Notable ETF Movers of the Day 08/16: (VXX) (RTH) (GLD) Higher; (UNG) (XLF) (USO) Lower

• iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (NYSE: VXX) up 2.11 percent to $32.87. The CBOE VIX is up modestly today, about 1.6 percent at mid-day, as U.S. markets sell off a little on German economic data. Germany's second-quarter 2011 GDP grew just 0.1 percent sequentially, hinting some stagnation in Europe's biggest economy.
  
  
• Retail HOLDRs (NYSE: RTH) up 1.27 percent to $101.35. The retail ETF is getting a boost from Home Depot (NYSE: HD) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), both of which reported second-quarter earnings today. Wal-Mart beat on the top-and-bottom lines, and raised its fiscal 2011 EPS outlook as well. Home Depot also beat on stronger seasonal sales, and raised its fiscal 2011 outlook.
  
  
• SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD) up 0.82 percent to $173.21. Gold moving as the European Union grew at the slowest pace since 2009. The 17 country euro-zone members reported overall second-quarter GDP growth of 0.2 percent. On the news, December gold contracts are up $24.6 to $1782.6 per ounce on the Comex.
  
  

• United States Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG) down 1.72 percent to $9.98. Natural gas is lower on moderate forecasts over the next week, and has fallen below the psychologically important $4.00 price level. September contracts are down $0.082 to $3.942 per mmBtu on the Comex, but were as low as $3.925 at one point.
  
  
• Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLF) down 1.29 percent to $13.02. Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) is making another impressive dip today, down about 3.2 percent on the session, as several hedge funds disclosed second quarter holdings. Notably, John Paulson's Paulson & Co. cut its BofA stake in half through the quarter. Click here to see who else is hanging on to BofA stock as it continues hovering near 52-week lows. BofA closed nearly 8 percent better yesterday, and Citi (NYSE: C) was also up a couple of percentage points as markets fawned over the Google/Motorola deal.
  
  
• United States Oil (NYSE: USO) down 0.70 percent to $33.98. Crude seeing pressure today following European data. The euro is weaker today, boosting the U.S. dollar, and making crude contracts more expensive for buyers. Further, traders fear Europe may continue to see slower economic growth, curbing demand for crude in the region.

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