For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – May 29, 2026 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks and ETFs featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. ETFs recently featured in the blog include: iShares Global Infrastructure ETF IGF, First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure ETF GRID, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF PAVE and iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF IFRA.
Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:
Beyond Cloud: 4 Infrastructure ETFs for the Tech-Wary Investor
While the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution has captured headlines and driven tech valuations to dizzying heights, a quieter but equally powerful boom is underway in the physical economy. Infrastructure companies — those building power lines, managing utilities, and upgrading electrical grids — are experiencing a renaissance.
The true strength of these infrastructure companies lies in their diversification. They are not merely benefiting from the AI computing cycle; their massive backlogs are also being fueled by a parallel global decarbonization trend that is accelerating demand across industries.
Thus, for investors wary of the volatility in pure-play tech stocks, infrastructure companies, and by extension, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that hold them offer a compelling alternative.
Before diving into the specifics of these ETFs, let us first take a closer look at how infrastructure-focused funds can provide protection against swings in the AI supercycle while offering future growth potential.
De-Risking the Tech Cycle: The Non-AI Growth Engines
To understand the structural resilience of infrastructure companies, investors must look beyond the localized demand for electricity from power-hungry data centers. While the technology sector presents an attractive growth catalyst, the foundational revenues of the infrastructure industry are being propelled by the sweeping electrification of traditional economies and the global push for net-zero emissions.
In particular, the electrification of the transport industry is creating unprecedented electricity demand, of late, with every electric vehicle (EV) charger installed representing a new, significant load on local distribution grids. Meeting this surge in demand requires not only new capacity but also a broad modernization of aging grid infrastructure.
Evidently, public charging infrastructure rollout accelerated in 2025, reaching more than 7 million charging points globally, as per the International Energy Agency.
On the other hand, as nations are rapidly phasing out fossil fuels, renewable energy sources like solar and wind, being intermittent in nature, require massive new investments in transmission lines and energy storage. This again bolsters demand for infrastructure management and grid strengthening.
Currently, more than 2,500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable, large load, and storage projects are stalled in grid queues worldwide, according to the IEA. While this massive backlog highlights a severe shortfall in existing grid capacity, it also represents a multi-billion-dollar growth opportunity for infrastructure companies responsible for expanding and modernizing power grids worldwide.
What Lies Ahead for Infrastructure Companies?
Looking ahead, the infrastructure industry’s growth catalysts remain closely linked to decarbonization and electrification trends, alongside the massive increase in electricity demand driven by the ongoing AI boom. A key near-term tailwind for these companies is the fragile state of the electrical grid and the urgent need to modernize aging infrastructure.
In major developed nations, significant portions of the transmission architecture are more than 50 years old. To successfully integrate a massive wave of new solar and wind installations, which are projected to make up half of the world's power generation by 2030, the grid must be completely rebuilt and reinforced.
To this end, IEAestimates that electricity demand through 2030 will require annual grid investment to increase approximately 50% by 2030 from today’s $400 billion, alongside a scale up in grid supply chains.
With rapid growth in the adoption of EVs globally, more than 350 million charging points are projected to be added from 2026 to the end of 2035 (under IEA’s Current Policies Scenario). Such demand will require substantial grid upgrades, additional capacity and expanded transmission lines to maintain smooth electricity distribution, creating long-term revenue opportunities for infrastructure firms.
4 Infrastructure ETFs for Your Portfolio
Considering the durable tailwinds, beyond the AI boom, which are boosting the outlook for the infrastructure companies, here are four ETFs suitable for an investor worried about the AI-led tech boom:
iShares Global Infrastructure ETF
This fund, with net assets worth $10.68 billion, offers exposure to 76 developed markets equities in the infrastructure industry. Transurban Group, one of the world’s leading toll-road developers and operators, holds the first position in this fund, with 5.23% weightage.
IGF has rallied 9.5% year to date. The fund charges 39 basis points (bps) as fees and traded at a good volume of 1.01 million shares in the last trading session.
First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure ETF
This fund, with net assets worth $11.24 billion, offers exposure to 120 companies that are primarily engaged in electric grid, electric meters and devices, networks, energy storage and management, and enabling software used by the smart grid infrastructure sector. ABB Ltd, a global technology leader in electrification and automation, holds the first position in this fund, with 8.37% weightage.
GRID has risen 26.9% year to date. The fund charges 56 bps as fees and traded at a good volume of 1.04 million shares in the last trading session.
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
This fund, with net assets worth $13.62 billion, offers exposure to 100 companies that stand to benefit from a potential increase in infrastructure activity in the United States, including those involved in the production of raw materials, heavy equipment, engineering, and construction. Quanta Services, an infrastructure services provider, holds the first position in this fund, with 4.28% weightage.
PAVE has rallied 18.7% year to date. The fund charges 47 bps as fees and traded at a good volume of 1.10 million shares in the last trading session.
iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF
This fund, with net assets worth $4.19 billion, offers exposure to 161 U.S. companies with infrastructure exposure by balancing across both infrastructure enablers and infrastructure asset owners. Caterpillar, a manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives, holds the first position in this fund, with 5% weightage.
IFRA has rallied 17.6% year to date. The fund charges 30 bps as fees and traded at a volume of 0.20 million shares in the last trading session.
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iShares Global Infrastructure ETF (IGF): ETF Research Reports
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (PAVE): ETF Research Reports
First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure ETF (GRID): ETF Research Reports
iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA): ETF Research Reports
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).