They offer top stocks outside the U.S.

Article Excerpt

We still feel that virtually all Canadians should have, say, 20% to 30% of their portfolio in U.S. stocks, or in ETFs holding those stocks. In fact, for some investors, that’s all the foreign exposure their portfolios really need. Still, international markets can add further diversification and provide exposure to some top global leaders. Here we highlight two ETFs that hold high-quality international stocks—but without U.S. exposure. Also, see page 29 for more information on investing outside of Canada. VANGUARD FTSE DEVELOPED ALL CAP EX NORTH AMERICA ETF $31.48 (Toronto symbol VIU; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $1.8 billion) tracks the FTSE Developed All Cap ex North America Index. This index includes stocks of all sizes listed in developed markets excluding the U.S. and Canada. Main country exposures are Japan (24.6% of assets), U.K. (12.5%), Switzerland (8.7%), France (8.6%), Germany (8.3%), Australia (6.9%), South Korea (6.2%), Netherlands (3.8%), Sweden (3.5%), and Hong Kong (2.5%). Key industry allocations include Industrials (15.7%), Financials (15.3%), Healthcare (12.2%), Information…