ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS INDEX FUND $44.33 - New York symbol EEM

ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS INDEX FUND $44.33 (New York symbol EEM; buy or sell through brokers), is an exchange traded fund that aims to track the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Its geographic breakdown includes: China, 17.6%; Brazil, 15.6%; South Korea, 14.7%; Taiwan, 10.7%; South Africa, 7.4%; India, 6.8%; Russia, 6.5%; Mexico, 4.4%; Malaysia, 3.3%; and Indonesia, 2.6%.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund’s top holdings are Samsung Electronics (South Korea: electronics), 3.2%; Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 1.8%; China Mobile, 1.7%; Petrobras Petroleo preferred (Brazil: energy), 1.6%; Vale SA (Brazil: mining), 1.3%; Taiwan Semiconductor (Taiwan: computer chips), 1.3%; China Construction Bank (China: banking), 1.3%; America Movil (Brazil: wireless), 1.3%; Itau Unibanco Holding (Brazil: banking), 1.3%; and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (China: banking), 1.2%.

The fund’s industry breakdown is as follows: Financials, 24.0%; Energy, 14.4%; Materials, 13.4%; Information Technology, 13.3%; Consumer Staples, 7.7%; Consumer Discretionary, 7.7%; Telecommunication Services, 7.6%; Industrials, 7.0%; Utilities, 3.7%; and Health Care, 1.0%.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund was launched on April 7, 2003. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.67%.

The fund’s wide diversification among emerging markets tones down its risk, but emerging markets are still far more volatile and vulnerable to downturns than markets in the developed world.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund is a buy for aggressive investors.

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