iShares Inc iShares MSCI Thailand ETF (ARCA: THD)

iShares Inc iShares MSCI Thailand ETF (ARCA:THD), Quote.Headers.trade-ideas

iShares Inc iShares MSCI Thailand ETF

iShares MSCI Thailand Capped Investable Market Index Fund

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The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI Thailand IMI 25/50 Index (the Underlying Index), which is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of the large-, mid- and small-capitalization segments of the equity market in Thailand. The Underlying Index is rebalanced quarterly using an optimization process that aims to minimize the constituent weight differences between the Underlying Index and the MSCI Thailand Index (the Parent Index). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology that limits the weight of any single group entity (constituents that MSCI determines have a control relationship) to a maximum of 25 percent of the Underlying Index weight, and the sum of all group entities with a weight above 5 percent to an aggregate of 50 percent of the Underlying Index weight. A group entity is a group of companies that operate as an affiliated corporate group but may separately issue listed securities.

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iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index Fund

A Test For The Thailand ETF

Emerging Markets You Should Be Overweight According To Quantamize&#39;s AI Models

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<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-thailands-elderly-lag-behind-covid-vaccination-drive-data-show-2021-08-31/" title="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-thailands-elderly-lag-behind-covid-vaccination-drive-data-show-2021-08-31/">https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-thailands-elderly-lag-behind-covid-vaccination-drive-data-show-2021-08-31/</a>

Reuters Reports Only 6.7% of Thailand's 10.9M Over 60 Population has been Vaccinated

-Reuters
<a href="http://news.trust.org//item/20200209004212-82uto/" title="http://news.trust.org//item/20200209004212-82uto/">http://news.trust.org//item/20200209004212-82uto/</a>

At Least 21 Dead in Mall Shooting in Northeast Thailand

The iShares MSCI Thailand ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>), the lone U.S.-listed exchange traded fund dedicated to Thai equities, is up 7.37 percent this year, a disappointing performance for a fund known to overshoot when broader emerging markets benchmarks rally.
Year to date, THD is trailing the MSCI Emerging Markets Index by almost 200 basis points.
<h3>What To Know</h3>
A national election in Thailand is slated for March 24 and concerns regarding the outcomes of the election could be suppressing THD&#39;s upside over the near term.
&ldquo;Developments in the lead-up to Thailand&#39;s election on 24 March underscore the political cleavages that persist as the country returns to civilian rule,&rdquo; said Fitch Ratings <a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/site/pr/10066176">in a recent note.</a> &ldquo;We noted political uncertainty around the transition as a constraint to Thailand&#39;s &#39;BBB+&#39; rating in our last rating review in December. As such, the rating already takes into account a sizeable degree of political risk. Renewed disruptions could have a material rating impact if we assessed that they were on a scale sufficient to have a negative effect on Thailand&#39;s economic outlook.&rdquo;
<h3>Why It&#39;s Important</h3>
The $458.69 million THD tracks the MSCI Thailand IMI 25/50 Index and holds 118 stocks. THD turns 11 years old later this month and since inception, the fund has dealt with several bouts of domestic political volatility.
In some aspects, Thai party politics are similar to that of the U.S. Thailand&#39;s voters are often split along rural and urban lines.
&ldquo;Thailand&#39;s politics have been dominated over the last two decades by tensions between parties aligned with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, which derive their support from rural areas, and political parties with strong urban support,&rdquo; said Fitch. &ldquo;These divides have sparked a number of disruptive political demonstrations in Bangkok during 2006-2014 including coups against the government. There has been no major unrest since the latest period of military rule began in 2014, but political fissures remain and could re-intensify after the return to civilian rule.&rdquo;
<h3>What&#39;s Next</h3>
The upcoming election will market another military-to-civilian shift in Thailand&#39;s government, but military rule has not been a negative for stocks there. Over the past three years, THD is beating the MSCI Emerging Markets Index by nearly 500 basis points.
&ldquo;Our baseline expectation of smooth elections remains,&rdquo; said Fitch. &ldquo;However, the election outcome is highly uncertain. Moreover, risks of renewed political instability during the return to civilian rule are elevated, and may have been exacerbated by the events of the last month.&rdquo;
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Everybody has been talking about the start to the year that U.S. equities have had, and for good reason. January saw the asset class&rsquo; strongest monthly performance in more than five years.
But if we&rsquo;re going to talk about strong areas of the market, we need to start with emerging markets.
The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/eem#NYSE">EEM</a>) actually outperformed the S&amp;P 500 by nearly 2.5 percentage points in January. And despite cooling off slightly in February, the index is still up 8 percent year-to-date.
For emerging market investors, this recent rally is sorely needed as EM equity took a beating in 2018. Using the Emerging Markets Stocks ETFs Q-Folio&mdash;an AI-based portfolio model from <a href="https://www.quantamize.com/?utm_source=Bezinga&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_campaign=Emerging_markets_You_Should_Be_Overweight">research platform Quantamize</a>&mdash;we can see which emerging markets we should consider going over- or underweight in our portfolios.
Let&rsquo;s start with a quick look at all 20 ETFs in the Q-folio. The ETFs in each of <a href="https://www.quantamize.com/Marketing/Q-Folios?utm_source=Bezinga&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_campaign=Emerging_markets_You_Should_Be_Overweight">Quantamize&rsquo;s AI Portfolios</a> are adjusted at the start of each month, so these ETFs represent the AI model&rsquo;s most appealing portfolio makeup as of February 1.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u105576/1_22.png" onclick="imce.send('1_22.png'); return false;" title=""><img alt="1_22.png" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u105576/1_22.png" /></a>
The Q-folio&rsquo;s exposure reveals exactly which emerging market countries hold the most promise according to Quantamize&rsquo;s AI model.
At the top spot is iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia Capped ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ksa#NYSE">KSA</a>) with nearly one-fifth of the portfolio&rsquo;s weight. At 10.5 percent YTD, KSA is among the best performing of the portfolio&rsquo;s top holdings. This strong showing is likely the result of an ongoing oil rally that makes up much of the country&rsquo;s economic exposure.
Apart from Saudi Arabia, Southeast Asian stocks dominate the top holdings. Performance-wise, the iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ewm#NYSE">EWM</a>) is up 5 percent YTD, iShares MSCI Singapore ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ews#NYSE">EWS</a>) is up 9 percent YTD and iShares MSCI Thailand ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>) is up about 8 percent.
<a href="https://www.quantamize.com/About/Learn-More?utm_source=Bezinga&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_campaign=Emerging_markets_You_Should_Be_Overweight">Want AI stock insight and multi-factor portfolio analysis? Click here to learn more.</a>
As a side note, it&rsquo;s interesting to see the position taken up by the iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ewh#NYSE">EWH</a>), which is up more than 11 percent YTD. Not only is it the third heaviest-weighted ETF in the model portfolio, but you can see in the table below how closely it correlates to Southeast Asian economies.
If you look at the correlation for EWH (sixth column from the left), you&rsquo;ll see a few deep blue squares where EWH intersects with EWS and EWT (eight, nine, and 10 rows down respectively). This suggests a high-level of correlation between Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia, slightly edging out EWH&rsquo;s correlation with iShares China Large Cap ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/fxi#NYSE">FXI</a>).
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u105576/2_15.png" onclick="imce.send('2_15.png'); return false;" title=""><img alt="2_15.png" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u105576/2_15.png" /></a>
<h3>Takeaways from the model</h3>
All told, Quantamize&rsquo;s Emerging Markets Stocks ETFs Q-Folio advises that any emerging markets portfolio should be overweight smaller emerging markets like Saudi Arabia and Southeast Asia, specifically Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand. Those five markets account for more than 50 percent of the model portfolio.
On the other hand, South Africa, Brazil, Chile and Poland, Mexico, South Korea, and Turkey should all be significantly underweighted, as those account for a mere 16 percent of the model portfolio.
Quantamize is a content partner of Benzinga

