Playing Holiday Bargains With ETFs

This year, holiday shopping is all about the Three B's: bargains, bargains, bargains. Consumers hunger for them, and retailers are giving them their fix.

Consumers are feeling a little better than they did a year ago, but that doesn't mean they're ready to spend freely. Black Friday's sales were about what they were last year, and retailers are working overtime to figure out how to get consumers to part with their cash between now and December 25. Among them:

• Luxury retailers are stoking demand by keeping supplies low; inventory at Saks, Nordstrom and Neiman-Marcus is down.
• Stores are offering big deals - Target sold $3 appliances (such as coffeemakers, toasters and slow cookers); Wal-Mart brought back its 100 toys for under $10 special.
• This year's hottest toy, the Zhu Zhu Pet, says it all: the robotic hamster costs less than $10. That is, if you can find one. Other hot gadgets and toys include plasma televisions, Guitar Hero, DJ Hero and iPhones.
• Apple (AAPL) is doing its part to help consumers make the most of Black Friday with a $2.99 iPhone app that reveals the floor plans of more than 1,000 U.S. malls.

Check out some of the following ETFs for some Black Friday plays:

• SPDR S&P Retail (NYSE: XRT)
  • Top holdings: Amazon, 1.7%; Carmax, 1.9%; Walgreen's, 1.7%; Macy's, 1.8%
• Vanguard Consumer Discretionary (NYSE: VCR)
  • Top holdings: Amazon, 2.8%; Target, 3%; Ford, 2.1%; Time Warner, 3%
• Claymore/Robb Report Global Luxury (NYSE: ROB), up 49.3% ytd
  • Coach, 4.4%; Christian Dior, 4.6%; Swatch, 5%

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