Russ Koesterich

As Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index has surged 16 percent over the past 12 months, equity-based ETFs tracking the worlds 12th-largest economy have predictably benefited. The iShares MSCI Australia Index Fund (NYSE: EWA), the largest ETF tracking the country, is up about 14 percent in the past...

Amid all the headlines detailing significant fiscal woes in the eurozone's peripheral countries, the iShares MSCI Italy Index Fund (NYSE: EWI) has been a solid performer over the past year. The lone ETF devoted to the eurozone's third-largest economy was up nearly 14 percent over the past 12 months...

Usually a beacon of predictability and stability, particularly in volatile market environments, the consumer staples sector thrived in 2012. The bad new is not only has the group been lagging the broader market for a couple of months now, it is also richly valued. In downgrading his view of the...

Emerging markets equities and plenty of the corresponding ETFs have had quite the run. Even with today's slide of 0.75 percent, the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (NYSE: EEM) is up 16 percent over the past six months. The SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) has returned 9.6 percent over the same...

Germany, the Eurozone's largest economy, has long been a beacon of light in an economically troubled region and investors' confidence in German equities has been rewarded this year. The country's benchmark DAX is one of the best-performing major indexes in the world while the iShares MSCI Germany...

Prized for decent yields and tax advantages, municipal bonds and the ETFs that track them could become prime destinations for income investors if the fiscal cliff becomes a reality. Fears of the fiscal cliff, the GDP-draining scenario under which old tax reductions expire and become new tax...

Barring another major news event, this week's most important eurozone headlines crossed the wires on Monday when Moody's Investors Service announced France is no longer worthy of the prestigious AAA credit rating. The ratings agency took the eurozone's second-largest economy down one notch to Aa1...

On Monday, Moody's Investors Service stripped France, the eurozone's second-largest economy behind Germany, of the prestigious AAA credit rating. Citing a murky fiscal condition and contracting, Moody's lowered France's credit rating one notch to Aa1. The ratings agency holds a negative outlook on...

Since the day after Election Day, fiscal cliff fears have intensified and stocks have tumbled as a result. The SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) is off nearly five percent as rampant speculation that Bush-era tax cuts will expire has permeated financial markets. Expired tax cuts are viewed as de facto...

Politicians from both sides of the aisle have started to sound a more optimistic tone regarding the chances of avoiding the fiscal cliff. Investors would do well to remember that what politicians say, and what comes to fruition, are often two different things. That and the fiscal cliff, the GDP-...

It has been another volatile year for Russian stocks and the corresponding ETFs. The Market Vectors Russia ETF (NYSE: RSX), the largest and oldest Russia-specific ETF, is up just five percent on the year, a performance that ranks third among the four largest ETFs devoted to the BRIC nations. Amid...

For the bulk of 2012, it has been troublesome economic data that has kept a lid on Chinese equities and the corresponding ETFs. However, Chinese data points, along with stocks there, have improved in recent weeks. The latest sign is the October China HSBC Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers...

Due to slowed economic growth, emerging markets equities and some of the largest ETFs tracking those stocks, have lagged U.S. stocks this year. Year-to-date, the SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) has outpaced both the Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSE: VWO) and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets...

In an environment of paltry interest rates, income investors are left dealing with the conundrum of high yield, also meaning higher risk. When it comes to bonds, investors often perceive high yield issues as carrying elevated risk because of default risks. The other side of the coin is not much...

The chorus of endorsements for Asia's third largest economy in India, is growing louder. In a new blog post, legendary emerging markets investor Dr. Mark Mobius, executive chairman of the Templeton Emerging Markets Group, said his team sees growth potential in the Indian economy. Perhaps it is...