What international markets are you investing in now?

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janeeyre

Recycles dryer sheets
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Jan 9, 2007
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I have a small amount of money (earmarked for emerging markets) invested in China markets. Over the past year, it has performed well, however, I think it is time to get out because of recent negative articles by money managers that I respect. Also, I see that politicians are supporting China regulations bills. Anyway, I am looking for investment opportunities in other emerging markets. I am thinking about Brazil, India or Vietnam. Do you have any funds in these markets or are you looking at investing in those locations?

In fact, the India markets have outpaced the Chinese markets.
 
The "big 4" for future economic growth are sometimes referred to as "BRIC" - Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

Diversify greatly, there is substantial country risk with each of them.
 
:D Make sure you go to Efficient Frontier and google BRIC to get Bernstein's thoughts.

You are using your Las Vegas mad money - right?

heh heh heh - slightly tongue in cheek.

Turkey? - no guts, no glory! And no I'm not being serious.
 
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My opinion, for what it's worth...

As I said in an earlier discussion of this subject, I wouldn't invest a penny inside China (the PRC). I don't trust them at all. I have similar feelings about Viet Nam.

I do, however, have a small amount in Matthews Asian Growth and Income fund (MACSX), which invests in companies outside of China that sell into China. This is the closest I come to a single-country play and it only gets a small slice of the pot. (Metaphors aren't my speciality. ;) )

Brat recommended a fund for India that has done well. I have better feelings about direct investment inside India. Same with Brazil. However, so far I am letting Vanguard take care of other emerging markets for me.

For a long time now I have had half of my equities in international funds (index funds except for MACSX)--mostly Vanguard's Total International Stock Index Fund, but some in their Emerging Markets Index Fund. This mix has done very well for me so far. I made this 50/50 choice after reading Les Antman and Paul Merriman FundAdvice.com - Articles who provided historical information supporting it. Scot Burns suggests his Margarita Portfolio which has 1/3 in total international and Bill Bernstein, Efficient Frontier , has shown graphically with the best historical data how adding international reduces volatility and can improve returns over time. Not everyone agrees with this idea and many won't touch foreign companies, Including John P. Greaney, my patron saint.
 
I have money on ETFs representing South Korea, Taiwan, South Africa and Switzerland. I had some money in Brazil, but I am thinking that the BRIC countries are overrated right now. As a Brazilian myself, I have serious doubts that their long term growth is sustainable. I have also been to China recently (3 weeks out of the beaten path trip) and was very distressed by what I saw. China is a mess and plagued with an endemic case of shady business practices. South Korea, on the other hand, is one of places that I have most faith on. I was very impressed with the place on my last visit and I think they are making all the right long term decisions.
 
I have some EPP, SE Asia x Japan. When dissected you will find a hunk of Australia mining and AU & NZ banking.

Fidelity has a SE Asia fund that has served me well too.

As a Pacific Rim resident I am comfortable with that market. The economies I like are Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and India. Were I to look in Japan I would look for mid-caps.

Elsewhere, Canada is still perking. I would love to hear from someone who knows Brazil and Argentia well.

For me, the other developing world play are the maritime shippers.
 
I am now 90% in HK and 10% in the US. My HK investments are spread between HK companies and Chinese (PRC) companies.

There are corrupted people everywhere. Enron was not basked in China, and the practice of option back dating was practiced by US companies. The American CEOs are extremely over paid compared to any other country.
Don’t misunderstand me, I am not bashing the US, I just think that there are crooks everywhere. Actually, I would prefer to be 100% in the US market, as I believe that the US has the best system in the world, but the prices in HK are much more appealing.

As Whitman said explaining his heavy investments in HK - maybe not as safe as the US but more cheap.
At the end of the day investing is all about risk/reward.
 
Rebalancing now. Cut my EM exposure by 50%. Now total International Stock is 5%.

Of that 5%
60% in Developed Markets Index fund
20% Emerging Mkts.
20% Total Intl. Stock Mkt.
 
The new "BRIC" is called "BRICK", and includes South Korea in it..........:)
 
All my overseas exposure comes through VTI and VEU now.

A) No worry about cap gains when countries get reclassified as developed markets;
B) I don't know more than the rest of the market about the future prospects for each country, so this weighting is as good as any other (and most importantly I can stop thinking about and doofing with it); and
C) Costs are pretty much minimized this way.
 
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Some like it Hot, I like it COLD !

