Australia fund lets you tap regional growth

Article Excerpt

Australia was a major beneficiary of the boom in the Chinese economy over the past three decades. In the process, China became the largest buyer of Australia’s natural resources, and an important participant in the Australian tourism and education industries. However, the COVID-19 pandemic—and the recent souring of the relationship between the countries—is a big new challenge for investors. ISHARES MSCI AUSTRALIA ETF $20.31 (New York symbol EWA; TSI Network ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $1.1 billion) gives you exposure to 69 of the country’s major stocks. Financial Services account for 32.5% of the fund’s assets, while Mining (19.1%), Healthcare (14.8%), Consumer Non-Cyclicals (6.5%), Consumer Cyclicals (6.0%), and Industrials (5.5%) are other key segments. The ETF holds a portfolio of 69 stocks. The top 10 make up 55% of its assets. They are CSL Ltd. (Healthcare; 10.5%), Commonwealth Bank (Financials; 9.2%), BHP Group (Mining; 8.2%), WestPac Banking (Financials; 5.1%), National Australia Bank (Financials; 4.6%), Australia and New Zealand Bank (Financials; 4.1%), WesFarmers (Consumer; 3.7%), Woolworths…