(SLY)

These sectors appear to be the rising stars in the otherwise dull Q1 small-cap earnings season.

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Small Cap Blend segment of the US equity market, the SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SLY) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 11/08/2005.

SLY owns a portfolio of U.S. small-cap stocks. The fund's forward P/E ratio is relatively low to its historical average.

Small-cap stocks have been staging a decent performance in recent times. These small-cap sector ETFs put up good numbers in the ongoing fourth-quarter earnings reporting season.

A $1.8 billion fund will be merged into a $5.2 billion fund.

Strategies seek to ease anxieties in uncertain times.

Earnings growth rate of S&P 600 companies is higher than S&P 500 companies. Investors may tap these small-cap sector ETFs.

The International Monetary Fund has lowered global growth forecasts to 3.2% for this year and 2.9% for the next mainly due to soaring inflation. These ETF strategies may come to rescue.

The small-cap space has lately fared better than the S&P 500.

History suggests that small-cap stocks have shown better success during inflationary periods.