Emerging markets have long been popular investment destinations, as these countries generally offer considerably greater growth potential than more mature markets. Given the lack of emerging market listings on major U.S. exchanges and the difficulties of direct investments in many of these countries, ETFs have become a compelling means of achieving diversified exposure to these markets. For anyone looking to geographically diversify their portfolio, the MSCI Frontier 100 Index Fund (FM, A-) deserve consideration as a go-to option in emerging market ETF investing [see Free Report: How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time]. [click to continue…]
The evolution of the ETF universe has spawned dozens upon dozens of innovative offerings that make it easy and cost-effective to tap into strategies and asset classes that were previously out-of-reach for mainstream investors, including global markets. When picking which countries to invest in, those with high employment rates may be an appealing option, as these economies often […]
The FTSE Group, one of the leading indexing firms, recently announced the results of its Annual Country Classification Review, the process by which global equity markets are classified as Developed, Advanced Emerging, Secondary Emerging or Frontier using a scale of 21 “Qualities of Market” criteria. There were no reclassifications this year, but a couple more additions […]
With the ETF industry expanding at its rapid pace, issuers have gradually began venturing into more unconventional markets in order to differentiate new products from those already on the market. Many industry leaders have set out to offer greater levels of diversification, particularly in hard-to-reach developing economies. But when it comes to this type of exposure, […]
After ending the week on a high note following the announcement of QE3 on the home front, investors came back in a profit taking mood Monday morning as major benchmarks stumbled lower out of the gates. Selling pressures from Europe spilled over after finance ministers overseas failed to agree on a timetable for moving forward […]
iShares added to its lineup of more than 200 exchange-traded products last week with the launch of its first fund targeting economies that are one run below emerging markets. The new iShares MSCI Frontier 100 Index Fund (FM) will hold approximately 100 of the largest frontier market stocks, delivering access to an asset class that […]
A growing number of financial advisors are using exchange-traded funds to achieve international equity exposure for their clients, embracing funds that offer access to both developed and international market beyond the U.S. This should hardly be surprising; the exchange-traded structure delivers an efficient way to tap into an asset class that should be at the […]
The latest round of new product launches has pushed the total for the ETF total to 1,300, close to twice the number of products trading just a couple of years ago. But if the activity behind the scenes is any indication, the growth spurt is far from over. Multiple issuers continue to stuff the product […]
With more than 1,100 ETPs now trading, investors and advisors have access to more asset classes and investment strategies than ever before. But it can also be challenging for advisors and investors to navigate through all the ETF options and identify those that meet their investment objectives–especially with new funds debuting on a regular basis. […]
Global X announced today the launch of the first pure play Argentina ETF, bringing to market another option for accessing South America. The Global X FTSE Argentina 20 ETF (ARGT) will seek to replicate the FTSE Argentina 20 Index, a benchmark that includes the top 20 companies within the investable universe of Argentina-domiciled companies or […]
As ETFs have become increasingly popular among more active traders in recent years, it may be easy to forget that the vehicle was originally designed with the long-term buy-and-holder in mind. For those who take stock in the numerous academic studies indicating that active management generally destroys value over the long haul, cost efficient vehicles […]