, particularly with recent scrutiny of beneficiaries over age 100, she said.
    “Part of what is among the first things to go are upgrades to computer systems and things that are considered non essential,” Freese added. More

  • in

    This tax break for lower-income retirement savers is a ‘well-kept secret,’ expert says

    In 2022, roughly 5.8% of returns claimed the retirement savings contributions credit, or saver’s credit, a tax break for low- to moderate-income taxpayers.
    The credit can help offset funds added to an individual retirement account, 401(k) plan or another workplace plan.

    Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images

    There’s a lesser-known tax break for low- to moderate-income Americans who save for retirement. However, most eligible taxpayers don’t claim it, experts say.
    The retirement savings contributions credit, or saver’s credit, helps offset funds added to an individual retirement account, 401(k) plan or another workplace plan. The tax break is worth up to $1,000 per filer.

    It’s not too late if you didn’t make a qualifying contribution last year. There’s still time to make IRA deposits before April 15 to claim the credit on 2024 returns.
    However, “the saver’s credit is a well-kept secret,” Catherine Collinson, CEO and president of Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies said in a February report. 
    More from Personal Finance:Here’s why Trump tariffs may raise your car insurance premiumsDon’t wait to file your taxes this season, experts say. Here’s whyAs tariffs ramp up, here’s an investment option to protect against inflation
    Only about half of U.S. workers know about the saver’s credit, according to a survey from Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, which polled more than 10,000 U.S. adults in September and October. 
    That percentage drops to 44% among taxpayers with a household income of less than $50,000. 

    Awareness of the credit is very low across the board.

    Emerson Sprick
    Associate director for the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Economic Policy Program

    “Awareness of the credit is very low across the board,” but it’s even lower among taxpayers who could qualify to use it, said Emerson Sprick, associate director for the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Economic Policy Program.
    To that point, roughly 5.8% of returns claimed the saver’s credit in 2022, according to a the most recent IRS data. The average credit value that year was $194, according to a Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies analysis.

    How the saver’s credit works

    The saver’s credit can offset as much as 50% of retirement contributions up to $2,000 for single filers or $4,000 for married couples filing jointly, for maximum credits of $1,000 or $2,000, respectively.
    The credit provides a dollar-for-dollar reduction of levies owed, which could reduce your tax bill or boost your refund. But the tax break is not “refundable,” which means there’s no benefit with $0 tax liability, Sprick explained.

    “The way it’s calculated is fairly complex,” he said. 
    There are income phase-outs to claim 50%, 20% or 10% of your contribution, depending on your filing status and adjusted gross income. You can use an IRS tool to see if you’re eligible. 
    For 2024, your adjusted gross income can’t exceed $23,000 for single filers or $46,000 for married couples for the 50% credit. The percentages drop to 20% and 10%, respectively, as earnings increase, with a complete phase-out above $38,250 for individuals or $76,500 for joint filers.

    Credit will soon be replaced

    Because of the credit’s design and workers’ lack of awareness, “the uptake of this is really low,” Sprick said.
    That’s part of the motivation for the “saver’s match” enacted via Secure 2.0, which will replace the saver’s credit in 2027 and deposit money directly into taxpayers accounts, he said.
    “Everyone hopes that it’s going to be easier,” Sprick said. But “there are a lot of logistics that remain to be worked out.” More

  • in

    ETFs that allow investors to make big bets on market moves are gaining in popularity

    Traders work on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) floor on Feb. 20, 2025 in New York City.
    Spencer Platt | Getty Images

    Spend some time looking at trading volumes, and you’ll notice something interesting: A lot of investors recently are making outsized bets on the stock market.
    Most of them are long bets, but some are short.

    It’s easy to see this because there is a growing segment of the ETF business that caters to investors who want to make short-term outsized bets on the stock market.
    These are leveraged and inverse ETFs. Leveraged ETFs amplify the daily returns of an index or stock using financial derivatives. For example, if an index rose by 1% in a day, a 2x leveraged ETF would deliver a 2% return, a 3x would deliver a 3% return.
    An inverse ETF delivers the opposite daily performance. So a 2x inverse ETF would be down 2% on a day when the index rose 1%, and vice-versa.
    These leveraged/inverse ETFs are not just growing in assets. They are becoming a greater part of the daily trading volume of the ETF universe, which is becoming a larger part of overall trading.
    Who is using these products? It has a lot to do with the general rise in speculative behavior in the market. Trading in options, bitcoin, and other more speculative products has been rising.

    “We’re continuing to see more investors lean into leveraged as a way to express short-term views on the market, and given all the volatility and daily market-moving headlines, it’s not surprising we are seeing higher volume and more assets entering the space,” Douglas Yones, CEO of Direxion, one of the largest providers of leveraged/inverse ETFs, told CNBC.

