With markets transitioning from a narrow focus on high-growth tech names to sectors underpinned by real economic and geopolitical trends, the landscape for diversified passive investing is changing. In 2026, certain exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are emerging as vehicles that can capture structural demand in healthcare, defense, and energy — areas that have shown resilience, strategic relevance and robust flows of capital. This analysis explores three ETFs positioned to benefit from these broad macro shifts as investors seek long-term stability and performance beyond transient market narratives.

The year 2026 opens in markets in an environment vastly different from previous years. After a period of extreme concentration of capital into a narrow group of technology and artificial intelligence titles, it is becoming increasingly clear that markets are beginning to re-differentiate between pure hype and fundamentals. While valuations in parts of the technology sector remain historically…