Emerging Markets You Should Be Overweight According To Quantamize's AI Models

The iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>), the lone U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund dedicated to Thai stocks, is up about 12 percent year to date. While that performance lags the returns of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, that sentiment should diminish the potential offered by THD.
THD is more than 9 years old and follows the MSCI Thailand IMI 25/50 Index. The ETF holds nearly 130 stocks and is widely viewed as the go-to fund for U.S. investors looking to gain exposure to the Southeast Asian economy.
Although it is an emerging market, Thailand is a mere blip on the radar for major developing world benchmarks, such as the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, the country is one of the more advanced in its region and home to a relatively diverse economy.
<h3>Seeking Diversity</h3>
&ldquo;Unlike Vietnam, the underlying Thai market is much more diversified in comparison with one hundred twenty-nine individual names, compared to Vietnam&rsquo;s twenty-six,&rdquo; said <a href="http://streetonefinancial.com/">Street One Financial</a> Vice President Paul Weisbruch in a note out Monday. &ldquo;When we look at how THD is invested in terms of sector allocations we see the following breakdown: 21% weighting to Financials, 17% allocation to Energy, 12% to Industrials, 11% to Consumer Staples, 10% to Basic Materials, and lesser weightings to other industry sectors.&rdquo;
Over the past year, THD has sharply outperformed the equivalent Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam ETFs, all markets that are frequently measured against each other and Thailand.
Another advantage of THD is that its three-year standard deviation of just over 13 percent is well below the comparable metric on the competing Indonesia and Philippines ETFs.
<h3>Docile, But Well-Timed</h3>
THD has not seen much in the way of inflows or departures this year ($17 million in outflows), but there are other reasons to consider the ETF.
&ldquo;Interestingly, this piece may be timely, because the ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is actually celebrating its fiftieth birthday this month and on the whole, many of the member countries sport some of the most impressive growth rates in the world in terms of their local economies,&rdquo; said Weisbruch. &ldquo;Thailand was one of the five founding members of ASEAN along with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore.&rdquo;
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Emerging Markets

Time To Talk Thailand

In previous eras of strength for emerging markets equities, the iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>) was frequently a leader. That isn&#39;t the case this year as the lone Thailand exchange-traded fund listed in the U.S. is up just 6.4 percent, a fraction of the almost 18 percent returned by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
<h3>
	Thailand&#39;s Economy</h3>
The good news is that the Thai economy is growing at a brisk pace, which could encourage investors to take another look at THD. Among single-country emerging markets ETFs, THD is overlooked this year as global investors focus on larger Asian economies such as China, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/17/05/9443032/a-scintillating-south-korea-etf">South Korea and Taiwan</a>.
&ldquo;Official data showed that Thailand&#39;s economy started on a strong note this year, expanding at the fastest pace in four years during the first three months of 2017, which confirmed earlier PMI survey results of faster growth,&rdquo; <a href="http://www.markit.com/Commentary/Get/15052017-Economics-Thailand-s-economic-growth-hits-four-year-high">said Markit in a recent note</a>. &ldquo;However, the very latest survey data pointed to a loss of growth momentum at the start of the second quarter.&rdquo;
<h3>
	Focusing In On THD</h3>
The $417.3 million THD tracks the MSCI Thailand IMI 25/50, which is a collection of some the largest Bangkok-listed issues. THD holds 124 stocks, 21 percent of which hail from the financial services sector. Solid economic growth in Thailand is potentially a catalyst for THD because the ETF allocates over 17 percent of its weight to consumer sectors.
&ldquo;The National Economic and Social Development Board announced that gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1.3 percent from the prior three months during the first quarter,&rdquo; said Markit. &ldquo;That took the annual GDP rate to 3.3 percent, which is the fastest since the second quarter of 2013. Stronger household consumption and export growth more than offset weaker expansions of private investment and public spending.&rdquo;
However, there are concerns about the veracity of Thai economic growth. That could weigh on the cyclical elements of THD. The ETF devotes over 37 percent of its combined lineup to cyclical energy, industrial and materials stocks.
&ldquo;Moreover, there were further signs of increasing pessimism about future prospects,&rdquo; said Markit. &ldquo;Business confidence among PMI respondents for the year ahead sank to the lowest in the survey history, which could further weigh on private investment. Lower employment levels reported in the last three months added to the sense that firms have become cautious about the business outlook.&rdquo;
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Thailand ETF Tries To Shed Laggard Status

