Is Market-Cap Weighting a Momentum Strategy in Disguise?

Yes, sort of, just not the sort of momentum strategy many may think.

Feb 19, 2020

Mentioned: Vanguard Total Stock Market Idx I (VITSX) , iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) , Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) , Apple Inc (AAPL)

A version of this article appeared in the February 2020 issue of Morningstar ETFInvestor. Download a complimentary copy of Morningstar ETFInvestor by visiting the website.

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone say that market-cap weighting is a momentum strategy because investors in cap-weighted index funds “buy more of the biggest stocks as their price goes up,” I’d be writing a FIRE (Financially Independent Retire Early) lifestyle blog right now. Alas.

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Ben Johnson does not own shares in any of the securities mentioned above. Find out about Morningstar’s editorial policies.

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