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If I Had Only $500 per Month to Invest, These Are the 2 ETFs I’d Buy

Key Points

The S&P 500 is still sitting near all-time highs, but that doesn’t mean that every equity ETF is a buy right now.

Here are two that I believe are still worth investing in, with bullish narratives backing them up.

Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a “Double Down” signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same “Total Conviction” signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »

Image source: Getty Images.

1. VanEck Semiconductor ETF

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ: SMH) has unquestionably been one of the biggest winners of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Despite returns leveling off recently, the fund is still up 59% over the past six months and 89% over the past year.

But the AI investment cycle looks like it’s still far from over. Capex spending from the five largest hyperscalers — Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Oracle — is expected to hit $1.37 trillion by 2030. The rate of growth may slow, but the absolute level of what’s being spent should continue driving revenues and earnings higher.

2. Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF

The Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (NYSEMKT: AVUV) has been a solid value story for a while, trading at around 12 times forward earnings. Its real advantage is that it uses fundamental measures, such as cash flow and revenue, to ensure balance sheet strength alongside the portfolio’s value.

The catalyst for this ETF is rapidly accelerating earnings growth for small caps overall. 2026 earnings-per-share growth is expected to come in around 20% year over year. For the first time in several years, the growth/value trade-off of small caps is starting to look better than that of large caps. The small-cap value group has significantly underperformed for a while, but I think that’s about to change.

Should you buy stock in VanEck ETF Trust – VanEck Semiconductor ETF right now?

Before you buy stock in VanEck ETF Trust – VanEck Semiconductor ETF, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and VanEck ETF Trust – VanEck Semiconductor ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $383,680!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,382,954!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 937% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 214% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of September 29, 2026.

David Dierking has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Oracle. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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