There have been periods of emerging markets ebullience when the iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>), the lone U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund dedicated to Thai equities, has received ample attention.
At least to this point, 2017 does not feel like one of those periods. Perhaps it is because THD is up 7.5 percent, meaning it trails the MSCI Emerging Markets Index 620 basis points. That scenario could easily prompt some investors to speculate it is better to be diversified in emerging markets rather than trying to time a tactical trade with THD. Year-to-date returns confirm as much.
However, THD was one of a small amount of ETFs to hit 52-week highs Monday. In fact, THD was one of just three emerging markets ETFs to accomplish that feat.
<h3>THD And Thailand</h3>
Thailand&#39;s finance ministry is forecasting GDP growth there this year of just over 3.1 percent, slightly lower than the growth rate of 3.2 percent seen last year.
&ldquo;These three engines in combination &mdash; investment, exports and tourism &mdash; should add about 2 percent to GDP growth, with a further 1 percent coming from domestic consumption and service businesses,&rdquo; according to <a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30310354">The Nation</a>. &ldquo;In 2017, HSBC expects public investment to remain one of the key drivers of GDP although it will likely decelerate after a surge in 2016.&rdquo;
<h3>Financial Services And Interest Rate</h3>
As is the case with many single-country ETFs, particularly emerging markets funds, THD is heavily allocated to financial services stocks. The sector represents 26.7 percent of the ETF&#39;s weight, or more than 900 basis points above energy, the ETF&#39;s second-largest sector exposure. Industrial, consumer staples and materials names combine for almost a third of THD&#39;s lineup.
Thailand&#39;s benchmark interest rate is currently 1.5 percent, slightly above the record low seen in 2009. The country&#39;s central bank has not lowered rates in almost two years and market observers believe Thai rates will be on hold for the foreseeable future. The central bank there meets Wednesday.
&ldquo;Thailand&#39;s central bank on Wednesday will leave its already-low benchmark interest rate where it has been for nearly two years, a Reuters poll showed, letting government spending support a fragile economic recovery while inflation remains benign,&rdquo; <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-economy-rates-idUSKBN16Y0PG">reported Reuters</a>. &ldquo;All 24 economists in the survey forecast that the Bank of Thailand (BOT)&#39;s one-day repurchase rate will be kept at 1.50 percent when its monetary policy committee (MPC) meets. Thailand&#39;s last rate change, a 25-basis-point cut, was in April 2015. The benchmark rate is just a quarter-point above the record low reached in 2009.&rdquo;
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Quietly, This Tiger ETF Rises Again

Last year was certainly a good year for the U.S. stock market. The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>) finished 2016 up 11.2 percent on the year. However, as happy as U.S. investors were in 2016, stocks in other countries performed even better.
One of the major benefits of the rise in ETF options is that investors have easy ways to invest in a specific investment idea and maintain diversity at the same time. There are dozens of ETFs that allow traders to invest in a specific country. In 2016, a handful of those country-specific ETFs put U.S. stock market returns to shame.
The top-performing country ETF of 2016 was the ProShares Ultra MSCI Brazil Capped (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ubr#NYSE">UBR</a>), which jumped 144.1 percent on the year. <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/05/7995445/is-now-a-good-time-to-invest-in-brazil">Brazil investors</a> cheered <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/24/brazil-stocks-hit-more-than-4-year-high-up-nearly-50-percent-in-2016.html">the impeachment</a> of former president Dilma Rousseff on corruption charges. Conservative vice president Michel Temers rise to power ushered in a hope that <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/06/8067154/heres-how-to-play-brazilian-infrastructure">meaningful economic</a> and political reforms could get Brazil back on track.
<h3>Other Winners</h3>
Here&rsquo;s a look at the other top-performing nation ETFs of 2016:
<ul>
<ol>
<li>ProShares Ultra MSCI Brazil Capped: +144.1 percent.</li>
<li>iShares MSCI All Peru Capped Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/epu#NYSE">EPU</a>): +63.5 percent.</li>
<li>SPDR S&amp;P Russia ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/rbl#NYSE">RBL</a>): +50.3 percent.</li>
<li>iShares MSCI Thailand Inv Mrkt Index Fd (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>): +24.9 percent.</li>
<li>Global X MSCI Colombia ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gxg#NYSE">GXG</a>): +24.4 percent.</li>
</ol>
</ul>

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Which Countries Had The Best-Performing Stocks In 2016?

