# Are there mutual funds/ETFs for weapons manufacturers?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 30, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359 "2007-11-30T20:57:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359/1 "2007-11-30T20:57:08Z")

</div>

I enjoy trading mutual funds by sector–energy, oil,natural gas–as well as gold ETFs. Are there mutual funds that invest solely in weapons manufacturers? Seems like it would be a booming sector.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359/2 "2007-11-30T23:23:02Z")

</div>

Well, “defense industry” would be they keyword to google.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![El\_Gui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@El\_Gui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Gui)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359/3 "2007-12-01T00:40:44Z")

</div>

There is the Fidelity Select Defense & Aerospace (FSDAX) and the appropriately titled “Vice” Fund, which invests in “gaming, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and aerospace/defense” [link](http://news.morningstar.com/news/ViewNews.asp?article=/BW/20070920005800_univ.xml)

I went to [Morningstar.com](http://Morningstar.com) and simply entered “Defense Industry” in their search box.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359/4 "2007-12-01T01:37:34Z")

</div>

There’s the PowerShares Aerospace & Defense Portfolio, an ETF which trades under the ticker symbol PPA. It tracks the SPADE index which is composed of stocks in the defense, aerospace, and homeland security sectors.

Also the iShares Dow Jones US Aerospace & Defense ETF which trades under the ticker symbol ITA. It tracks, naturally enough, the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense index.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359/5 "2007-12-01T02:16:53Z")

</div>

Actually, with the Republicans likely to get kicked out of office in a year, are you sure that’s the best strategy? You’d probably have made a killing a few years ago, though…

And even then, i think the oil companies did much better than defense. Come to think of it, if Democrats pull out and Iraq/Middle East gets even more chaotic, oil might be a good investment in the future too.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-mutual-funds-etfs-for-weapons-manufacturers/428359/6 "2007-12-04T18:32:33Z")

</div>

Thanks, folks. I just got back to this thread now.