top stocks

For new investors learning how to start a stock portfolio, buying high-quality stocks and diversification are key parts of the process

Natural gas investing is unpredictable, but selecting stocks with strong management, a healthy balance sheet, plus rising gas production and reserves will help you lower that risk

We think foreign stocks can safely make up 10% of a conservative investor’s portfolio. One way is through the selection of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with an overseas focus.


The best of those ETFs continue to offer very low management fees and well-diversified, tax-efficient portfolios of high-quality stocks.


Here’s a look at four international ETFs we see as suitable for new buying and two others we feel you should continue to hold.


ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS INDEX FUND $44.46 (New York symbol EEM; buy or sell through brokers) is designed to track the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.


The fund’s geographic breakdown is as follows: China, 31.4%; South Korea, 14.0%; Taiwan, 11.7%; India, 8.8%; South Africa, 6.6%; Brazil, 6.5%; Russia, 3.4%; Mexico, 3.1%; Malaysia, 2.4%; Thailand, 2.3%; Indonesia, 1.9%; and Poland, 1.2%.


Its top stocks are Tencent Holdings (China: Internet), 5.0%; Alibaba Group (China: e-commerce), 4.1 %; Samsung Electronics (South Korea), 3.8%; Taiwan Semiconductor (computer chips), 3.7%; Naspers (South Africa: media and Internet), 2.1%; China Construction Bank, 1.6%; Baidu (China: Internet), 1.3%; Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, 1.0%; China Mobile, 1.0%; and Ping An Insurance Group (China), 0.9%.


iShares launched the ETF on April 7, 2003....

All investors want to find the top stocks to buy now—and here’s how we think you can do it

Mid-cap stocks, like middle children, don’t always get the attention they deserve. But, that has failed to hold back several top stocks in this overlooked category.


What are mid-cap stocks?


Mid-cap stocks fall between large-cap stocks and small-cap stocks, but their size varies from stock market to stock market.


S&P ranks all U.S....

There’s little doubt that the developing world’s aging population will continue to spend more on medical services for years to come. Medical device makers are well positioned to capture a share of that increased spending. In turn, investors in the industry’s leading companies stand to benefit from growing demand....

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS $115.09 New York symbol BR; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (201-714-3000; www.broadridge.com; Shares outstanding: 116.7 million; Market cap: $13.6 billion; Dividend yield: 1.3%) serves the investment industry in three main areas: investor communications, securities processing and transaction clearing.


Broadridge is trading near new all-time highs this week after reporting stronger earnings in the latest quarter.


For the three months ended March 31, 2018, revenue rose 6.2%, to $1.07 billion from $1.01 billion a year earlier.


Excluding one-time items, the company earned $121.4 million, or $1.00 a share....

An improving global economy and growing military threats continue to push up defense spending. Still, the total investment as a percentage of global GDP sits near recent lows. That leaves room for significant growth (see supplement on page 60).


Here are three ETFs that provide exposure to companies positioned to benefit from increased military spending.


SPDR S&P AEROSPACE & DEFENSE ETF $88 (New York symbol XAR; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $1.3 billion) invests in U.S....

We think conservative investors can hold up to 10% of their portfolios in foreign stocks. One way to do that is by choosing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with an overseas focus.


The best of those funds continue to offer very low management fees and well-diversified, tax-efficient portfolios of high-quality stocks.


Here’s a look at four international ETFs we see as buys, and two we feel you should continue to hold.


ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS INDEX FUND $47.90 (New York symbol EEM; buy or sell through brokers) aims to track the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.


The fund’s geographic breakdown follows: China, 29.8%; South Korea, 15.0%; Taiwan, 11.6%; India, 8.1%; Brazil, 7.4%; South Africa, 6.7%; Russia, 3.6%; Mexico, 2.9%; Malaysia, 2.5%; Thailand, 2.4%; Indonesia, 2.1%; and Poland, 1.2%.


Its top stocks are Tencent Holdings (China: Internet), 5.4%; Samsung Electronics (South Korea ), 4.6%; Alibaba Group (China: e-commerce), 3.8 %; Taiwan Semiconductor (computer chips), 3.7%; Naspers (South Africa: media and Internet ), 1.9%; China Construction Bank, 1.6%; Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, 1.2%; China Mobile, 1.20%; Baidu (China: Internet ), 1.1%; and Ping An Insurance Group (China), 1.0%.


iShares launched the ETF on April 7, 2003....

The six ETFs we update below mainly hold high-quality stocks that are widely traded on Canadian and U.S. ex- changes. Each fund tracks the performance of a major stock market index. That’s different from ETFs focused on narrower indexes or themes such as solar power and bio- technology.

Of course, you pay brokerage commissions to buy and sell these investments....