Energy stocks fueled July gains for the S-Network International Sector Dividend Dogs Index, the benchmark behind the ALPS International Sector Dividend Dogs ETF (IDOG). The index climbed 6.3% for the month. A weaker U.S. dollar added another 1.35 percentage points, according to data from VettaFi.

Key Takeaways:

  • IDOG’s underlying index rose 6.3% in July, aided by a 1.35% currency boost.
  • Energy was the top sector, up 23.5%, led by Aker BP’s 37.3% gain.
  • Technology was the only sector to fall, dragged down by Nokia and Ericsson.

IDOG selects the five highest-yielding stocks in each of 10 international sectors and weights them equally. That structure keeps any one sector or company from dominating returns, according to ALPS Advisors. It let the fund capture July’s energy rebound. The fund also gained ground in eight of its other nine sectors, VettaFi data show.

Energy was the strongest of the fund’s 10 sectors. It returned 23.5% in July and contributed 2.17 percentage points to the index’s overall gain, VettaFi data show.

Higher oil and gas prices tied to the war in the Middle East lifted profits at European energy producers. That helped drive the rally, Reuters reported.

See more: Clean Energy Stocks Can Get Their Grooves Back

Aker BP ASA, a Norwegian offshore oil and gas producer, was the index’s top performer. It climbed 37.3% in July and added 0.65 percentage points, VettaFi data show. The company posted second-quarter operating cash flow of $3.1 billion. That was the highest quarterly total in its history, CEO Karl Johnny Hersvik said.

Equinor ASA, another Norwegian producer, gained 28.7% and contributed 0.53 percentage points, VettaFi data show. Its adjusted pretax profit rose to $11.48 billion in the second quarter from $6.54 billion a year earlier. Average oil prices climbed to $97.90 a barrel from $63, Reuters reported.

Energy Gains Spread to Other Sectors

Eight of the fund’s other nine sectors also advanced. Financials returned 8.8% and added 0.92 percentage points, the second-largest sector contribution. Media and communications gained 7.6%, materials rose 7.4% and industrials climbed 7.2%, VettaFi data show.

Nippon Steel Corp., a materials-sector holding, gained 23.8% and added 0.48 percentage points, VettaFi data show. The steelmaker has since raised its full-year profit forecast by 32%, to 290 billion yen ($1.84 billion). It cited stronger U.S. Steel earnings, Reuters reported this week.

In media and communications, Vodafone Group Plc (VOD) gained 20.2%. It contributed 0.38 percentage points, the sector’s largest single-stock contribution, VettaFi data show.

Technology was the only sector to lose ground, falling 1.5% and subtracting 0.15 percentage points. Nokia Corp. and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson led the declines, falling 30.2% and 11.7%, VettaFi data show.

Capgemini SE, the French information-technology consultancy, was the exception. It climbed 17.6% and added 0.33 percentage points, VettaFi data show, keeping the sector’s overall loss from growing deeper.

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VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”) is the index provider for IDOG, for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, IDOG is not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi, and VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of IDOG.