Tap into Australia’s growth

Article Excerpt

ISHARES MSCI AUSTRALIA ETF $23.58 (New York symbol EWA; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that holds the 72 largest Australian stocks. Its MER is 0.49%. The fund’s top holdings include Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 11.8%; Westpac Banking Corp., 9.3%; BHP Billiton, 8.5%; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, 7.7%; National Australia Bank, 7.1%; Wesfarmers, 3.9%; CSL Ltd., 3.5%; Woolworths, 3.1%; Rio Tinto, 2.2%; Telstra Group, 2.2%; Woodside Petroleum, 2.1%; Macquarie Group, 1.7%; and Scentre Group, 1.6%. Australia benefits from its stable banking and political systems. It’s also rich in natural resources, and while low commodity prices have hurt its economy lately, its close proximity to Asian markets with vast potential, including India and China, gives it strong long-term prospects. iShares MSCI Australia ETF is a buy. buy. …