Retail investors increase purchases of treasury bond and semiconductor ETFs
Business · 1 October 2026
Written by AI from multiple news reports
Retail investors poured money into bond and semiconductor ETFs during 2026, drawn by high returns and technology growth.
The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, known as TLT, attracted record buying after its price fell more than 10%. U.S. 30-year bond yields climbed to 5.67%, the highest since 2002, making bonds more attractive to everyday investors.
At the same time, a new fund focused on memory chips, called DRAM, launched on April 2, 2026. Within four weeks, retail investors were buying more than $200 million worth each day. Memory chip companies expected profit margins above 70% for the year. Many investors chose DRAM because it gave them access to the supply chains that support artificial intelligence development.