The chart below shows the weightings of different emerging markets in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index in 2000, 2005 and 2010 (as of the end of October): Source: FT BeyondBRICs blog Mexico and Taiwan had the most weightage in the index a decade ago. Now China represents the largest weightage followed by Brazil. China and …
Continue reading ‘Composition of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index’ »
The Shanghai Composite Index is down 14.2% YTD compared to a rise of 10.6% for the S&P 500. Chinese stocks have lagged their emerging peers such as India, Brazil, etc. as well this year as investors avoid investments in the country due to fears of a massive bubble. However many Chinese IPOs continue to be …
Healthcare spending is about 9% of GDP on average in OECD countries. However in many countries it exceeds 10% of the GDP. Over three quarters of healthcare spending is publicly funded. The current economic crisis, ageing populations, rising budget deficits, soaring healthcare costs and other factors are forcing healthcare spending to be tightened in most …
Continue reading ‘Comparison of Healthcare Expenditure Across OECD Countries’ »
In a post titled “The Magic of Buy & Hold vs Trend” fellow blogger Barry Ritholtz noted the following interesting fact yesterday: “On December 31, 1998, the last trading day of the year, the SPX closed at 1229.23. That is within 10 points (not 10 percent, but 10 points!) of where it is today. Over …
Continue reading ‘MSCI Index 10-Year Performance: U.S. vs. Select Developed, Emerging Markets’ »
Most U.S. investors have low exposure to foreign stocks. Despite the rising importance of foreign countries in the global economy, many investors have the “home-bias” problem and continue to gravitate towards American companies. While it is true that a quarter of the revenues of the S&P 500 firms come from abroad, in order to gain …
Continue reading ‘25 Foreign Stocks Paying More than 5% Dividends’ »