Notable ETF Movers of the Day 12/29: (XHB) (XLF) (SPY) Higher; (GLD) (UNG) (VXX) Lower

• SPDR S&P Homebuilders (NYSE: XHB) up 2.34 percent to $17.04. The ETF is being led higher by PulteGroup (NYSE: PHM), which is up 4.7 percent on the session, following data that Pending Home Sales rose 7.3 percent in November, outpacing the 0.6 percent expected on the Street, and down slightly from 10.4 percent reported for October.
  
  
• Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLF) up 1.28 percent to $13.03. Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) and JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM) are both over 2 percent better on the session Thursday, on lower borrowing costs for Italy, as well as some of the lowest initial monthly claim four-week rolling average data in three-years was released. For specifics on claims, click here. For Italy, click here.
  
  
• SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) up 0.67 percent to $125.68. Again, positive data is boosting markets. Keeping initial claims below the 400,000 level is an important step in the overall economic recovery. The S&P 500 is up 0.6 percent, Nasdaq up 0.6 percent, and Dow Jones up 0.7 percent.

• SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD) down 1.47 percent to $148.81. Gold moving lower on the relatively successful Italian bond auction, which is boosting global markets. After failing to stay firm above the $1,750 per ounce price level, gold has fallen over the last few weeks. February contracts are $33 lower Thursday, to $1,531.1 per ounce on the Comex.
  
  
• United States Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG) down 2.95 percent to $6.58. Nat gas dipped following data from the EIA showing that stores fell 81 billion cubic feet for the week ended December 25th, compared with the 89 billion cubic foot draw expected on the Street. Nat gas February contracts are $0.066 lower to $3.055 per mmBtu on the Comex.
  
  
• iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (NYSE: VXX) down 1.81 percent to $35.23. The CBOE VIX near-term index is 2.3 percent lower Thursday, on increased complacency in the market. CBOE put/call ratio has moved from 0.99 at the start of the session, to 1.01, not much change, but it fell between the two measures indicating that investors are getting more bullish on the market.

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