Tap the UAE for oil gains, and increasingly more

Article Excerpt

The United Arab Emirates is a small country in a potentially volatile region, with neighbours like Yemen and Iran nearby. Still, it has used its oil riches wisely to diversify the economy and become a major commercial hub in the Middle East. Here’s an ETF that provides exposure to the top companies listed in the UAE. ISHARES MSCI UAE ETF $13.42 (New York symbol UAE; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $27.9 million) tracks the performance of the largest publicly listed UAE companies. Financial Services account for 51% of its assets, while Telecommunications (15%), Real Estate (14%), Industrials (10%), and Energy (5%) are other key segments. The ETF has a portfolio of 32 stocks; the top 10 holdings make up a high 72% of its assets. They are First Abu Dhabi Bank (financials, 17.1%), Etisalat (telecommunications, 15.2%), Emirates NBD (financials, 12.1%), Aldar Properties (real estate, 4.5%), Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (financials, 4.4%), Dubai Islamic Bank (financials, 4.2%), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (financials, 4.1%), Emaar Properties (real…