etf

An ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) is an investment fund that holds a collection of underlying assets, such as stocks or bonds, in a single pooled vehicle. ETFs allow investors to purchase a variety of different securities at once, providing greater diversification compared to owning individual assets. They are traded on stock exchanges like regular stocks, allowing for intraday trading at market prices. ETFs typically have lower fees than mutual funds and often passively track an index or sector, making them a popular choice for investors seeking a cost-effective way to invest in a diversified portfolio.

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MARKET VECTORS VIETNAM ETF $18.89 (New York symbol VNM; buy or sell through brokers) holds shares of Vietnamese companies or foreign firms that get a significant amount of their revenue from Vietnam.

The ETF’s top 10 holdings are Pha Lai Thermal Power, 8.2%; Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam, 7.2%; Baoviet Holdings (finance and insurance), 7.1%; PetroVietnam Fertilizer and Chemical, 6.9%; Vincom Corp. (real estate), 6.8%; Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Bank, 5.3%; Gamuda Bhd (a Malaysiabased construction group), 5.2%; Minor International (a Thailand-based firm with hotels and fast-food restaurants in Vietnam), 4.4%; Vietnam Construction and Import-Export, 4.3%; and Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (an India-based oil and gas company), 4.2%.

Market Vectors Vietnam ETF’s industry breakdown is as follows: Financials, 36.2%; Energy, 19.9%; Industrials, 14.5%; Materials, 10.0%; Utilities, 8.2%; Consumer Discretionary, 5.3%; and Consumer Staples, 3.7%. Its expense ratio is 0.76%.
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ISHARES FTSE/XINHUA CHINA 25 INDEX FUND $31.73 (New York symbol FXI; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that aims to track the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index, which is made up of the 25 largest and most liquid Chinese stocks. All of the stocks in the index trade on the Hong Kong exchange. Some also trade as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on the New York exchange.

The fund’s top holdings are China Mobile, 10.5%; China Construction Bank, 8.7%; Industrial & Commercial Bank, 7.4%; Tencent Holdings, 6.8%, Bank of China, 5.9%; PetroChina, 4.0%, CNOOC, 4.0%; China Shenhua Energy, 3.9%; China Life Insurance, 3.9%, and Ping An Insurance, 3.9%.

The fund’s holdings give it the following industry breakdown: Financials, 52.1%; Telecommunications, 16.7%; Oil and Gas, 11.8%; Technology, 6.8%, Basic Materials, 5.0%; and Consumer Goods, 3.2%. Its expense ratio is 0.73%.
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ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS EASTERN EUROPE INDEX FUND $22.87 (New York 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, 73.1%; Poland, 20.1%; Czech Republic, 3.0%; and Hungary, 2.9%.

The fund’s top holdings are Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 14.6%; Sberbank (Russia: bank), 10.9%; Lukoil (Russia: oil), 10.5%; Magnit OJSC (Russia: retailing), 5.1%; Novatek (Russia: natural gas), 3.9%; PKO Bank Polski SA (Poland: banking), 3.5%; Mobile TeleSystems (Russia: wireless), 3.4%; Uralkali (Russia: potash), 3.3%; and Rosneft Oil Company (Russia: oil and gas), 3.1%.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s expense ratio is 0.66%.
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ISHARES S&P INDIA NIFTY 50 INDEX FUND $21.98 (Nasdaq symbol INDY; buy or sell through brokers; us.ishares.com) is an ETF that aims to track the S&P CNX Nifty Index, which represents the 50 largest, most liquid Indian securities.

The fund’s top holdings are ITC Ltd. (conglomerate), 9.7%; Reliance Industries Ltd. (conglomerate), 7.4%; Housing Development Finance, 7.1%; ICICI Bank, 6.7%; HDFC Bank, 6.5%; Infosys, 6.4%; Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (conglomerate), 4.2%; Tata Consultancy Services (information technology), 4.0%; Hindustan Unilever, 3.4%; and Oil & Natural Gas Corp., 3.1%.

The fund’s industry breakdown includes Banks, 21.4%; Computers, 11.4%; Cigarettes, 9.7%; Refineries, 7.9%; Finance, 7.1%; Pharmaceuticals, 5.9%; Engineering, 4.2%; Oil Exploration and Production, 4.0%; and Automobiles, 3.6%; The ETF has a 0.92% expense ratio.
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BMO Junior Gold Index ETF, $8.50, symbol ZJG on Toronto (Units outstanding: 6.2 million; Market cap: $52.7 million; www.etfs.bmo.com), aims to mirror the performance of the Dow Jones North America Select Junior Gold Index. This index is made up of 30 junior gold stocks from Canada (84.8% of assets) and the U.S. (15.2%). The fund’s MER is 0.55%. The BMO Junior Gold Index ETF began trading on January 19, 2010. The fund’s top 10 holdings are Alamos Gold at 11.1%; B2Gold Corp., 9.6%; Coeur Mines, 8.1%; AuRico Gold, 7.8%; Detour Gold Corp., 7.0%; Argonaut Gold, 5.8%; Torex Gold Resources, 5.2%; Alacer Gold Corp., 3.7%; Centerra Gold, 3.7%; and Allied Nevada Gold, 3.7%....
Two ETFs that will profit from an Asian rebound
Emerging markets have been down lately but the long-term outlook remains sound. A good way to profit from that outlook with less risk is through low-fee exchange traded funds (ETFs). Here are two we follow regularly.

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Emerging markets continue to have sound longterm outlooks. A good way to profit from their growth with less risk is through low-fee exchange traded funds (ETFs). Here are two we see as buys.

ISHARES S&P INDIA NIFTY 50 INDEX FUND $21.98 (Nasdaq symbol INDY; buy or sell through brokers; us.ishares.com) is an ETF that aims to track the S&P CNX Nifty Index, which represents the 50 largest, most liquid Indian securities.

The fund’s top holdings are ITC Ltd....
ISHARES FTSE/XINHUA CHINA 25 INDEX FUND $31.73 (New York symbol FXI; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that aims to track the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index, which is made up of the 25 largest and most liquid Chinese stocks. All of the stocks in the index trade on the Hong Kong exchange....
ISHARES AUSTRALIA INDEX FUND $23.84 (New York symbol EWA; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that holds the 70 largest Australian stocks. Its MER is 0.50%.

The fund’s top holdings include BHP Billiton, 10.8%; Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 10.6%; Westpac Banking Corp., 8.9%; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, 7.5%; National Australia Bank, 6.8%; Woolworths, 4.0%; Wesfarmers, 3.9%; CSL Ltd., 2.9%; Westfield Group, 2.4%; and Woodside Petroleum, 2.3%.

Australia benefits from its stable banking and political systems. It is also rich in natural resources, and it’s close to key Asian markets with vast potential, including India and China.
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ISHARES MSCI BRAZIL INDEX FUND $50.15 (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 (oil and gas), 12.7%; Vale do Rio Doce (mining), 8.4%; Cia Itau Unibanco Holding (banking), 7.4%; Banco Brandesco (banking) preferred, 6.5%; Cia de Bebidas das Americas (beer and beverages), 5.5%; and BRF SA (food), 3.6%.

The ETF was launched on July 10, 2000. It has an expense ratio of 0.60%.

The fund’s focus on the resource sector and its concentration in certain stocks, such as Petrobras and Vale do Rio Doce, add risk. However, both are high-quality stocks.
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