Thailand's central bank was forced to issue a warning to all commercial banks that their banking systems could be vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
According to the <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1069356/manhunt-for-atm-robbers-kicks-off">Bangkok Post,</a> the central bank of Thailand (BoT) said that a gang of cyber-criminals from Eastern Europe stole 12 million baht, or $350,000.
Hackers were able to infiltrate the state-owned Government Savings Bank (GSB) through cash machines over a week-long period from August 1 through August 8. The cash machines were infected with malware that made the machines spew out cash.
The government said on Tuesday it will shut down half of its entire fleet of cash machines across the country after attempting to cover up the thefts for weeks.
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The report noted that the thieves likely studied the infrastructure of the cash machines for some time, and the bank is unable to detect any theft until an employee counts the cash remaining in the machine.
A similar theft occurred in Taiwan in July when malware programs were used to withdraw cash. According to the <a href="http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/thai-bank-shuts-down-half-its-atms-after-eastern-european-cyber-gang-heist-1577806">International Business Times,</a> the eight largest banks in Taiwan similarly shut down activity on its cash machines last month after thieves successfully stole NT$70 million, or approximately $2.2 million.
The International Business Times also quoted Thailand's police general Panya Mamen, who said, "As of now the evidence we have found makes us confident that this group is linked to the gang who committed a similar robbery in Taiwan."
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Thailand Central Banks Warn Of ATM Hackings; 'Cyber-Gang' From Europe Blamed

As was the case in previous periods of emerging markets strength, Thai stocks and the iShares MSCI Thailand Inv Mrkt Index Fd (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>) are excelling this year as broader developing markets benchmarks rebound.
The lone dedicated Thailand ETF trading in New York is up 27.7 percent year-to-date, more than double the returns of the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Stock Index Fd (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/vwo#NYSE">VWO</a>) and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Indx (ETF) (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/eem#NYSE">EEM</a>), the two largest emerging markets exchange-traded funds by assets.
<h3>Investor Concerns</h3>
Although THD has been a juggernaut among Asia single-country ETFs this year, there are some issues investors should acknowledge and those issues are affecting other emerging markets. Namely non-performing loans. THD, like many single-country emerging markets ETFs, is heavily allocated to the financial services sector.
<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/16/07/8276633/best-sector-etfs-for-august-boring-could-be-beautiful">Best Sector ETFs For August: Boring Could Be Beautiful</a></bzrelatedlink>
In this case, the Thailand ETF devotes 26.6 percent of its weight to financial services names. However, that does not present investors with nearly the banking risk that is found in the comparable China ETF nor is Thailand&#39;s loan problem nearly as pressing as China&#39;s loan issues.
<h3>Economic Concerns</h3>
Fitch Ratings expects non-performing loans at Thai banks to rise further &mdash; albeit slightly &mdash; for the remainder of the year. Second-quarter results indicated a weak operating environment due to deteriorating profitability and asset quality. &ldquo;The results underscore our negative outlook on the sector. Still, we believe Thai banks&#39; capital buffers and reserve coverage should remain adequate to withstand a cyclical downtrend,&rdquo; said the ratings agency <a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/site/pr/1009586">in a recent note</a>.
The World Bank is forecasting 2.5 percent growth in the Thai economy this year, down from 2.8 percent last year; some estimates optimistically see a 3 percent GDP growth. Thailand&#39;s benchmark interest rate is 1.5 percent, which is not expected <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1046221/thai-stocks-up-on-japans-massive-stimulus-package">to change until late next year</a> as the Bank of Thailand monitors Federal Reserve action.
&ldquo;Fitch has kept the ratings outlook of most Thai banks at Stable, despite a negative sector outlook. Credit profiles have remained broadly resilient given deteriorating asset quality due to strong capital and reserve buffers. The sector&#39;s stand-alone CET1 capital ratios averaged 14.2 percent in May 2016, up slightly from 14 percent at end-2015, and were well in excess of regulatory requirements (which, including the conservation buffer, is 5.125 percent this year and will rise to 7 percent by 2019). Banks&#39; loan loss coverage also remained solid &ndash; in excess of 100 percent for large listed banks and above 80 percent for smaller lenders &ndash; as of first half of 2016,&rdquo; according to Fitch.
THD, which holds 125 stocks, has a three-year standard deviation of 18.1 percent, making it more volatile than the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=Benzinga&amp;utm_medium=Benzinga%20Top%20of%20Article&amp;am%22%3">Full ratings data available on Benzinga Pro.</a>
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Disclosure: Todd Shriber owns shares of VWO.

Thailand ETF Prevails Despite Shaky Bank Loan Issues

Twitter image: <a href="https://twitter.com/lalibrebe/status/633258403138289664" title="https://twitter.com/lalibrebe/status/633258403138289664">https://twitter.com/lalibrebe/status/633258403138289664</a>

Rumors

12 Dead Reported in Explosion in Bangkok, Thailand -Reuters

<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/topic/etfs">ETF</a> Outlook for Tuesday, June 17, 2014

	Global X FTSE Argentina 20 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/argt#NYSE">ARGT</a>)

	The U.S. Supreme Court decided that <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/topic/argentina">Argentina</a> must pay $1.5 billion to debt holders from a decade-long battle. The news sent the Argentinean stock indices down 7 percent yesterday and ARGT fell by 2.7 percent.
 Last night the president of Argentina addressed her nation and said that the country will not honor the U.S. ruling. This could lead to the country defaulting and ARGT will likely be hammered if that is the situation.

	iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>)

	<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/topic/thailand">Thailand</a> has officially moved into a new bull market with a gain of 20 percent from the recent low. The ETF was up another 0.6 percent on Monday to close at the best level since last November.
Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/14/06/4619450/brazil-etfs-rally-into-world-cup-ewz-brxx-braf">Brazil ETFs Rally Into The World Cup</a>
 Even though the country is in the middle of a military coup it has not been able to slow down the stock market. It appears it is business as usual in the country . Perhaps because a coup seems to take place every few years the current one is not a big surprise to the Thai people.
 The next resistance level to watch on THD is near the 52-week high of $84.

	SPDR Energy ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xle#NYSE">XLE</a>)

	The ETF closed out Monday with a gain of 0.6 percent and extended its winning streak to four sessions. XLE is now up seven out of the last eight days and is trading at the highest level ever.
 There is no reason to ever try and call a top or a bottom on a chart. However, the action has led the ETF into overbought territory and XLE is now at a level in which it is due for a normal pullback. The ETF closed at $99.01 yesterday. Support is at the $95-$96 area if/when it pulls back in the coming days/weeks.

	Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/tan#NYSE">TAN</a>)

	One of the best performers yesterday was TAN with a move of 1.8 percent to close at the best level since April. The rally was led by a breakout and 8 percent gain in SunPower (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spwr#NASDAQ">SPWR</a>) and an 11 percent surge in SunEdison (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sune#NYSE">SUNE</a>).
 Even though TAN had a great day, it still remains 15 percent below its early March high. There appears to be more upside left in TAN and if the news cycle continues to lean positive it will be the catalyst that drives the ETF to new highs.

Sector ETFs

Previews

Pre-Market Outlook

ARGT

SPWR

SUNE

ETF Outlook For Tuesday, June 17, 2014 (ARGT, THD, XLE, TAN, SUNE, SPWR)

<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/topic/etf">ETF</a> Outlook For Tuesday, May 20, 2014

	SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>)

	The SPY has pulled backed several times over the last month and each short-lived bout of selling has followed a similar pattern. The ETF crossed below the 50-day moving average during the trading day, only to close above the indicator and then rally the next few days.
 
On Thursday and Friday the ETF breached the indicator, only to close off the intraday lows. Yesterday the ETF rallied to close near the high of the session and thus the pattern continues. The 50-day moving average is currently at $186.83.

	iShares MSCI Thailand Inv. Market ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>)

	 The army declared martial law in the country in response to six months of protests, sending the Thai stock market down over 1 percent Monday night. Thailand has been overshadowed by the Russia/Ukraine situation, so perhaps some were surprised by the army's move. Nonetheless the long running protests have sometimes become deadly.

 Related: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/emerging-market-etfs/14/05/4566677/catching-up-with-the-bric-etfs-bkf-bik-eeb">Catching Up With The BRIC ETFs</a>
 
The ETF has been struggling for the last year, but was able to rally off a multi-year low hit in early January. Looking ahead, the risks seem to outweigh the rewards for most investors.

	Global X Social Media ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/socl#NYSE">SOCL</a>)

	The high-flying social media stocks were moving again yesterday and SOCL is now nearly two weeks removed from its 2014 low. The ETF has yet to build any sustainable momentum to the upside, but typically the first step in the process is building a base and that is underway.
 The support level to keep an eye on is $16.36 and if it can close above $17.26 it would be a bullish breakout.

	EG Shares India Infrastructure ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/inxx#NYSE">INXX</a>)

	The rally in all things <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/topic/india">India</a> continued on Monday as investors remain bullish after the election results of last week.

 An Indian ETF that does not get much press, but has experienced a sudden surge in volume, is INXX. The niche infrastructure sector has rallied 21 percent in the last seven trading sessions. The volume went from a few thousand shares per day to average over 500 thousand the last two days.
 There will be a pullback in the coming days as nothing goes straight up, however it appears investors view the sector as one of the big winners with the new political party in charge.

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Emerging Global Shares INDXX India Infrastructure Index Fund

INXX

SOCL

ETF Outlook For Tuesday, May 20, 2014 (SPY, THD, SOCL, INXX)

Since hitting a high on April 4, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>) has fallen over two percent as the momentum stocks have succumb to profit-taking.

	The ETF breached the 50-day moving average for the second time this year during the pullback before attempting to rally this week.

	The choppy trading has not affected the overall market too much, but individual stocks and ETFs have fared much worse.

	Meanwhile, a handful of international ETFs have been able to avoid the selling and have attracted buyers as U.S. stocks struggle. The one trend that has been evident overseas has been money flowing into emerging and frontier markets.

	Many of the countries underperformed the U.S. last year, but have now reached levels that are attractive on a valuation basis.

	Global X Nigeria Index ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/nge#NYSE">NGE</a>)

	The country more known for corruption and geopolitical concerns than the fact they are the Africa’s largest oil producer has a bright future. According to the U.N., the country could have a population that is larger than the U.S. by 2050 and with that magnitude of growth there are investment opportunities.

	See also: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/14/04/4475375/etfs-moving-on-earnings-smh-iat-intc-usb-pnc">ETFs Moving On Earnings</a>

	The beauty of an ETF is that investors are able to gain access to a wide range of stocks and sectors within Nigeria. The continents largest economy, according to the country’s numbers will provide big upside potential, however investors must be aware of high volatility and the potential of sizable pullbacks.

	iShares MSCI Philippines ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ephe#NYSE">EPHE</a>)

	The ETF has quietly put together a solid 2014 with a gain over 13 percent for the year. This follows a great 2012 and a loss of 8.5 percent last year. The trend has appeared to shift back to the bullish side as the extremely young country, median age of 23, is back on the right track.

	The financial stocks make up the largest portion of the portfolio, which is a positive as consumption has been steady along with the probability of more infrastructure projects in the country.

	iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>)

	Even though political tensions have been increasing over the last few months the ETF has been able to shrug off worries as it is now at the in five months and is up 10 percent in 2014.

	Similar to EPHE, the ETF struggled in 2013 before finding a bottom earlier this year. It appears investors are looking past the current situation and investing for the long-term positive outlook for the Southeast Asian economy.

ISHARES MSCI PHILIPPINES INVESTABLE MARKET INDEX FUND

EPHE

International ETFs Showing Strength (NGE, EPHE, THD, SPY)

ETF Outlook for the week of January 6, 2013

	iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>)

	Thai stocks are off to their worst start in 25 years as the protests continue to expand around the country. On Saturday one of the biggest gathers took place and more are planning for the coming weeks.

	This has led to a drop in tourism as airlines are beginning to cancel future flights based on a decrease in demand. THD is down nearly 10 percent in the first two trading days of the year and is sitting at the lowest level in two years. The selling has also put pressure on the Global X FTSE ASEAN 40 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/asea#NYSE">ASEA</a>), which is close to a multi-year low after falling 3.4 percent in the first two trading days of 2014.

	iShares U.S. Oil Equipment &amp; Services ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/iez#NYSE">IEZ</a>)

	Barron’s highlighted National Oilwell Varco (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/nov#NYSE">NOV</a>) this weekend as a potential winner in 2014 with upside of 30 percent. The stock and its peers could be on the move Monday morning after the mention.

