About
A working publication of independent ETF analysis.
ETF Periscope is an independent publication of analysis, commentary, and research on exchange-traded funds — their structure, their holdings, and the ways in which they change the shape of modern markets.
A brief history.
ETF Periscope was established in 2010 as a column on exchange-traded funds. From 2010 to 2013 it ran on Fidelity.com under my byline, producing more than 100 articles covering sector and thematic ETFs, fixed income strategies, and the evolving market structure of the ETF marketplace itself. That work was produced as an independent contractor through a third-party publishing arrangement; I was not an employee of Fidelity Investments. The domain etfperiscope.com has been mine since the column began.
In the years following the original column, I served as editor of the institutional research letter The MacroReport and contributed several hundred educational articles to stock market education platforms — work that kept the analytical practice active even as ETF Periscope itself went quiet.
In 2026, ETF Periscope resumed active publication on an independent basis under ZenXen Media LLC. A selection of the original 2010–2013 archive — clearly labeled as archived material — has been preserved on this site for reference. New analysis appears approximately every other week.
What we cover.
The publication’s editorial focus is exchange-traded funds and the markets they move through. Coverage falls into four primary categories:
Macroeconomics — the broad forces that set the table for everything else. Monetary policy, inflation cycles, currency dynamics, and geopolitical shifts, examined through the ETFs that reflect them most directly and the investors positioned to benefit or absorb the damage.
Technology — ETFs spanning AI, semiconductors, robotics, cybersecurity, and the broader digital infrastructure buildout, examined for what they actually own beneath the marketing and whether the underlying holdings justify the capital flowing into them.
Commodities — energy, metals, and agriculture, tracked through the ETFs that follow them. Coverage focuses on what drives price cycles in each category, how commodity ETFs behave relative to the underlying markets they claim to represent, and where the opportunities and the disconnects tend to appear.
Volatility — not as a risk warning but as an asset class and analytical lens. VIX-linked products, hedged equity strategies, and the ETFs built to either harvest or neutralize market turbulence, examined for how they actually behave when conditions turn.
Editorial standards.
ETF Periscope publishes commentary and analysis. The publication does not provide investment advice, recommendations to buy or sell any security, or advisory services of any kind. All content is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Readers seeking investment guidance should consult a qualified financial professional.
When the author holds a personal position in a security or fund discussed in an article, that position is disclosed within the article itself. The publication does not accept payment for coverage and does not run sponsored content. Editorial decisions are made independently.
Information published here is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. Markets change, fund holdings shift, and analytical frameworks evolve — readers should treat any specific data points as of the publication date and verify current information through primary sources before acting on it.
Who publishes ETF Periscope.
ETF Periscope is published by ZenXen Media LLC, a media company focused on the intersection of financial markets and considered, long-form analysis.
The publication is written and edited by Daniel Sckolnik, a financial content writer with over fifteen years of experience covering markets. Prior work includes the original ETF Periscope column for a major financial services publisher (2010–2013), editorship of the institutional research letter The MacroReport, and several hundred educational articles for stock market education platforms. Daniel is also the author of Zen Volatility: How to Survive the Next Market Crash With Your Mind and Money Intact, a forthcoming book on investor psychology and behavioral finance to be published in September 2026.
How to get in touch.
For editorial inquiries, corrections, or general questions about the publication, reach out at hello@etfperiscope.com.
For writing engagements, content strategy work, or other professional inquiries, see the Work With Me page or contact directly at the email above.
To subscribe to new analysis as it publishes, join the email list — a brief, every-other-week edition with no marketing, no algorithm, and no noise.