When compared with the Financials Sector (XLF), the following Daily ratio chart of XHB:XLF shows that the XHB weakened from the beginning of 2013 until mid-October 2014, while XLF outperformed. At the moment, price has bumped up against major resistance at 1.50 and the RSI, MACD and Stochastics indicators are not confirming another move up yet, even though we now have a bullish Golden Cross of the moving averages. We may see a retest, first, of these averages around the 1.40/38 level before the next major move is established.
When compared with the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), the following Daily ratio chart of XHB:$SPX shows that the XHB weakened from mid-2013 until mid-October 2014, while the $SPX outperformed. At the moment, price has bumped up against major resistance at 0.0175 and the RSI, MACD and Stochastics indicators are not confirming another move up yet, even though we now have a bullish Golden Cross of the moving averages. We may see a retest, first, of these averages around the 0.0165/60 level before the next major move is established.
Since the "continued recovery" in the U.S. is seen to be dependent, in part, on strong homebuilding activity, it may be worth measuring its "strength" against the above sector and index over the near and longer terms...I wouldn't be surprised to see some weakness of the XHB against these in the short term.