	See also: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/14/01/4192828/earnings-expectations-for-the-week-of-january-6-alcoa-and-more">Earnings Expectations for the Week of January 6</a>

	The stock hit a 52-week high in November before pulling back the last six weeks. The stock is the third largest holding in IEZ, making up eight percent of the portfolio. The chart of IEZ practically mirrors that of NOV and any move higher in NOV should have a direct affect on the ETF.

	SPDR Financial ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xlf#NYSE">XLF</a>)

	The major indices pulled back to begin the New Year as the financial stocks bucked the trend and many hit new multi-year highs. XLF closed out last week at the best level since 2008, led by a surge in Bank of America (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bac#NYSE">BAC</a>).

	Bank of America is up 5.4 percent in the first two days of the year after an upgrade helped fuel big volume buying. The stock is the fourth largest holding and makes up 6.5 percent of the ETF allocation. The number one holding is JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/jpm#NYSE">JPM</a>), which is trading at the best level since 2000.

	SPDR Utilities ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xlu#NYSE">XLU</a>)

	With interest rates on the rise it makes the higher yielding sectors less attractive to investors seeking income. The utility stocks are often viewed as equity income plays as well as safe havens. Both strategies are lacking demand from investors and this has pushed XLU to the lowest level in nearly three months.

	A 1.9 percent loss during the first two days of the year on heavy volume is a bearish sign to begin the New Year. If XLU cannot hold support at $36 during the pullback it will be an ominous sign for the sector.

ASEA

iShares Dow Jones US Oil Equipment & Services Index Fund

ETF Outlook For The Week Of January 6, 2014 (THD, IEZ, XLF, XLU)

First and foremost, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas Week to everyone. 

	Enjoy the family time, but do not forget the market is only closed one day (Wednesday) and money is always on the move.

	ETF Outlook for the Week of December 23, 2013:

	RevenueShares Large Cap ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/rwl#NYSE">RWL</a>)

	The ETF that concentrates on the large cap asset class and allocates its portfolio based on revenue hit a new all-time high last week. The news this past weekend out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the U.S. economy picking up as the business climate becomes more certain in 2014 should only help the ETF’s performance. A stronger U.S. economy will be linked to increasing revenue for corporations and the large cap names will be among the winners.

	iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/itb#NYSE">ITB</a>)

	New home sales come out Tuesday morning and the numbers are expected to remain robust as the housing market continues to rebound. ITB is in an interesting spot, the ETF closed out last week at the best level in several month.

	See also: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/media/barrons/13/12/4175180/barrons-recap-bad-bad-wolf">Barron's Recap - Bad, Bad Wolf</a>

	The ETF is facing tough resistance at the $23.75, where it failed to breakthrough three prior times since July. If ITB can close above $24.00 this week it would be a major breakout and should be enough to send the ETF to the next resistance level at $26.50.

	iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>)

	The protests in Thailand continue as the people push for the Prime Minister to step down from his office. The unrest in the country even spread around the globe as Thai citizens set up mini protests against the current PM. The country’s stock market has not reacted well to the protests and THD is currently hitting a multi-month low. For the year, THD is down 16 percent and until the country and entire region begins to stabilize the risk of investing in THD is too high.

	SPDR S&amp;P Retail ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xrt#NYSE">XRT</a>)

	The consumer confidence numbers come out Monday morning and will be a good indicator as to the health of the holiday shopper. So far the retail stocks have lagged the overall market during the holiday season, but a recent rally off support has XRT looking strong. Of the several retail ETFs, XRT is the most diverse and the best ETF to gain exposure to the overall retail sector. After hitting support last week at $85, the ETF has been rallying and it could have its eyes set on the all-time high near $89 in the coming week.

iShares Dow Jones US Homenstruction Index Fund

ETF Outlook for the Week of December 23, 2013 (RWL, ITB, THD)

ETF Outlook for the week of December 2, 2013

	Global X FTSE Greece 20 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/grek#NYSE">GREK</a>)

	Ratings agency, Moody’s, sees a cyclical recovery in Greece’s economy and has upgraded the country’s rating by two notches to Caa3 from C. Moody’s expects the country’s GDP to fall by 0.5 percent in 2014 before moving back to growth mode in 2015 with a forecast for a gain of 1.0 percent in the economy.

	GREK is up 26.6 percent this year and is trading just below a multi-year high. Based on valuations alone, GREK is a bargain even though it has a big gain this year. The move over the weekend could add to the gains on Monday.

	iShares MSCI Israel Capped Market Index ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/eis#NYSE">EIS</a>)

	Fitch reaffirmed Israel’s A rating and ups the outlook to positive, the reason for the upgrade is a falling deficit. The ratings agencies do not carry the same clout they had before the financial crises, but the move still may have an affect on the ETF Monday morning. In 2013, EIS is up 15 percent and is trading at a new two-year high.

	Related: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/13/11/4117475/wide-range-of-etfs-hitting-new-highs-ewn-nlr-eis-ing-teva">Wide Range of ETFs Hitting New Highs (EWN, NLR, EIS, ING, TEVA)</a>

	With 24 percent of the ETF being in one stock, Teva Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/teva#NASDAQ">TEVA</a>), the ETF does not offer true diversification into the country. However, it is one of only two ETFs that focus on the country. The other ETF to watch is the Market Vectors Israel ETF (NYSE: ISRA).

	iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>)

	The protests in Thailand escalated this weekend as there are now four people reported dead. Over the weekend protestors stormed the PBS station in the country and a government building.

	Shares of Thai stocks have underperformed this year along with the entire Southeast Asia region. THD is down 11 percent this year and with the protests not appearing to be slowing anytime soon it could send the ETF further into negative territory.

