5 ETFs to Watch This Week

iShares Dow Jones U.S. Regional Banking ETF (IAT)

With strong showings from companies including Alcoa (AA) , Google (GOOG) and Wells Fargo (WFC) , investors have enjoyed an encouraging start to earnings season. The party is just getting started, though; as we look to the week ahead, an expansive group of companies is gearing up to report.

Once again, Big Finance will be in focus, with names like Citigroup (C) , Goldman Sachs (GS) , Bank of America (BAC) and Morgan Stanley (MS) on the docket.

Regional players can also be found on the list. For those using IAT to track this class of smaller financial institutions, USBancorp (USB) and PNC Financial Services (PNC) will be of particular importance. This duo alone represents nearly a third of the fund's assets. Other notable regional banks to watch include BB&T (BBT) and Fifth Third (FITB) .

Given the top-heavy nature of IAT, the fund may be left vulnerable to a substantial shake up in the event that any of these names fail to live up to expectations. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) offers a more-diversified take on this corner of the financial sector, making it a better option for conservative individuals.

SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB)

The U.S. housing sector will have plenty of time in the spotlight next week as the markets digest new-home sales, building permits and existing-home sales data. In recent weeks we have seen some troubling signs of deterioration from the residential real estate sector, so analysts, market commentators and investors will be watching closely for signs of a turnaround.

REIT-focused funds like the iShares Dow Jones Real Estate Index Fund (IYR) continue to be my preferred choices when looking to venture into real estate. Even these funds should be approached carefully. They are best utilized as small niche holdings.

United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG)