Boeing ETFs See Declines After Tragic India Plane Crash
- Three major ETFs declined following the fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad.
- The JETS airline ETF leads losses with broader sector exposure to the aviation industry.
- Boeing shares fell 4.9% as investigators begin examining the first fatal Dreamliner accident.
Three exchange-traded funds with exposure to Boeing Co. (BA) dropped Thursday after an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff in India, killing hundreds of passengers and crew aboard the London-bound flight.
The U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) fell about 1.6% Thursday, according to data from FactSet. The fund, which focuses on airline companies and aviation manufacturers, holds Boeing as its ninth-largest position at 2.6% of assets.
The crash marks the first fatal accident involving Boeing's 787 Dreamliner aircraft model and comes as the aerospace manufacturer continues working to rebuild confidence following years of safety concerns with other aircraft models.
Air India Flight 171 crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad with 242 people aboard, according to preliminary flight-path data cited by CNBC. Ahmedabad police commissioner G.S. Malik told Reuters that 204 bodies were recovered from the crash site.
The tragedy sent ripples through financial markets, affecting the aerospace manufacturer's stock price. Boeing shares fell 4.9% in afternoon trading Thursday. The company issued a statement saying it was "in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them," CNBC reported.
The market reaction extended to funds with Boeing exposure. The iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) declined 0.6% Thursday, according to FactSet data. ITA holds Boeing as its third-largest position, representing over 10% of the fund's assets under management of $7.8 billion, according to the data.
The God Bless America ETF (YALL) dropped 0.8% Thursday, with Boeing representing its third-largest holding at 6.2% of assets, according to FactSet data.
Boeing ETF Performance Diverges This Year
Beyond Thursday's immediate market reaction, the three ETFs that hold Boeing have shown divergent performance patterns throughout 2025.
JETS has struggled in 2025, falling 10.6% year to date, despite a three-month gain of 5.1%, according to FactSet data. The fund has experienced outflows of $153.6 million this year, with $36.9 million leaving in the past month alone.
ITA has performed better, gaining 24.5% year to date and 22% over the past three months, according to FactSet data. The aerospace and defense fund has attracted $193.9 million in inflows this year, including $394.4 million in the past month.
YALL posted gains of 7.9% year to date and 14.8% over three months, though the fund experienced $3.4 million in outflows this year, according to FactSet data.
ETF | YTD Performance | Three-Month Performance | YTD Flows |
U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) | -10.6% | 5.1% | -$153.6M |
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) | 24.5% | 22% | $193.9M |
God Bless America ETF (YALL) | 7.9% | 14.8% | -$3.4M |
Source: FactSet data & etf.com
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was delivered to Air India in 2014 and had 41,000 hours of flight time with nearly 8,000 takeoffs, which are average for the aircraft's age, according to aviation-data firm Cirium data cited by CNBC. The cause of the crash could take months to determine, CNBC reported.
