Notable ETF Movers of the Day 10/04: UUP, VXX, FXI Higher; XME, UNG, SMH Lower

• PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish (NYSE: UUP) up 0.44% to $22.75. The dollar is stronger versus the euro today as Spain's unemployment has risen, Ireland's central bank has slashed their growth forecast, and bearish comments from ecnomist Joseph Stiglitz. Spain's jobless rose 1.2% in September. The Irish central bank now sees FY10 GDP expansion of $0.2% and FY11 expansion of 2.4%, compared to 0.8% and 2.8% seen prior.
  
  
• iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (NYSE: VXX) up 1.70% to $17.33. The CBOE VIX is higher today, up about 4.8%, as investors may be taking a little profit off the table following an impressive September rally. Additionally, factory orders came in lower than expected, down 0.5%, and pending home sales, at a 4.3% increase, beat Street estimates, but are still at a slower pace than last year.
  
  
• iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (NYSE: FXI) up 0.12% to $43.15. Higher on bullish comments from China's Premier, Wen Jiabao, that the country would focus more on domestic consumption instead of exports. Additionally, Non-Manufacturing Purchasing Index grew to 617 in September from 60.1 in August.

• SPDR S&P Metals & Mining (NYSE: XME) down 2.33% to $53.23. Gold is pulling back a little today on a stronger dollar, as contracts denominated in U.S. dollars tend to become more expensive as the dollar appreciates. Gold has hit record highs recently, and may do so this week as investors and traders look ahead to Friday's nonfarm payroll numbers. The ETF is being led lower today by Stillwater Mining Co. (NYSE: SWC) and Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. (NYSE: CDE).
  
  
• United States Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG) down 1.80% to $5.96. The lack of storm activity in the Gulf of Mexico, and increased stores, have helped the ETF to continue lower today. No storms were reported in the Gulf for the month of September, statistically one of the more active months.
  
  
• Semiconductor HOLDRs (NYSE: SMH) down 1.30% to $27.35. Lower today despite the Semiconductor Industry Association reporting that semi sales were $25.7 billion in August, up 1.8% sequentially, and 32.6% from August 2009. Xilinx, Inc. (Nasdaq: XLNX) and Altera Corp. (Nasdaq: ALTR) are leading the sector lower today.

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