Fidelity Nordic (FNORX). 1/3/5/10 year returns 40%/32%/23%/15% ! 3 stars from Morningstar.

Fidelity was going to consolidate this into another fund, buy I got a letter the other day saying they were going to leave it as is.
 
I am trying to keep my (relatively small) Roth IRA quite simple,
and to invest it almost entirely in stocks - the rationale being that
stocks have the best long-term returns and I should not be dipping
into my Roth for at least 15-20 years (or more).

I am thinking VTI (duh) for the domestic section and VEU for the
int'l. I'm wondering if the VEU makes sense (it is ETF version of
VFWIX, apparently), but apparently there is no ETF version of
VGTSX. So what I'm wondering really, is VFWIX (which follows
FTSE all-world except US index) as good a single-fund option as
VGTSX (which follows a composite int'l index, and is apparently
a fund-of-funds - containing a ratio of pacific, europe, and
emerging indices).
 
I will proudly proclaim that I don't have a CLUE about investing. I've read online, done a lot of thinking, and I keep Swedloe's and Bernstein's books at my bedside. But I am relatively inexperienced in investments other than inside my TSP account, with their funds. (I do have 23% of my TSP in the "I" fund and have been very happy with that.)

The best way to learn is to get one's feet wet, and start small. So, last January I put $5K into VEURX; that would be 50% of my small adventure (my new Roth IRA). Seems fine to me! I know a lot of people are going with emerging markets - - maybe later but not right away.

I notice that nobody else in this thread went with VEURX, so I will assume that it was a naive, and possibly less than fabulous choice! I am having fun with it, though, and it seems to be giving me a nice return with a little volatility but nothing I can't handle. :D

OK, so this is my idea of fun, fun, fun!!! :D:D:D
 
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The last issue of Money Magazine recommended against going into the Chinese and Brazilian markets, because they are overheated. It may be old news now, of course.

Personally I would not touch Chinese (PRC) stocks with a 10-foot pole. The stock market is way overheated, and fraudulent/shoddy business practices everywhere. Plus their human rights record is horrible, and a lot of prisoners of conscience are forced to manufacture things, for domestic and foreign consumption. It's just a big mess.
 
Want2retire said:
I will proudly proclaim that I don't have a CLUE about investing. I've read online, done a lot of thinking, and I keep Swedloe's and Bernstein's books at my bedside.
...
The best way to learn is to get one's feet wet, and start small. So, last January I put $5K into VEURX; that would be 50% of my small adventure (my new Roth IRA). Seems fine to me!
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are off to a good start. Important to recognize you don't have a CLUE as many of us haven't recognized this fact yet ;). Swedroe's book had some recommendations for VG funds and I'm currently tracking this portfolio along with my own -- helps to see the day to day fluctuations in perspective. Anyway for a 60/40 stock/bond allocation he had this in international: 6% VEURX (europe), 6% VPACX (pacific), 6% VEIEX (emerging mkt).

Les
 
lsbcal said:
Sounds like you are off to a good start. Important to recognize you don't have a CLUE as many of us haven't recognized this fact yet ;). Swedroe's book had some recommendations for VG funds and I'm currently tracking this portfolio along with my own -- helps to see the day to day fluctuations in perspective. Anyway for a 60/40 stock/bond allocation he had this in international: 6% VEURX (europe), 6% VPACX (pacific), 6% VEIEX (emerging mkt).

Les
Click to expand...

Good! At least he likes VEURX. I do too. I just looked in my records, and I bought $5000 worth of VEURX on February 1. Vanguard says that as of today it is worth $5462 (having come down from a high of $5716). So, I am very pleased. That is wonderful for less than half a year. VEURX does tend to jump around more than the other half of my Roth, which is in VWNDX. But that is to be expected.

In the interests of diversification, my 2008 Roth contribution will be something domestic that is not mostly large value (haven't decided yet). My plan is to buy one or two different Vanguard funds each year until my Roth starts looking more like one of Swedroe's porfolios. :)
 
Want2retire: perhaps you got this out of Swedroe's Appendix? He also has a part of the allocation in VWNDX of about 3% I think. Don't know why he did this as he tends to recommend index funds not active. But VWNDX is a good fund and happens to be my bogie to beat. Personally I have used DODGX with my own bond allocations -- but each to his own. There is more then one path to Dublin.

Oops, the Swedroe 3% position was in VWELX. Still VWNDX is a good choice in my opinion.

Les
 
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