ishares
ISHARES AUSTRALIA INDEX FUND $22.18 (New York symbol EWA; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that holds the 73 largest Australian stocks. Its MER is 0.52%. The fund’s top holdings include BHP Billiton, 12.2%; Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 10.1%; Westpac Banking Corp., 7.8%; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, 7.0%; National Australia Bank, 6.4%; Woolworths, 4.0%; Rio Tinto, 3.0%; Westfield Group, 2.5%; and CSL Ltd., 2.5%. Australia benefits from its stable banking and political systems. It is also rich in natural resources, and it’s close to key Asian markets, including India and China....
ISHARES DOW JONES CANADA SELECT DIVIDEND INDEX FUND $20.08 (Toronto symbol XDV; buy or sell through brokers; ca.ishares.com) holds 30 of the highest-yielding Canadian stocks. Its selections are based on dividend growth, yield and payout ratio. The weight of any one stock is limited to 10% of its assets. The fund’s MER is 0.50%. It yields 4.5%.
The fund’s top holdings are CIBC, 6.9%; National Bank, 6.0%; TD Bank, 5.6%; Bank of Montreal, 5.2%; Bonterra Energy, 5.2%; AG Growth International, 4.8%; Royal Bank of Canada, 4.3%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 4.3%; and BCE Inc., 4.0%.
The fund holds 54.1% of its assets in financial stocks. Utilities are next, at 21.4%. The top Canadian finance stocks have sound prospects. However, if you invest in this ETF, be sure to adjust the rest of your portfolio so it won’t be overly concentrated in the financial sector.
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The fund’s top holdings are CIBC, 6.9%; National Bank, 6.0%; TD Bank, 5.6%; Bank of Montreal, 5.2%; Bonterra Energy, 5.2%; AG Growth International, 4.8%; Royal Bank of Canada, 4.3%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 4.3%; and BCE Inc., 4.0%.
The fund holds 54.1% of its assets in financial stocks. Utilities are next, at 21.4%. The top Canadian finance stocks have sound prospects. However, if you invest in this ETF, be sure to adjust the rest of your portfolio so it won’t be overly concentrated in the financial sector.
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ISHARES S&P/TSX 60 INDEX FUND $16.65 (Toronto symbol XIU; buy or sell through brokers; ca.ishares.com) is a good, low-fee way to buy the top stocks on the TSX. The units are made up of stocks that represent the S&P/TSX 60 Index, which consists of the 60 largest, most heavily traded stocks on the exchange. Expenses are just 0.17% of assets.
The index mostly consists of high-quality companies. However, as the fund must ensure that all sectors are represented, it holds a few stocks we wouldn’t include.
The index’s top holdings are Royal Bank, 7.2%; TD Bank, 7.0%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 5.9%; Barrick Gold, 4.4%; Suncor Energy, 4.3%; CN Railway, 3.7%; Bank of Montreal, 3.5%; Potash Corp., 3.4%; Goldcorp, 3.3%; BCE Inc., 3.2%; Canadian Natural Resources, 3.2%; Enbridge, 3.1%; TransCanada Corp., 3.0%; CIBC, 2.8%; Cenovus Energy, 2.3%; and Telus Corp., 1.9%.
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The index mostly consists of high-quality companies. However, as the fund must ensure that all sectors are represented, it holds a few stocks we wouldn’t include.
The index’s top holdings are Royal Bank, 7.2%; TD Bank, 7.0%; Bank of Nova Scotia, 5.9%; Barrick Gold, 4.4%; Suncor Energy, 4.3%; CN Railway, 3.7%; Bank of Montreal, 3.5%; Potash Corp., 3.4%; Goldcorp, 3.3%; BCE Inc., 3.2%; Canadian Natural Resources, 3.2%; Enbridge, 3.1%; TransCanada Corp., 3.0%; CIBC, 2.8%; Cenovus Energy, 2.3%; and Telus Corp., 1.9%.
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iShares Diversified Monthly Income Fund ETF, $12.22, symbol XTR on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 37.5 million; Market cap: $458.3 million; ca.ishares.com), holds units of nine different iShares ETFs. Among these holdings are units of four bond funds that add up to 60.7% of the iShares Diversified Monthly Income Fund ETF’s assets. These include the iShares DEX Hybrid Bond Index Fund and the iShares DEX All-Corporate Bond Index Fund, both of which hold corporate bonds....
Most stock markets are down lately due to investor worries about a potential eurozone breakup, sluggish U.S. growth and a slowdown in China. Still, the long-term outlook is positive. One way to profit from a rebound is to add exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track major stock market 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....
ISHARES S&P/TSX GLOBAL GOLD INDEX FUND $19.17 (Toronto symbol XGD; buy or sell through brokers; ca.ishares.com) aims to mirror the performance of the S&P/TSX Global Gold Index.
This index is made up of 64 gold stocks from Canada and around the world. The fund’s MER is 0.55%. iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index Fund began trading on March 23, 2001.
The fund’s top 10 holdings are Barrick Gold at 17.0%; Goldcorp., 13.0%; Newmont Mining, 9.9%; AngloGold Ashanti (ADR), 5.5%; Yamana Gold, 4.6%; Kinross, 4.3%; Eldorado Gold, 4.2%; Gold Fields (ADR), 3.9%; Compania de Minas Buenaventura SA, 3.8%; and Randgold Resources, 3.4%.
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This index is made up of 64 gold stocks from Canada and around the world. The fund’s MER is 0.55%. iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index Fund began trading on March 23, 2001.
