Analyst Report

This ETF offers exposure to China's energy sector, making it one of the most precise tools available in the ETF universe. Given this targeted focus, this ETF is probably more appropriate for those looking to establish a shorter-term tactical tilt as opposed to those building a long-term portfolio. Those looking to overweight China may find this ETF useful for fine tuning exposure, while investors bullish on the outlook for energy stocks but hesitant to invest in U.S. equities may consider CHIE as well. This fund can also be used in market neutral long/short trades that seek to exploit return differentials--for example going long CHIE and short XLE (or vice versa). Investors looking to add broad-based China exposure have a number of options available, such as YAO or GXC.

Looking at the CHIE portfolio, several elements jump out. First, like many international sector-specific funds, CHIE is quite concentrated. The underlying portfolio is rather shallow, and a small handful of stocks account for a significant portion of total assets. In other words, company-specific risk is significant, and CHIE doesn't offer a tremendous amount of balance or diversification. It should also be noted that while all the component companies are classified as energy stocks, the portfolio covers a number of different energy sub-sectors. In addition to traditional oil and gas firms, CHIE includes meaningful allocations to alternative energy, coal, and electric stocks.

CHIE isn't for everyone; the targeted focus makes this precise tool of limited use to the majority of investors. But for those looking to make a very specific play on the Chinese market, CHIE can be a very efficient way to access the energy market.