Despite challenges, the U.K.’s future is bright

Article Excerpt

In recent years the country had to deal with their formal exit from the European Union, COVID-19, four different prime ministers, and a major financial market blowup. The latest change in government also delivered plans to increase government spending through borrowing and higher corporate taxes. Still, the country’s stock market remains host to leading global companies. Here is one ETF that provides exposure to the U.K.’s top public companies. ISHARES MSCI UNITED KINGDOM ETF $36.57 (New York symbol EWU; TSI Network ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $3.1 billion) invests in publicly listed U.K. companies. Financials account for 22% of the ETF’s assets, while Consumer Staples (18%), Healthcare (13%), Energy (11%), Industrials (10%), Basic Materials (7%), and Consumer Cyclicals (6%) are other important segments. The ETF holds a portfolio of 82 stocks; the top 10 make up 52% of its assets. Top holdings include AstraZeneca (Healthcare, 8.4%), Shell plc (Energy, 8.0%), HSBC Holdings (Financial Services; 7.4%), Unilever (Consumer Defensive, 5.9%), RELX plc (Industrials, 3.5%), BP PLC (Energy,…