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As April comes to a close, it’s time to compile the rankings for the top-performing sector and industry exchange-traded funds of the month. Taking a broader look at the stock market, the S&P 500 Index, represented by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY), finished April on a downturn, declining by approximately 3%. This marks the end of a five-month streak of gains. Similarly, the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100, tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ), experienced a 3.5% decline. Among large-cap indices, blue-chip stocks showed slight underperformance, with the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:DIA) slipping by 4.5%. Small-cap stocks, represented by the iShares Russell 200

International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) shares are trading higher after it provided an update on its possible offer for DS Smith plc (OTC:DITHF). International Paper confirmed significant progress in reciprocal due diligence as facilitated by the DS Smith Board and Management. As part of the combination, International Paper intends to seek a secondary listing of its shares on the London Stock Exchange. Mark Sutton, Chairman and CEO said, “Bringing International Paper together with DS Smith is a logical next step in International Paper’s strategy to create value by strengthening our packaging businesses in North America and Europe. By combining the strengths of both companies, we belie