Notable ETF Movers of the Day 10/20: (UNG) (VXX) (XLP) Higher; (USO) (XLF) (SMH) Lower

• United States Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG) up 1.88 percent to $8.93. Nat gas stores increased 103 billion cubic fee last week, less than the 109 to 113 bcf expected, according to analysts. Inventories are still about 3.2 percent above the five-year average, though down 1.3 percent from the same period last year. Despite the numbers, nat gas is $0.130 to $3.716 per mmBtu on the Comex, a 3.6 percent jump.
  
  
• iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (NYSE: VXX) up 3.62 percent to $47.53. The CBOE VIX is 5.3 percent higher Thursday, as markets are weaker following rumors that the EU commission is delaying a summit, which doesn't appear to be holding. Economic data today has initial claims at 403K coming in above views, the sale of homes already standing at 4.91 million, also below views, and leading indicators up 0.2 percent, below the 0.3 percent expected.
  
  
• Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLP) up 0.42 percent to $30.93. The normally docile consumer staple ETF moving higher on strong Philip Morris (NYSE: PM) results. Philip Morris reported third-quarter EPS of $1.37, beating views calling for $1.24. THe company sees fiscal 2011 EPS of $4.75 to $4.80, up from prior guidance of $4.70 to $4.80, and ahead of the $4.74 consensus.

• United States Oil (NYSE: USO) down 1.38 percent to $32.85. Initial claims came in below views today, and rumors of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi being shot might cause a slight influx of crude reserves as Libyan pumps restart. Crude December contracts are down $1.20 to $85.09 per barrel on the Comex.
  
  
• Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLF) down 0.63 percent to $12.53. Financials reeling from European worries and potential recession all but imminent in the U.S. The move is being led by Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), which is reportedly being subpoenaed in California for MBS issues. Nothing about that has been officially confirmed yet. BofA is 2.7 percent lower Thursday.
  
  
• Semiconductor HOLDRs (NYSE: SMH) down 2.41 percent to $29.51. Semiconductors lower on overall weakness today, though Xilinx (Nasdaq: XLNX) is beating the odds today following stronger earnings yesterday, and trading slightly higher on the session.

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