	Market Vectors Retail ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/rth#NYSE">RTH</a>)

	Black Friday is in the books and Cyber Monday will kick off the week. These are two of the busiest shopping days of the year for the brick and mortar and online retailers. According to ShopperTrak, sales on Black Friday increased by 2.3 percent from last year. The number could have been hurt by a number of large retailers that were open on Thanksgiving day for the first time.

	Related: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/13/11/4110621/where-is-the-bottom-for-gold-miners-gdx-gdxj-dust-jdst">Where is the Bottom for Gold Miners? (GDX, GDXJ, DUST, JDST)</a>

	The research firm believes sales for the entire holiday season will increase by 2.4 percent year-over-year, the slowest growth since 2009. Overall the numbers are basically inline with estimates and it could be enough to draw investors into the sector. Other retail ETFs to watch include the SPDR S&amp;P Retail ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xrt#NYSE">XRT</a>) and PowerShares Retail ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/pmr#NYSE">PMR</a>).

	SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>)

	The ETF hit a new all-time high intraday on Friday before finishing the holiday-shortened trading session down 0.1 percent. The volume was low and the significance of the move on Friday is not really high. However, the chart of SPY shows an index that is slowing as it hits highs and could be setting up for a normal pullback.

	The RSI indicator recently generated a crossover sell signal, which has a good track record for predicting short-term tops. A pullback to the 50-day moving average and price support at the $174.50 area could constitute a 3.5 percent pullback from Friday’s close of $181.00. Investors should be prepared for a pullback in the next couple of weeks and the level to watch is the moving average and support line.

iShares MSCI Israel Capped Investable Market Index Fund

GREK

PowerShares ETF Trust Dynamic Retail Portfolio

Merrill Lynch Retail HOLDRS Trust due 12/31/41

TEVA

ETF Outlook for the week of December 2, 2013

Here is the ETF Professor's ETF Watch List for Thursday, September 26, 2013.

Give the iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/slv#NYSE">SLV</a>) a look.

The Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/tza#NYSE">TZA</a>) could be worth a trade.

The iShares Europe 350 (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/iev#NYSE">IEV</a>) looks good.

Check in with the SPDR S&amp;P Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sdy#NYSE">SDY</a>).

Emerging markets plays of the day: iShares MSCI Thailand ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>), Direxion Daily Emerging Markets Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/edz#NYSE">EDZ</a>) and the iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ewm#NYSE">EWM</a>).

Forex play of the day: ProShares UltraShort Yen (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ycs#NYSE">YCS</a>).

Bond play of the day: PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bkln#NYSE">BKLN</a>).

Short Ideas

New ETFs

Currency ETFs

BKLN

Direxion Daily Emerging Markets Bear 3x Shares

ETFs to Watch September 26, 2013 (BKLN, SDY, TZA)

Asia-Pacific Is Not Just China

EM Central Banks: More Easing In The Cards?

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
A Barron&rsquo;s article appeared at the end of 2023 discussing why Turkey could be one of the <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/why-turkey-could-be-the-turnaround-story-in-emerging-markets-next-year-fc9f5474?refsec=emerging-markets&amp;mod=topics_emerging-markets">biggest emerging markets opportunities</a> in 2024. So far, the iShares MSCI Turkey ETF (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tur-stock-quote/">TUR</a>) is up 14.3% year-to-date (YTD), more than double the S&amp;P 500.



&ldquo;A broader argument for Turkish stocks rests on valuation and positioning. Turkey is dirt cheap relative to other emerging markets, at an average price-to-forward-earnings ratio of 3.9, and somewhat cheap relative to its own history,&rdquo; Barron&rsquo;s contributor Craig Mellow reported on East Capital senior consultant Emre Akcakmak&rsquo;s comments about Turkish stocks. &ldquo;This is the fifth time over the past 15 years that we have been close to these levels, and every time we have seen a bump.&rdquo; The question is whether they can keep going.&nbsp;



Turkey is one of three emerging markets whose name begins with T. The other two are Thailand and Taiwan. To spread the risk around, here are three stocks to buy, one from each country.&nbsp;



<h2>B&#304;M Birle&#351;ik Ma&#287;azalar (BMBRF)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/shutterstock_1136020895-300x169.png" alt="Turkish flag with city in background"><div>Source: Halil ibrahim SARI / Shutterstock.com</div></div>B&#304;M Birle&#351;ik Ma&#287;azalar (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/bmbrf-stock-quote/">BMBRF</a>) is one of the largest publicly traded <a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/consumer-discretionary/retail/">etail stocks </a> in Turkey. It started in 1995 with <a href="https://english.bim.com.tr/Categories/108/about-us.aspx">21 stores</a>. As of Sept. 30, 2023, it had 12,046 stores in Turkey, Morocco and Egypt. It is the pioneer of discount stores in Turkey.



In Q3 2023, it generated <a href="https://english.bim.com.tr/investorPresentations/2023/BIM%203Q23%20Results%20Presentation.pdf">61%</a> of its sales from private label products, with the remainder coming from branded products and exclusive one-time offers. Its revenue in the third quarter was 74.41 billion Turkish lira (USD $2.39 billion), with an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of 6.67 billion Turkish lira (USD $214 million).



In addition to its discount stores, it started File in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_(company)">2015</a>. File stores provide a shopping environment that combines a supermarket and a department store, similar to Walmart (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wmt-stock-quote/">WMT</a>). Today, the subsidiary has 223 stores in 26 cities, and BMBRF opened four more File stores in the third quarter.&nbsp;



BIM is the largest holding in TUR with a weight of <a href="https://www.ishares.com/us/products/239689/ishares-msci-turkey-etf">7.07%</a>, so for investors looking for emerging markets opportunities, both BIM and TUR seem to be good choices right now. 



