VanEck Semiconductor ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust
SMH / QQQ
Semiconductors vs broader Nasdaq — chip cycle leadership signal
Last updated: February 26, 2026
SMH is gaining ground against QQQ with a price ratio of 0.68. The ratio's z-score of 2.10 is historically extreme. The two assets are currently highly correlated (63-day: 0.85).
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Relative Performance
The price ratio is currently above its 50-day moving average, indicating SMH has been gaining relative ground recently. The ratio is extended at 6.7% from its 50-day average, suggesting the relative move may be overdue for a pullback. The 200-day z-score of 2.10 signals an extreme deviation — the current ratio is unusually far from its long-term norm. Ratio RSI at 77 is in overbought territory, meaning SMH's relative strength may be stretched.
Performance Comparison
| Timeframe | SMH | QQQ | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Day | -0.7% | -0.6% | QQQ |
| 21-Day | +1.2% | -3.5% | SMH |
| 63-Day | +21.9% | +0.8% | SMH |
Performance is mixed — SMH leads over the 63-Day timeframe while QQQ has been stronger in the short term (10-Day). This divergence can signal a momentum shift.
Correlation
These two assets have a very strong positive long-term correlation of 0.92. The short-term and long-term correlations are closely aligned at 0.85 and 0.92, indicating a stable relationship. High correlation means these assets offer limited diversification benefit when held together.
Money Flow Comparison
SMH
QQQ
SMH has a stronger flow score (45/100 vs 30/100), indicating more consistent accumulation pressure. Both assets show net inflow via Chaikin Money Flow (SMH: 0.07, QQQ: 0.05), though SMH leads on overall flow score. Both assets are seeing above-average volume (SMH: 1.7x, QQQ: 1.4x), adding conviction to the flow signals.
Trend & Risk
SMH
QQQ
| Metric | SMH | QQQ | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility (21d) | +35.6% | +18.3% | QQQ |
| Max Drawdown (1Y) | -26.2% | -19.0% | QQQ |
| Beta | 0.33 | — | — |
| Correlation (63d) | 0.85 | — | |
SMH has significantly stronger trend momentum (68/100 vs 42/100), suggesting it is in a more favourable technical position. SMH carries a better risk profile (87/100 vs 71/100), with lower overall risk metrics. SMH is 1.9x more volatile than QQQ on a 21-day basis (35.6% vs 18.3%), which means larger price swings in either direction. SMH has experienced a deeper maximum drawdown over the past year (26.2% vs 19.0%), indicating higher tail risk. With a 63-day correlation of 0.85, these assets tend to move together — meaning the risk characteristics above are likely to manifest in tandem.
Direction Assessment
SMH
Uptrend + capital inflow
Uptrend, weak flow
Flow in, no trend yet
Downtrend + outflow
Excellent risk/reward
QQQ
Uptrend + capital inflow
Uptrend, weak flow
Flow in, no trend yet
Downtrend + outflow
Good risk/reward
Putting It Together
SMH is currently gaining ground against QQQ, with the price ratio at 0.68 versus its 50-day average of 0.63. The 200-day z-score of 2.10 is historically extreme, suggesting SMH may be stretched relative to QQQ. On a flow basis, SMH shows stronger capital accumulation (45 vs 30). QQQ carries lower short-term volatility (+18.3% vs +35.6% 21-day), with max drawdowns of -26.2% and -19.0% respectively. With a 63-day correlation of 0.85, these assets move closely together — limiting diversification benefit. Monitor the ratio trend and flow divergence for early signals of a shift in relative leadership.
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