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Most stock markets have risen lately. But as always, they remain subject to unexpected downturns. Even so, we feel the long-term outlook is for higher stock prices. One way to profit from rising markets is to add exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track major stock indexes to your portfolio. ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks. Prices are quoted in newspaper stock tables and online. You must pay brokerage commissions to buy and sell ETFs, but their low management fees still give them a cost advantage over most mutual funds....
Most stock markets have risen lately. But as always, they remain subject to unexpected downturns. Even so, the long-term outlook is for higher stock prices.
One way to profit from rising markets is to add exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track major stock indexes to your portfolio.
ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks....
One way to profit from rising markets is to add exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track major stock indexes to your portfolio.
ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks....
ISHARES S&P/TSX GLOBAL GOLD INDEXFUND $19.04 (Toronto symbol XGD; buy or sell throughbrokers; ca.ishares.com) aims to mirror the performanceof the S&P/TSX Global Gold Index.
This index is made up of 56 gold stocks fromCanada and around the world. The fund’s MER is0.60%. iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index Fundbegan trading on March 23, 2001.
The fund’s top 10 holdings are Barrick Gold at15.1%; Goldcorp, 13.1%; Newmont Mining, 9.8%;Yamana Gold, 5.7%; AngloGold Ashanti (ADR),5.2%; Kinross, 4.8%; Eldorado Gold, 4.1%;Randgold Resources, 4.1%; Agnico-Eagle Mines,3.4%; and Gold Fields (ADR), 3.8%.
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This index is made up of 56 gold stocks fromCanada and around the world. The fund’s MER is0.60%. iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index Fundbegan trading on March 23, 2001.
The fund’s top 10 holdings are Barrick Gold at15.1%; Goldcorp, 13.1%; Newmont Mining, 9.8%;Yamana Gold, 5.7%; AngloGold Ashanti (ADR),5.2%; Kinross, 4.8%; Eldorado Gold, 4.1%;Randgold Resources, 4.1%; Agnico-Eagle Mines,3.4%; and Gold Fields (ADR), 3.8%.
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ISHARES FTSE/XINHUA CHINA 25 INDEXFUND $41.85 (New York symbol FXI; buy or sell throughbrokers) is an ETF that aims to track the FTSE/XinhuaChina 25 Index, which is made up of the 25 largestand most liquid Chinese stocks. All of the stocks inthe index trade on the Hong Kong exchange. Somealso trade as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs)on the New York exchange.
The fund’s top holdings are China ConstructionBank, 9.6%; China Mobile, 9.4%; Industrial &Commercial Bank, 8.8%; CNOOC, 6.5%; Bank ofChina, 6.2%; Agricultural Bank of China, 4.5%;China Overseas Land & Investment, 4.2%; ChinaPacific Insurance, 4.2%; China Petroleum andChemical; 4.1%; and PetroChina, 3.9%.
The fund’s holdings give it the following industrybreakdown: Financials, 59.2%; Telecommunications,15.7%; Oil and Gas, 14.5%; Basic Materials, 8.9%;and Industrials, 2.1%. Its expense ratio is 0.74%.
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The fund’s top holdings are China ConstructionBank, 9.6%; China Mobile, 9.4%; Industrial &Commercial Bank, 8.8%; CNOOC, 6.5%; Bank ofChina, 6.2%; Agricultural Bank of China, 4.5%;China Overseas Land & Investment, 4.2%; ChinaPacific Insurance, 4.2%; China Petroleum andChemical; 4.1%; and PetroChina, 3.9%.
The fund’s holdings give it the following industrybreakdown: Financials, 59.2%; Telecommunications,15.7%; Oil and Gas, 14.5%; Basic Materials, 8.9%;and Industrials, 2.1%. Its expense ratio is 0.74%.
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ISHARES FTSE/XINHUA CHINA 25 INDEXFUND $41.85 (New York symbol FXI; buy or sell throughbrokers) is an ETF that aims to track the FTSE/XinhuaChina 25 Index, which is made up of the 25 largestand most liquid Chinese stocks. All of the stocks inthe index trade on the Hong Kong exchange....
In September 2011, gold hit an all-time high of$1,900.30 U.S. an ounce. It now trades at around$1,686.50. Silver rose to an all-time high in April2011, when it reached $49.76 U.S. an ounce. It hassince pulled back to today’s price of $31.00.
Gold and silver could well regain their highs andmove up even further over the longer term, althoughthey will likely remain volatile....
Gold and silver could well regain their highs andmove up even further over the longer term, althoughthey will likely remain volatile....
ISHARES DEX UNIVERSE BOND INDEX FUND $31.52 (CWA Rating: Income) (Toronto symbol XBB; buy or sell through brokers) mirrors the performance of the DEX Universe Bond Index. The 719 bonds in the portfolio have an average term to maturity of 9.78 years. The fund’s MER is 0.33%.
The bonds in the index are 71.1% government and 28.9% corporate.
The fund yields 3.2%, compared to the Short-Term Bond Fund’s 2.8%. Its yield to maturity is 2.29%, 0.72% above the Short-Term Fund. That reflects the added risk of holding long-term bonds.
