##  [# ETF Explainer: XLK](/sections/etf-report-departments/etf-explainer-xlk) 

 

# ETF Explainer: XLK

 

 

The Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund saw some key turning points



 

 

 

 

 [![HeatherBell_green_bg](/sites/default/files/styles/author_image_icon/public/2023-03/heather2.png?itok=5J9vBlda)](/contributors/heather-bell) 

[By Heather Bell](/contributors/heather-bell)

 Nov 01, 2019

 Edited by: Heather Bell

 

 

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**Invesco S&amp;P 500 Low Volatility ETF**Each month, we look at an ETF selected by ETF.com based on its performance and importance to investors. This month, we consider the performance of the $23 billion [Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK)](/XLK), which tracks the technology sector of the S&amp;P 500. All the companies mentioned below are holdings in XLK, unless otherwise noted (\*).

[![ETFExplainerARKW](/sites/default/files/images/Magazines/ETF%20Report/2019/11/ETFExplainerXLK_fig1.jpg)](/sites/default/files/images/Magazines/ETF%20Report/2019/11/ETFExplainerXLK_fig1b.jpg)

*For a larger view, please click on the image above.*



**NOV 7** Microsoft is one of the stocks leading the market higher in the wake of the midterm elections in which the Democrats retook the House, and Republicans maintained their Senate majority

**JAN 23** IBM disappointed in its fourth-quarter report when it came to revenue, but expectations for strong profits in 2019 from its high-growth business lines cause its stock to jump.

**MAY 13** Apple stock falls sharply as the U.S.-China trade war ramps up. The company assembles its iPhones in China and has significant sales of its products in the country.

**JUN 20** Adobe reports record revenue for the 17th quarter in a row, breezing past both in-house and consensus expectations and causing a jump in share price.

**AUG 15** Cisco Systems stock plunges after its fourth-quarter report reveals the company took a hit from the trade war and expresses weak expectations for the next quarter.

**SEP 13** Shares of Mastercard slide, along with other payment companies, as investors rotate into safer stocks and shun growth stocks with high multiples.

*Source: Bloomberg. Data for 09/30/2018 to 09/30/2019.*





 

 

 [ Heather Bell ](/contributors/heather-bell) 

 

 

  Heather Bell is a former managing editor of etf.com. She has also held editorial positions at Dow Jones Indexes and Lehman Brothers. Bell is a…   [View Bio](/contributors/heather-bell)

 



 

 


 Related Topics  [Broad-based](http://www.etf.com/topics/broad-based) 

 [Equity](http://www.etf.com/topics/equity) 

 [North America](http://www.etf.com/topics/north-america) 

 [S&amp;P Technology Select Sector Index](http://www.etf.com/topics/sp-technology-select-sector-index) 

 [Sectors](http://www.etf.com/topics/sectors)