The fund’s top 10 holdings are Barrick Gold at 17.0%; Goldcorp., 13.0%; Newmont Mining, 9.9%; AngloGold Ashanti (ADR), 5.5%; Yamana Gold, 4.6%; Kinross, 4.3%; Eldorado Gold, 4.2%; Gold Fields (ADR), 3.9%; Compania de Minas Buenaventura SA, 3.8%; and Randgold Resources, 3.4%.
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ISHARES FTSE/XINHUA CHINA 25 INDEX FUND $38.31 (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, 10.3%; China Construction Bank, 8.7%; Industrial & Commercial Bank, 7.9%; CNOOC, 6.9%; Bank of China, 6.0%; Ping An Insurance, 4.2%; Petrochina, 4.1%; China Merchants Bank, 4.1%; and China Life Insurance, 4.1%.
The fund’s holdings give it the following industry breakdown: Financials, 53.9%; Telecommunications, 18.0%; Oil and Gas, 14.8%; Basic Materials, 10.3%; and Industrials, 2.2%; The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.72%.
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The fund’s top holdings are China Mobile, 10.3%; China Construction Bank, 8.7%; Industrial & Commercial Bank, 7.9%; CNOOC, 6.9%; Bank of China, 6.0%; Ping An Insurance, 4.2%; Petrochina, 4.1%; China Merchants Bank, 4.1%; and China Life Insurance, 4.1%.
The fund’s holdings give it the following industry breakdown: Financials, 53.9%; Telecommunications, 18.0%; Oil and Gas, 14.8%; Basic Materials, 10.3%; and Industrials, 2.2%; The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.72%.
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ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS EASTERN EUROPE INDEX FUND $26.38 (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, 76.4%; Poland, 15.8%; Czech Republic, 3.9%; and Hungary, 3.5%.
The fund’s top holdings are Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 19.7%; Lukoil (Russia: oil), 10.0%; Sberbank (Russia: bank), 8.9%; Novatek (Russia: natural gas), 3.9%; Rosneft Oil Company (Russia: oil and gas), 3.7%; Uralkali (Russia: potash), 3.4%; Mobile Tele- Systems (Russia: wireless), 3.2%; Tafneft (Russia: oil and gas), 2.8%; MMC Norilsk Nickel (Russia: mining), 2.7%; and Magnit OJSC (Russia: retailing), 2.5%. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s expense ratio is 0.68%.
The fund’s concentration in Russia adds risk. But the long-term outlook for resource prices, including oil, is positive. That’s a big plus for Russia’s largely resource-based economy, which is forecast to grow by 4% in 2012.
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The fund’s top holdings are Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 19.7%; Lukoil (Russia: oil), 10.0%; Sberbank (Russia: bank), 8.9%; Novatek (Russia: natural gas), 3.9%; Rosneft Oil Company (Russia: oil and gas), 3.7%; Uralkali (Russia: potash), 3.4%; Mobile Tele- Systems (Russia: wireless), 3.2%; Tafneft (Russia: oil and gas), 2.8%; MMC Norilsk Nickel (Russia: mining), 2.7%; and Magnit OJSC (Russia: retailing), 2.5%. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s expense ratio is 0.68%.
The fund’s concentration in Russia adds risk. But the long-term outlook for resource prices, including oil, is positive. That’s a big plus for Russia’s largely resource-based economy, which is forecast to grow by 4% in 2012.
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ISHARES S&P INDIA NIFTY 50 INDEX FUND $22.40 (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), 8.3%; Reliance Industries Ltd. (conglomerate), 7.8%; Infosys Technologies (software), 7.1%; Housing Development Finance, 6.2%; ICICI Bank, 6.2%; HDFC Bank, 6.1%; Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (conglomerate), 4.1%; Tata Consultancy Services (information technology), 3.8%; and State Bank of India, 3.5%.
The fund’s industry breakdown includes Banks, 19.0%; Computers, 13.0%; Refineries, 8.3%; Cigarettes, 8.3%; Automobiles, 6.6%; Housing, 6.3%; Pharmaceuticals, 4.4%; Engineering, 4.1%; Power, 3.9%; and Oil Exploration, 3.7%. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.89%.
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The fund’s top holdings are ITC Ltd. (conglomerate), 8.3%; Reliance Industries Ltd. (conglomerate), 7.8%; Infosys Technologies (software), 7.1%; Housing Development Finance, 6.2%; ICICI Bank, 6.2%; HDFC Bank, 6.1%; Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (conglomerate), 4.1%; Tata Consultancy Services (information technology), 3.8%; and State Bank of India, 3.5%.
The fund’s industry breakdown includes Banks, 19.0%; Computers, 13.0%; Refineries, 8.3%; Cigarettes, 8.3%; Automobiles, 6.6%; Housing, 6.3%; Pharmaceuticals, 4.4%; Engineering, 4.1%; Power, 3.9%; and Oil Exploration, 3.7%. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.89%.
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Emerging markets continue to have strong longterm outlooks. One of the best ways to profit from their growth with less risk is through low-fee exchange traded funds (ETFs). ISHARES S&P INDIA NIFTY 50 INDEX FUND $22.40 (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), 8.3%; Reliance Industries Ltd. (conglomerate), 7.8%; Infosys Technologies (software), 7.1%; Housing Development Finance, 6.2%; ICICI Bank, 6.2%; HDFC Bank, 6.1%; Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (conglomerate), 4.1%; Tata Consultancy Services (information technology), 3.8%; and State Bank of India, 3.5%....