BKF: iShares MSCI BRIC Index ETF Instablogs

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Monday, March 18, 4:57 AM Ron Rowland offers additional highlights on the recently expanded lineup of commission-free ETFs over at Fidelity including the following caveat: Funds not held for 30 days by retail investors or 60 days by RIAs using Fidelity as a custodian will be subject to a $7.95 per-trade commission. Some RIAs have complained that the longer holding period directed at them is unfair. Rowland spells out the full list of affected ETFs here. Comment!
Tuesday, February 12, 3:44 PM Markets make opinons, they say, and Brazil's (EWZ) poor performance has managers pulling funds and talking about long-term troubles for the next great country. Money is instead chasing performance in Mexico (EWW), Peru (EPU), and Chile (ECH). A 10% move up in the Bovespa and it's our guess the prospects for Brazil among the adviser crowd will have improved. Comment! [Global & FX]
Monday, December 31, 2012, 11:51 AM More details on iShares' ETF fee hikes: Going to 0.69% from 0.67% (a 3% hike) are its BRIC Fund (BKF) and Emerging Markets Fund (EEM). Comment! [Global & FX]
Tuesday, July 3, 2012, 10:04 AM The BRICs comprise 20% of the world economy, but just 16% of global stock market cap, says Jim O'Neill. The last time the gap was this big - 2005 - the BRICs doubled the gain of developed markets over the following year. "Unless we are seeing a major collapse of those economies, it's a huge opportunity," he says. Comment! [Global & FX, Quick Ideas]
Saturday, June 23, 2012, 8:05 AM After some relative outperformance, are the BRICs lately cheap enough to be a buy? Growth is slowing, but these days Brazil, Russia, India and China are at a bit of a discount, and many argue the long-term picture's still sound. The trick is figuring out the best way in - which might be broader, nimble funds that can buy where the bargains are. 3 Comments [Global & FX, Quick Ideas]
Friday, June 15, 2012, 8:07 AM More on the BRICs: A consensus forms. After pulling out funds for 8 of the last 10 weeks, asset managers have their lowest exposure to emerging markets since October, according to a BAML survey. The MSCI BRIC Index is off 25% Y/Y and the rupee, ruble, and real are the 3 worst-performing currencies in Q2, according to Bloomberg. (Emerging markets are gaining appeal) 1 Comment [Global & FX]
Thursday, June 14, 2012, 7:44 AM Emerging markets are starting to regain some of their investment appeal. Shares are beginning to look cheap after falling nearly 20% from the year's highs and investors are encouraged that central banks in China, Brazil and elsewhere are taking steps to boost growth. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index could gain over 30% by year-end, says Morgan Stanley. 3 Comments [Quick Ideas]
Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 11:16 AM Almost $9 out of every $10 put into equity ETFs worldwide in 2012 has gone into emerging market funds, according to BlackRock. It's the best performance ever for the sector in the initial 2 months of a year as investors chase strong performance in places like Egypt (EGPT), Brazil (EWZ), and China (FXI). Two broader EM funds: VWO +12.2%, EEM +12% YTD. 1 Comment [Global & FX, Quick Ideas]
Thursday, February 9, 2012, 6:42 AM The rally in emerging-market stocks will probably continue as “ample liquidity” and appealing valuations persist, says Citigroup, noting "we would be buyers of any pullback." The MSCI Emerging Markets Index will probably climb to 1,225 this year, ~15% higher than yesterday's close. Comment! [Global & FX, Quick Ideas]
Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 12:29 PM UBS's Jonathan Anderson notes - for the most part - a solid correlation between GDP growth in emerging markets and equity returns. Two outliers on the positive side - The Phillippines (EPHD) and Thailand (THD) - could continue to outperform, while 2 on the downside - Brazil (EWZ) and India (EPI) - both may have their growth slowdowns behind them. 1 Comment [Global & FX, Quick Ideas]
Thursday, December 29, 2011, 12:22 PM After getting smoked in 2011, emerging markets are set to rally next year on the back of cheap valuations, strong domestic demand (overcoming slowing growth in developed markets), and easier monetary policy, says Jonathan Garner, (curiously) the Chief Emerging Market Strategist for Morgan Stanley. Emerging Markets ETF: EEM -21% YTD. 1 Comment [Global & FX, Quick Ideas]
Thursday, December 1, 2011, 8:31 AM Brazil's November PMI jumps to 48.7 from 46.5 previously. The country was among the first of the emerging markets to initiate a monetary easing cycle, and cut rates for the 3rd time in 3 months yesterday. Markit provides a longer term chart of BRIC PMIs, all near flatline territory at the moment. (PR) 2 Comments [Global & FX]
Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 4:06 AM India's economy grew 6.9% last quarter, the slowest pace in more than two years. Efforts to stimulate growth have been hamstrung by corruption scandals and by high inflation, which has sidetracked the Reserve Bank of India. Comment! [Global & FX]
Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 8:15 AM A surprise rate cut from the Bank of Israel - which noted the global economic slowdown - may auger more easing moves from emerging markets. Brazil and Turkey have also recently surprised with cuts, and other recently tight countries like Chile and China may be next. Comment! [Global & FX]
Monday, August 1, 2011, 3:00 PM "Stuck in history," is how Jim O'Neill describes typical equity benchmarks that continue to place most of their weight on the growth-challenged G7. "The neutral position for the BRIC countries ... needs to be raised significantly," says the man who coined the acronym. His favorite BRIC: Russia, which replaces Brazil. 3 Comments [Global & FX, Quick Ideas]
Thursday, June 9, 2011, 10:29 AM It's emerging markets, not the U.S., where the "monstrous" risks lie this year, says Richard Bernstein. He notes inverted yield curves in Brazil in India as a "warning sign that no one is talking about. How do you know when a central bank has tightened too much ... when the yield curve inverts." 2 Comments [Global & FX, U.S. Economy]

BKF iShares MSCI BRIC Index ETF

BKF

iShares MSCI BRIC Index ETF