ETFETF

    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).

    SMH Flow
    45/100Neutral
    QQQ Flow
    30/100Distribution

    Want deeper pair analytics? Create a free account

    Relative Performance

    Price Ratio
    0.68Above 50d average
    50d / 200d SMA: 0.63 / 0.55
    Ratio vs 50d MA
    +6.7%Extended
    Z-Score (200d)
    2.10Extreme deviation
    Ratio RSI (14)
    77Overbought

    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

    TimeframeSMHQQQLeader
    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

    63-Day Correlation
    0.85Very strong positive
    252-Day Correlation
    0.92Very strong positive

    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

    Flow Score
    4545/100
    CMF (20d)
    0.07Net inflow
    Relative Volume
    1.74×Above average

    QQQ

    Flow Score
    3030/100
    CMF (20d)
    0.05Net inflow
    Relative Volume
    1.38×Above average

    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

    Trend
    68/100Uptrend
    Risk
    87/100Excellent risk/reward

    QQQ

    Trend
    42/100Neutral / Transitioning
    Risk
    71/100Good risk/reward
    MetricSMHQQQAdvantage
    Volatility (21d)+35.6%+18.3%QQQ
    Max Drawdown (1Y)-26.2%-19.0%QQQ
    Beta0.33
    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

    STRONG

    Uptrend + capital inflow

    WARNING

    Uptrend, weak flow

    EMERGING

    Flow in, no trend yet

    WEAK

    Downtrend + outflow

    Risk Profile87/100

    Excellent risk/reward

    QQQ

    STRONG

    Uptrend + capital inflow

    WARNING

    Uptrend, weak flow

    EMERGING

    Flow in, no trend yet

    WEAK

    Downtrend + outflow

    Risk Profile71/100

    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.

    Related

    Back to all comparisons

    Compare every pair in your portfolio.

    Track relative performance, money flow divergences, and correlation shifts across all your holdings.

    Create your free account

    No credit card. No obligations. Just data.

    Flipside Finance

    Data-driven investment intelligence. See where capital is flowing, what's getting stronger, and make decisions based on reality.

    Legal

    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy

    Get the "Where Is Money Flowing?" monthly report

    Flipside Finance does not provide investment advice. All data is provided for informational purposes only. Always do your own research before making investment decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

    © 2026 Flipside Finance. All rights reserved.

    Flipside Agent
    Curious how SMH stacks up against QQQ? I can walk you through the relative strength data. Register free to chat.
    Register free to start chatting

    Already have an account? Log in