Switzerland is a global export leader

Article Excerpt

Switzerland has a stable, export-oriented economy, which regularly ranks among the most competitive in the world. In addition, it is home to some of the world’s top-performing and best-known companies. Here is one ETF that provides exposure to leading Swiss publicly traded companies. ISHARES MSCI SWITZERLAND ETF $34.57 (New York symbol EWL; TSI Network ETF Rating: Conservative; Market cap: $902 million) tracks the performance of the the country’s top big-cap and mid-cap stocks. Health-care companies account for 31.1% of its assets, while Consumer Defensive (22.0%), Financial Services (19.3%), Basic Materials (9.3%), and Industrials (9.2%) are other key segments. The ETF holds a portfolio of 38 stocks; the top 10 holdings make up a sizeable 68.5% of its assets. They are Nestle (consumer defensive, 19.4%), Novartis (health care, 13.1%), Roche Holding (health care, 12.6%), Zurich Insurance (financials, 4.4%), UBS Group (financials, 3.9%), Cie Financiere Richemont (consumer cyclical, 3.6%), ABB (industrials, 3.4%), Credit Suisse (financials, 2.9%), Swiss Re (financials, 2.8%) and LafargeHolcim (basic materials, 2.3%). The…