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The bonds in the index are 71.1% government and 28.9% corporate.
The fund yields 3.2%, compared to the Short-Term Bond Fund’s 2.8%. Its yield to maturity is 2.29%, 0.72% above the Short-Term Fund. That reflects the added risk of holding long-term bonds.
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ISHARES DEX SHORT-TERM BOND INDEX FUND $28.91 (CWA Rating: Income) (Toronto symbol XSB; buy or sell through brokers) mirrors the performance of the DEX Short-Term Bond Index. This index consists of a wide range of investmentgrade federal, provincial, municipal and corporate bonds with between one- and five-year terms to maturity. The fund holds 347 bonds with an average term to maturity of 2.85 years. The bonds in the index are 66.5% government and 33.5% corporate. The fund’s MER is 0.28%.
iShares DEX Short-Term Bond Index Fund yields 2.8%. However, this high yield is due to the fact that some of the fund’s bonds pay above-market interest rates. As a result, they trade above their face value. When these bonds mature, holders will only get the bonds’ face value, which means the portfolio will incur predictable capital losses. These losses will offset some of the appeal of the above-market yields.
The key figure when looking at the long-term return of this fund is yield to maturity. This yield takes into account the series of capital losses the fund will experience as its above-market-rate bonds mature. iShares DEX Short-Term Bond Index Fund’s yield to maturity is around 1.57%—less than the 2.8% yield but still higher than the 1.08% you’d earn by investing in, say, a one-year T-bill.
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iShares DEX Short-Term Bond Index Fund yields 2.8%. However, this high yield is due to the fact that some of the fund’s bonds pay above-market interest rates. As a result, they trade above their face value. When these bonds mature, holders will only get the bonds’ face value, which means the portfolio will incur predictable capital losses. These losses will offset some of the appeal of the above-market yields.
The key figure when looking at the long-term return of this fund is yield to maturity. This yield takes into account the series of capital losses the fund will experience as its above-market-rate bonds mature. iShares DEX Short-Term Bond Index Fund’s yield to maturity is around 1.57%—less than the 2.8% yield but still higher than the 1.08% you’d earn by investing in, say, a one-year T-bill.
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ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS EASTERN EUROPE INDEX FUND $24.70 (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, 72.2%; Poland, 18.6%; Czech Republic, 3.7%; and Hungary, 3.7%.
The fund’s top holdings are Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 16.9%; Lukoil (Russia: oil), 11.0%; Sberbank (Russia: bank), 8.7%; Uralkali (Russia: potash), 3.5%; Rosneft Oil Company (Russia: oil and gas), 3.4%; Novatek (Russia: natural gas), 3.4%; Magnit OJSC (Russia: retailing), 3.3%; Tafneft (Russia: oil and gas), 3.2%; Mobile TeleSystems (Russia: wireless), 3.1%; and PKO Bank Polski SA (Poland: banking), 2.9%.
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s expense ratio is 0.68%.
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The fund’s top holdings are Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 16.9%; Lukoil (Russia: oil), 11.0%; Sberbank (Russia: bank), 8.7%; Uralkali (Russia: potash), 3.5%; Rosneft Oil Company (Russia: oil and gas), 3.4%; Novatek (Russia: natural gas), 3.4%; Magnit OJSC (Russia: retailing), 3.3%; Tafneft (Russia: oil and gas), 3.2%; Mobile TeleSystems (Russia: wireless), 3.1%; and PKO Bank Polski SA (Poland: banking), 2.9%.
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s expense ratio is 0.68%.
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ISHARES S&P INDIA NIFTY 50 INDEX FUND $23.67 (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), 8.8%; Reliance Industries Ltd. (conglomerate), 7.2%; HDFC Bank, 6.9%; Housing Development Finance, 6.8%; ICICI Bank, 6.7%; Infosys Technologies (software), 6.4%; Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (conglomerate), 4.8%; Tata Consultancy Services (information technology), 3.7%; Hindustan Unilever (consumer goods), 3.1%; and State Bank of India, 3.1%.
The fund’s industry breakdown includes Banks, 20.7%; Computers, 12.2%; Cigarettes, 8.8%; Refineries, 7.6%; Housing, 6.8%; Pharmaceuticals, 5.1%; Engineering, 4.8%; Automobiles, 3.6%; and Oil Exploration/Production, 3.6%. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.89%.
India’s economy likely slowed to a 5.5% growth rate in the third quarter of 2012 from 6.9% a year earlier. But that could rise to over 7.0% next year.
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The fund’s industry breakdown includes Banks, 20.7%; Computers, 12.2%; Cigarettes, 8.8%; Refineries, 7.6%; Housing, 6.8%; Pharmaceuticals, 5.1%; Engineering, 4.8%; Automobiles, 3.6%; and Oil Exploration/Production, 3.6%. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.89%.
India’s economy likely slowed to a 5.5% growth rate in the third quarter of 2012 from 6.9% a year earlier. But that could rise to over 7.0% next year.
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