investing

Despite covering about 70% of the earth’s surface, only 3% of that water is fresh and therefore suitable for human consumption and agriculture.


At present, an estimated 3.6 billion people (nearly half the global population) live in areas that are potentially water-scarce at least one month per year....

“Fintech” refers to the crossover of technology into financial services. Firms in this area offer innovative software, mobile devices, data and analytics, and networks to compete with traditional financial services providers. Many are also partnered with banks, insurance companies or investment managers to complement their existing services and products....

This month, we look at a new ETF that aims to focus on companies that will benefit from the fast-growing video gaming and eSports sector. Another ETF seeks to find companies that have registered blockchain patents.


VANECK VECTORS VIDEO GAMING AND eSPORTS ETF $27.60 (New York symbol ESPO) invests in companies involved in video gaming and eSports.


eSports is fast becoming extremely popular and viewership is already topping some of the most popular U.S....

For more than two decades, Vietnam has been one of the best-performing emerging-market economies. Business-oriented government policies, booming exports, and an expanding middle class increasingly contribute to that success story.


Here is an ETF that provides exposure to the top Vietnamese publicly listed companies.


VANECK VECTORS VIETNAM ETF $15.11 (New York symbol VNM; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $326.1 million) holds Vietnamese companies and foreign firms that get a significant share of their revenue from the Southeast Asian nation.


Real Estate accounts for 27% of the fund’s assets, followed by Consumer Defensive (17%), Financial Services (16%), Consumer Cyclical (10%), Industrials (8%) and Technology (7%).


The ETF holds a portfolio of 26 stocks; the top 10 make up a very high 61% of its assets....

Major cities such as Sao Paulo and Cape Town have come close to running out of water in recent years. This again highlights the urgent need for city planners and governments to consider the implications of population growth, urbanization and climate change on the demand and supply of fresh water.


Meanwhile, here are three ETFs that aim to benefit from the opportunities presented by companies providing products and services to the water industry (see the supplement on page 120 for more information).


INVESCO WATER RESOURCES ETF $29.64 (Nasdaq symbol PHO; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $809.0 million) invests in companies listed on U.S....

Generally, robo-advisors offer a set number of investment portfolios largely composed of ETFs. They then use a client’s investment profile—factoring in their needs and risk tolerance—to determine which of those portfolios is best suited to the individual investor.


Robo-advisors claim that their exclusive algorithms take the emotion out of investing and lead to better returns for a lower cost than traditional financial advisors.


Typically, robo-advisors aim to build what they see as diversified portfolios covering all the main asset categories....

A: Sleep Country Canada Holdings Inc., $22.47, symbol ZZZ on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 37.0 million; Market cap: $835.6 million; www.sleepcountry.ca), is the dominant specialty mattress retailer in Canada....

For investors like Warren Buffett, investments are best picked with a value investing strategy that focuses on blue chip stocks that can be held for long periods.

Investing in mutual funds for beginners: Here are some of the best ways to do it—and also what to avoid

To entice potential clients, some investment trading companies tout the results of their “model accounts.” This can lead some investors astray