<h2>Airports of Thailand (AIPUY)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/growth-stock-red-paper-airplane-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Image of white paper airplanes on horizontal trajectory with one red paper airplane rising upward, symbolizing growth stocks"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Pasuwan</div></div>Airports of Thailand (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/aipuy-stock-quote/">AIPUY</a>) is the fourth-largest holding of the iShares MSCI Thailand ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/thd-stock-quote/">THD</a>) with a weight of <a href="https://www.ishares.com/us/products/239688/ishares-msci-thailand-capped-etf">5.09%</a>.&nbsp;The Bangkok-based company went public in <a href="https://investor.airportthai.co.th/">September 2002</a>. It was spun off from the Airport Authority of Thailand, a state enterprise. The Thai government&rsquo;s Ministry of Finance owns 70% of the public company.&nbsp;



As its name suggests, the company operates <a href="https://investor.airportthai.co.th/misc/PRESN/20240213-aot-corpoatepresentation1q24.pdf">39 airports</a> in Thailand, including two in Bangkok, Thailand&rsquo;s capital. In Q1 2024, its airports had 28.9 million passengers, 25.5% more than in Q1 2023. Approximately 58% of the passenger traffic was international, with the remaining 42% domestic.&nbsp;



Departure Passenger Service Charges (PSC) and Concession Revenues (CCR) accounted for 70% of its Q1 2024 revenue of 48.1 billion Thai baht (USD $1.34 billion). Its EBITDA profit in the third quarter was 9.37 billion Thai baht (USD $260 million). That was 186% higher than in Q3 2023. 



Regarding capacity, Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok has the highest, with <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1020260/thailand-total-number-of-air-passengers-by-airport/#statisticContainer">51.7 million passengers</a> in 2023. Several projects are underway at the airport that will grow its capacity by 2028.&nbsp;With Thailand becoming an increasingly more visited location by foreign nationals, investing in its airports is another one of the emerging markets opportunities to take advantage of.



<h2>ASE Technology (ASX)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/taiwan-semiconductor-showdown1600-300x169.png" alt="Flag of the Republic of China or Taiwan on a processor, CPU Central processing Unit or GPU microchip on a motherboard. Taiwan manufacturing chip industry emerges as battlefront in US - China showdown. TSM stock"><div>Source: William Potter / Shutterstock.com</div></div>The most obvious choice for Taiwanese stocks in the iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ewt-stock-quote/">EWT</a>) is the fund&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.ishares.com/us/products/239686/ishares-msci-taiwan-etf">top holding</a>, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tsm-stock-quote/">TSM</a>). The company manufacturers Nvidia&rsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvda-stock-quote/">NVDA</a>) artificial intelligence (AI) chips.&nbsp;



However, ASE Technology Holding (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/asx-stock-quote/">ASX</a>), the ninth-largest position in EWT with a 1.53% weight, presents a more interesting opportunity. ASE stands for Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, which is one of three operating units under the holding company&rsquo;s umbrella.



&ldquo;ASEH develops and offers complete turnkey solutions covering front-end engineering test, wafer probing, IC packaging and modules, materials, final test, system and board level integration and, electronic design and manufacturing services (EMS),&rdquo; states its <a href="https://gf.com/gf-partner-community/globalsolutions-ecosystem/">company website</a>.&nbsp;



Of the <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/asx/analystestimates">20 analysts</a> covering its stock, 10 rate it a Buy, with the highest target price at $12.11 which is 27% higher than where it&rsquo;s currently trading. The current analyst estimate for the company&rsquo;s earnings in 2024 is 61 cents a share and 84 cents in 2025. It trades at less than 16x 2024 earnings-per-share (EPS) and 12x its 2025 earnings. ASX shares are up nearly 28% over the past year and 121% over the past five years.&nbsp;&nbsp;



On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com <a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Will Ashworth has written about investments full-time since 2008. Publications where he&rsquo;s appeared include InvestorPlace, The Motley Fool Canada, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and several others in both the U.S. and Canada. He particularly enjoys creating model portfolios that stand the test of time. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/02/3-overlooked-emerging-markets-opportunities-turkey-thailand-taiwan/">3 Overlooked Emerging Markets Opportunities: Turkey, Thailand &amp; Taiwan</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

3 Overlooked Emerging Markets Opportunities: Turkey, Thailand & Taiwan

Indo-Pacific focus: U.S. firms to invest $1B in Philippines; next up, Thailand

THD: Thai Equities Are Still Too Pricey

THD: Baht Suffers From Governance Issues

iShares MSCI Thailand ETF declares semi-annual distribution of $1.1383

THD: Thailand Stocks Continue To Weaken, Look For A Buying Opportunity

THD: Macro Improvements Point To Full Recovery In 2025

Highest And Lowest Country ETF Dividend Yields

AAXJ

ADIV

AIPUY

AVEM

AVES

BBAX

BBJP

BMBRF

BRZU

CBON

DBEM

DBJP

DFEV

DIEM

DVYA

DXJS

EBND

EDEN

EEMA

EFNL

EGPT

EIRL

EJUL

EMCR

EMFM

EMLC

EMXC

ENOR

ENZL

EPOL

ESGE

EWJV

EWZS

FEMB

FLAU

FLAX

FLBR

FLIN

FLJH

FLJP

FLKR

FLLA

FLSA

FLTW

FRDM

GLIN

GOOG

GSJY

HAUZ

HEEM

HEWJ

IEMG

INCO

INDA

INDF

INDL

INDY

IPAC

ISRA

ITEQ

IZRL

JEMA

JPXN

KBND

KORU

LDEM

LEMB

MCHI

MFEM

MSFT

NFTY

NVDA

RFEM

ROAM

SCHE

SMIN

SPEM

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iShares Inc iShares MSCI Thailand ETF

Overview

iShares Inc iShares MSCI Thailand ETF (ARCA:THD), Quote.Headers.trade-ideas