ETF profits from an emerging Poland

Article Excerpt

Poland has a troubled history of foreign occupation and communist government. However, the country moved away from that political system in 1990, joined NATO in 1999 and was accepted into the European Union in 2004. This has encouraged stability and helped to increase prosperity. This ETF holds many of Poland’s top public companies. ISHARES MSCI POLAND ETF $24 (New York symbol EPOL; TSI Network ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $328.0 million) tracks the performance of the largest publicly listed Polish companies. Financial Services account for 47% of its assets. Oil and Gas (16%), Basic Materials (8%), Consumer Goods (8%), Consumer Services (7%) and Utilities (6%) are other key segments. The ETF holds a portfolio of 39 stocks. The top 10 make up high 66% of its assets. They are PKO Bank Polski (financials, 14.8%), Polski Koncern Naftowy (energy, 10.1%), Powszecny Zaklad Ubezpieczen (financials, 9.9%), Bank Pekau (financials, 6.9%), LLP SA (consumer cyclical, 4.6%), Bank Zachodni (financials, 4.5%), Polish Oil and Gas Co. (energy, 4.2%), KGHM Polska…