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The U.S. stock market was off to a weak start in 2023 as fears of a looming recession and continued rate hikes from the Fed continued to pose concerns. Among the top ETFs, (SPY - Free Report) lost 0.4% and (DIA - Free Report) shed 0.03%, while (QQQ - Free Report) moved down 0.7% in the last trading session.

Two more specialized ETFs are worth noting, as both saw trading volume that was far outside of normal. In fact, both these funds experienced volume levels that were more than double their average for the most recent trading session. This could make these ETFs the ones to watch out for in the days ahead to see if this trend of extra interest continues.

(IDU - Free Report) : Volume 4.11 Times Average

This utilities ETF was in the spotlight as around 275,000 shares moved hands compared with an average of 65,000 shares a day. We also saw some price movement, as IDU lost 0.05% in the last session.

The move was largely due to bouts of volatility and uncertainty in the stock market that raised the appeal for defensive investment and could have a big impact on utilities ETFs like the ones we find in this ETF portfolio. IDU has gained 1.1% over the past month and has a Zacks ETF Rank #2 (Buy) with a Medium risk outlook.

(IWV - Free Report) : Volume 2.73 Times Average

This large-cap ETF was under the microscope as nearly 638,000 shares moved hands. This compared with an average trading volume of roughly 698,000 shares and came as IWV shed 0.5% in the last trading session.

The movement can largely be blamed on its stability characteristics amid market turmoil relative to most other products in the space. IWV has declined 2.9% in a month and has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 (Hold) with a Medium risk outlook.

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