Watch Now: ETF Edge on energy amid US-Iran uncertainty and how ETF investors are positioning now

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  April 21, 2026 at 21:44  |  19:30  |  CNBC
Speakers
Cinthia Murphy — Investment Strategist, TMX
Kristina Partsinevelos — Markets Reporter, CNBC

Summary

The video explores ETF investment opportunities in the energy sector amid Middle East conflict and geopolitical uncertainty. Experts Paul Baiocchi and Cinthia Murphy discuss how disruptions are driving gains in freight futures, oil, energy infrastructure, and alternative energy like nuclear. They highlight long-term trends from electricity demand for data centers and the need for diversified exposure through thematic ETFs.

  • Discussion on ETF opportunities in energy amid US-Iran uncertainty and Middle East conflict.
  • Freight futures ETF B wet has seen explosive gains due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Oil futures ETF USO benefits from higher oil prices driven by supply concerns.
  • Energy infrastructure ETFs like ENFR and AMLP offer diversification and stable fee-based revenue.
  • Electrification infrastructure ETFs like ELFI capture growth from rising electricity demand and data center capex.
  • Nuclear energy ETFs are gaining acceptance as an alternative energy source for long-term growth.
  • Aerospace and defense ETFs, including ITA, UFO, and SHLD, are broadened by space and cybersecurity themes.
  • Long-term investment themes focus on scarcity, infrastructure buildout, and underrepresented sectors in portfolios.
Trade Ideas
Cinthia Murphy Investment Strategist, TMX 0:59
B wet benefits from shipping cost spikes.
Freight futures ETF B wet captures explosive gains from shipping cost spikes due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, with the fund up over 550% year to date, as it uniquely tracks freight futures affected by conflict zone shipping disruptions.
BWET HIGH
Cinthia Murphy Investment Strategist, TMX 1:42
USO rises with oil price concerns.
Oil futures ETF USO provides direct exposure to oil prices, which have risen dramatically due to the conflict impacting access to oil, with the fund up over 70% year to date, reflecting concerns about oil supply.
USO HIGH
Paul Bayaki Head of Fund Sales and Strategy, SSNC Alps Advisors 2:17
Energy infrastructure gains from energy security.
Energy infrastructure companies, such as pipelines and LNG facilities, benefit from the need for stable energy sources and investments to avoid conflict zones like the Strait of Hormuz, with U.S. LNG replacing Middle East sources, creating a massive tailwind for revenue from volume-based fees.
PAVE HIGH
Paul Bayaki Head of Fund Sales and Strategy, SSNC Alps Advisors 3:40
Electricity demand boosts materials and energy.
Growing electricity demand, expected to increase to 5% annually in the U.S. driven by data centers, requires massive investments in copper, renewables, batteries, and critical minerals, benefiting materials and energy sectors due to supply constraints and secular trends.
XLB XLE HIGH
Cinthia Murphy Investment Strategist, TMX 9:02
Nuclear ETFs benefit from energy diversification.
Nuclear energy ETFs, such as NUKZ, provide access to shifting opinions on nuclear power due to energy needs from geopolitical conflicts and AI infrastructure, offering a different return stream as a long-term growth opportunity.
URA MED
Paul Bayaki Head of Fund Sales and Strategy, SSNC Alps Advisors 11:21
Diversified ETF portfolio for electrification trend.
A diversified portfolio for electrification can be built using ETFs like ELFI for core infrastructure, SMRF for nuclear, and ACES for renewables, to capture long-term trends in energy, materials, and utilities, which are underrepresented in typical portfolios.
XLU SMRF ACES MED
Cinthia Murphy Investment Strategist, TMX 12:46
Aerospace and defense ETFs benefit geopolitically.
Aerospace and defense ETFs, including ITA, UFO, and SHLD, have broadened to include space exploration, cybersecurity, and satellites, and are growth areas due to geopolitical trends and increased government investment over the next five to ten years.
ITA UFO SHLD HIGH
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This CNBC video, published April 21, 2026, features Cinthia Murphy, Paul Bayaki discussing BWET, USO, PAVE, XLB, XLE, URA, XLU, SMRF, ACES, ITA, UFO, SHLD. 7 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Cinthia Murphy, Paul Bayaki  · Tickers: BWET, USO, PAVE, XLB, XLE, URA, XLU, SMRF, ACES, ITA, UFO, SHLD