Aggressive
ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS EASTERN EUROPE INDEX FUND $26.34 (New York Exchange symbol ESR; buy or sell through brokers), is an ETF that aims to track the MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index.
The fund’s geographic breakdown is as follows: Russia, 73.7%; Poland, 14.2%; Czech Republic 5.7%; and Hungary, 4.9%.
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s top holdings are Gazprom …read more »
ISHARES MSCI BRAZIL INDEX FUND $70.55 (New York Exchange symbol EWZ; buy or sell through brokers), is an exchange-traded fund that is designed to track the Brazilian stock market.
The fund’s top holdings are Petrobras preferred shares (energy), 9.4%; Cia Vale do Rio Doce (mining) preferred shares, 9.3%; Itau Unibanco Multiplo SA (banking), 9.0%; Petrobras common shares, 7.9%; Cia Vale do …read more »
ISHARES S&P INDIA NIFTY 50 INDEX FUND $27.04 (Nasdaq symbol INDY; buy or sell through brokers), is an ETF that aims to track the S&P CNX Nifty Index, which represents the 50 largest, most liquid Indian securities on the National Stock Exchange of India.
The fund’s top holdings are Reliance Industries (conglomerate), 10.2%; Infosys Technologies (software), 8.3%; ICICI Bank, 6.9%; Larsen …read more »
Australia weathered the financial crisis without going into recession — unlike almost all other major global economies. Stimulus spending helped, but it also benefited from strong demand for its exports from China. As well, like Canada, Australia has a strong banking sector that didn’t need government bailouts.
Australia’s recent election has resulted in a minority government. That should benefit the Australian …read more »
Gold and silver continue to rise. Gold is up 30% from a year ago, and is trading at $1,248 U.S. an ounce. Silver is at $19.35 U.S. an ounce, up 38%.
Gold and silver could well move higher over the longer term, although they will likely remain volatile. Higher prices would arise from investor fears that low interest rates and governments …read more »
Exports to the U.S., Europe and other developed nations are a significant source of growth for emerging economies. However, expanding domestic demand is increasingly supporting those economies. That’s helping offset slower growth internationally. And with savings rates as high as 53% of GNP in China, 33% in India and 16% in Brazil, compared to just 12% in the U.S., there’s …read more »
Newell Rubbermaid took its present form in 1999, when Newell Companies bought Rubbermaid Inc. That doubled the size of the old Newell, which felt it needed to get bigger to improve its negotiating position with big retailers like Wal-Mart. Even now, Wal-Mart still accounts for 12% of the company’s sales.
The combined company went on to buy several other businesses over …read more »
IDEXX LABORATORIES INC. $56 (Nasdaq symbol IDXX; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 57.7 million; Market cap: $3.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.0; No dividends paid; WSSF Rating: Average) earned $0.62 a share in the three months ended June 30, 2010. That’s up 12.7% from $0.55 a year earlier. Revenue rose 5.9%, to $281.5 million from $265.7 million. …read more »
TERADATA CORP. $30 (New York symbol TDC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 167.3 million; Market cap: $5.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.8; No dividends paid; WSSF Rating: Average) makes computers and software that capture and store large amounts of a business’s data. Analyzing this information helps its clients make better decisions.
In the three months ended June 30, …read more »
BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS INC. $20 (New York symbol BR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 126.7 million; Market cap: $2.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 3.0%; WSSF Rating: Average) has purchased privately held NewRiver Inc., which specializes in electronic forms that make it easier for financial companies to submit data to the Securities and Exchange Commission and other …read more »
