Invest in Asia’s rebound with these ETFs

Article Excerpt

Most major global stock markets have recovered from the March 2020 declines they experienced with the outbreak of COVID-19. We like the prospects of the best of them going forward—and one way to profit, while also cutting your risk, is to invest in ETFs. Here’s a look at two international funds that we believe are well-suited for your new buying. ISHARES MSCI JAPAN INDEX FUND $58.76 (New York symbol EWJ; buy or sell through brokers; us.ishares.com) is an ETF that tries to match the return of the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Japan Index. The fund’s top holdings include Toyota, 4.0%; Sony Corp., 2.4%; Softbank, 2.1%; Keyence (sensors), 2.2%; Nintendo, 1.3%; Takeda Pharma, 1.8%; Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, 1.5%; KDDI (telecom), 1.4%; Daiichi Sankyo (pharmaceuticals), 1.6%; and Recruit Holdings (human resources), 1.3%. The ETF’s MER is a relatively low 0.49%. Japan’s economy has contracted this year, as the COVID-19 crisis restricted activity and reduced overseas demand for Japanese exports. The pandemic had already led to the postponement…