Topic: How To Invest

ISHARES MSCI CHILE INVESTABLE MARKET INDEX FUND $44.50 – New York Exchange symbol ECH

ISHARES MSCI CHILE INVESTABLE MARKET INDEX FUND $44.50 (New York Exchange symbol ECH; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that aims to track the MSCI Chile Investable Market Index, which consists of stocks that mainly trade on the Santiago Stock Exchange.

The fund’s top holdings are S.A.C.I. Falabella (retail), 9.6%; Enersis SA (electricity), 9.2%; Empresas Copec SA (conglomerate), 7.9%; Empresa Nacional de Electricidad (electricity), 6.7%; LATAM Airlines, 5.5%; Cencosud SA (retailer), 4.9%; Empresas CMPC (pulp and paper), 4.8%; Banco de Chile, 4.6%; Banco Santander Chile (banking), 4.5%; and Quimica y Minera de Chile (mining), 4.1%.

The fund’s industry breakdown is: Utilities, 25.1%; Financials, 17.8%; Consumer Discretionary, 13.2%; Materials, 12.9%; Consumer Staples, 10.0%; Industrials, 8.1%; Energy, 7.8%; Telecommunications, 2.4%; and Information Technology, 1.9%.

The iShares MSCI Chile Investable Market Index Fund was launched on November 12, 2007. It has a 0.62% expense ratio.

Chile is the world’s biggest copper producer and a major supplier to Asian markets. Its dependence on resources is something of a drawback to investment, particularly as Asian economies have slowed and copper prices have dropped. Chile’s long-term outlook remains sound, but we see the iShares MSCI Chile Investable Market Index Fund as a hold.

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ISHARES MSCI BRAZIL INDEX FUND $54.00 (New York Exchange symbol EWZ; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that is designed to track the Brazilian stock market.

Its top holdings are Petrobras (oil and gas), 13.0%; Cia Itau Unibanco Holding (banking), 9.2%; Vale do Rio Doce (mining), 6.9%; Banco Brandesco, 6.9%; AmBev (beer and beverages), 7.6%; BRF SA (food), 3.7%; and Cielo SA (payment processor), 2.8%.

The ETF was launched on July 10, 2000. It has a 0.62% expense ratio.

The fund’s resource focus and concentration in certain companies, such as Petrobras and Vale do Rio Doce, add risk, but both are high-quality stocks.

Sluggish exports and low resource prices continue to slow Brazil’s economic growth. But the long-term outlook is positive, especially as global economies rebound. As well, the general election on October 5, 2014, will likely lead to a new president and less growth-inhibiting government intervention in the economy.

iShares MSCI Brazil is now a buy.

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