    Growing as a share of assets

    The first leveraged/inverse ETFs in the U.S. started in 2006 and allowed long or short bets on indexes like the S&P 500 or the Nasdaq 100. Leverage and inverse single-stock ETFs came into existence in 2022, and they too have grown fast.
    The largest, ProSharesUltraPro QQQ (TQQQ), which provides 3x leveraged exposure to the Nasdaq 100 (QQQ), has nearly $26 billion in assets. Single-stock ETFs that leverage Nvidia and Tesla also now have substantial assets.
    Largest leveraged/inverse ETFs
    (assets under management)
    ProSharesUltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) $25.7 billion
    Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3x (SOXL) $8.5 billion
    ProShares Ultra QQQ (QLD) $7.9 billion
    ProShares Ultra S&P 500 (SSO) $5.5 billion
    Direxion Daily S&P Bull 3x (SPXL) $5.0 billion
    Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2x (TSLL) $3.5 billion
    GraniteShares 2x Long NVDA (NVDL) $4.2 billion

    Part of this is a bull market effect: Stocks are up meaningfully in the last few years, so overall assets are higher. However, these leveraged/inverse ETFs are not just growing assets, they are becoming a larger part of the ETF universe.
    In 2016, when ETFs had about $2 trillion in assets under management (AUM), leveraged/inverse ETFs were about 2% of that AUM, according to Strategas.
    Today, ETFs have about $11 trillion in assets under management, but leveraged/inverse ETFs make up about $81 billion of that, or almost 8% of total AUM.

    Why are these products growing?

    “I do believe there is a generational effect at play, I think there is major appetite among younger traders wanting to play with leverage due to the gains it can provide,” Todd Sohn, head of ETFs at Strategas, told CNBC. “The barriers to entry are extremely low, you can buy these products on your phone.”
    Yones estimated that 75% of the ownership of these products were retail traders, and 25% institutional, which included hedge funds, trade desks, large brokerage firms, and “anyone who has a book of positions that wants to be neutral the market.”
    He estimated that a small but significant percentage of the retail traders (12%-15% of the total) were from outside the U.S., which aligns with previous reports about growing demand for 24-hour trading coming in part from retail traders in South Korea, Japan, and Europe.

    Growing part of daily trading volume

    Leverage and inverse ETFs, including leveraged and inverse single-stock ETFs, now routinely show up among the most heavily traded ETFs on a daily basis.
    A simple way to look at this is by average daily dollar volume, the total amount of money traded in the ETF on a daily basis.
    The top ETFs by daily dollar volume are still ETFs tied to the biggest indexes, mainly the S&P 500, Russell 2000, and Nasdaq 100.
    Top ETFs by average 3-month daily dollar volume
    SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) $27.7 billion
    Invesco QQQ (QQQ) $15.3 billion
    iShares Russell 2000 (IWM) $5.7 billion
    iShares Core S&P 500 (IVV) $3.9 billion
    Source: Strategas
    However, the fifth-largest ETF by average daily dollar volume in the last three months is the ProSharesUltraPro QQQ, which provides three times leveraged exposure to the Nasdaq 100.
    Altogether, five of the top 20 ETFs by average daily dollar volume are leveraged/inverse.
    Leveraged/inverse ETFs: largest avg. 3-month daily dollar volume
    ProSharesUltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) $3.8 billion
    Direxion Daily Semiconductors Bull 3X (SOXL)$2.1 billion
    Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2x (TSLL) $1.5 billion
    ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) $1.4 billion
    GraniteShares 2x Long NVDA (NVDL) $1.3 billion
    Source: Strategas

    The daily reset

    These products are bets on short-term momentum, but they have one additional feature that has proven difficult for investors to wrap their head around: they reset on a daily basis.
    Because of compounding effects, it can be fiendishly difficult to figure out what actual returns will be on anything more than a daily basis. This means that holding a 2x leveraged product for anything more than a day may result in making substantially less than a 2x return, depending on the direction of the market.
    Here’s an example: Suppose the S&P 500 was up 10% one day, then down 10% the next day.
    A $100 investment would look like this:
    S&P 500: hypothetical $100 investment
    Day 0 $100
    Day 1 (up 10%): $110
    Day 2 (down 10%). $99
    After two days of this, you have $99, so you are down 1%. If you had a leveraged product over those two days, it would seem like you would be down 2%, or that you would have $98.
    But because of the daily reset, that’s not what happens.
    S&P 500: hypothetical $100 investment in 2x leveraged
    Day 0 $100
    Day 1 (up 10%, leveraged up 20%): $120
    Day 2 (down 10%, leveraged down 20%) $96
    You actually have $96, instead of $98, and bear in mind this excludes fees.
    As time goes on, these calculations get progressively more complex.
    As a result, those offering these products routinely state that they are not meant for buy-and-hold investors.
    These funds have very large daily turnovers, so most investors seem to understand the risk of holding these products on anything more than a daily basis.
    But Sohn told CNBC that all investors in leveraged products needed to be very careful.
    “At some point though, it helps to take stock of the risks involved whenever the market takes a turn south,” Sohn told CNBC.
    Doug Yones, CEO of Direxion, will be on the ETF Edge portion of Halftime at 12:35 PM ET on Monday, and will also livestream on ETF Edge from 1:30 PM ET. He will be joined by Todd Rosenbluth, Head of Research at Vettafi. More