Industry leaders remain profitable in South Africa

Article Excerpt

Africa’s fifth largest nation by population, South Africa is the continent’s third biggest economy by gross domestic product. But weak commodity prices have slowed its economic growth and the controversial leadership of former president Jacob Zuma has zapped business confidence. The country’s new president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is a successful businessman and former labour union leader. He is expected to focus on restoring the economy. Here is one ETF that provides broad exposure to South African companies. ISHARES SOUTH AFRICA INDEX ETF $72 (New York symbol EZA; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $512 million) tracks the performance of South Africa’s largest publicly listed companies. The ETF holds a portfolio of 51 stocks. Financials account for 32% of its assets, while Technology (20%), Consumer Cyclicals (11%), Communication (8%) and Basic Materials (7%) are other significant segments. The fund’s top 10 holdings make up 55% of its total assets; its largest—media company Naspers—accounts for 19.8%. That big concentration increases risk for the fund. Its…