Hold off on Russia

Article Excerpt

ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS EASTERN EUROPE INDEX FUND $23.42 (New York symbol ESR; buy or sell through brokers) has 73.6% of its assets invested in Russia, followed by Poland at 20.3%; Czech Republic, 3.0%; and Hungary, 2.4%. The fund’s top holdings are Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 16.0%; Lukoil (Russia: oil), 10.0%; Sberbank (Russia: bank), 9.0%; Magnit OJSC (Russia: retailing), 5.0%; PKO Bank Polski (Poland: banking), 4.3%; Novatek (Russia: natural gas), 3.5%; and MMC Norilsk Nickel (Russia: mining), 3.3%. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s expense ratio is 0.67%. The fund’s concentration in Russia, and in oil and gas, adds risk, especially after Russia’s recent annexation of Crimea. The U.S. continues to take greater advantage of modern oil and gas production techniques to increase its output. Greater U.S. oil and gas production should weigh on world prices, and that is sure to hurt the Russian economy. In addition, as oil and gas production grows in the U.S., it will…