Exchange-traded funds with exposure to homebuilders, home renovation companies, and the residential real estate industry rallied Friday after a stronger-than-expected new-home sales report. Sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual 1.02 million rate in March, the Commerce Department said. The SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF gained 0.5%, and the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF was up 0.3%. The Hoya Capital Housing ETF rose 0.1%. ETFs in this sector have surged since the start of the year, as the housing market stays hot and interest rates manageable for would-be buyers. XHB is up nearly 29% in 2021, and ITB has gained 28%.
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