SPDR S&P International Dividend ETF (ARCA: DWX)

Latest news for SPDR S&P International Dividend ETF (ARCA:DWX)

SPDR S&P International Dividend ETF

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Basic Materials

Technology

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The fund generally invests substantially all, but at least 80%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index and in depositary receipts based on securities comprising the index. The index is designed to measure the performance of 100 high-yielding international common stocks.

Orange

Enbridge Inc

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REDEIA CORP SA

Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust

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HFEZ

State Street Adds Two ETFs To Currency Hedged Stable

Guggenheim S&P Global Dividend Opportunities Index ETF

SDIV

3 Global ETFs With Sky-High Dividends

Analyst Color

Short Ideas

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Intraday Update

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First Trust Dow Jones Global Select Dividend Index Fund

VALE

Two ETFs For Global Yield

State Street Corp.&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/stt#NYSE">STT</a>)&#39;s State Street Global Advisors (SSgA), the third-largest U.S. issuer of exchange traded funds, on Tuesday tripled the size of its currency hedged ETF lineup with the introduction of two new, income-generating ETFs focusing on international markets.

	The SPDR MSCI International Real Estate Currency Hedged ETF (NYSE: HREX) and the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend Currency Hedged ETF (NYSE: HDWX) are the two new ETFs from SSgA. HDWX is the currency hedged equivalent of the $1 billion SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>), an ETF that came to market in early 2008.

	The SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend Currency Hedged ETF follows the S&amp;P International Dividend Opportunities USD Hedged Index. Financial services and utilities stocks combine for about 47 percent of the new ETF&#39;s weight with telecom stocks chiming in at 16 percent. Australia and the UK combine for over 41 percent of the new ETF&#39;s country weight. Those are of the best <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/15/09/5829553/proshares-adds-to-dividend-growth-lineup-with-europe-etf">developed market dividend growth</a> destinations outside of the US.

	Boiling HDWX down into simple terms, it holds DWX with a currency hedged overlay, a strategy that other issuers have used with new currency hedged ETFs and one that in some cases has been successful.

	&ldquo;The SPDR MSCI International Real Estate Currency Hedged ETF seeks to track the performance of the MSCI World ex USA IMI Core Real Estate Capped 100% Hedged to USD Index. This index is designed to reflect the performance of stocks in the MSCI World ex USA IMI Index that are engaged in the ownership, development and management of specific core real estate property types while minimizing exposure to fluctuations in foreign currencies,&rdquo; said SSgA in a statement.

	The MSCI World ex USA IMI Core Real Estate Capped 100% Hedged to USD Index is heavily tilted toward developed markets with the yen, euro, Hong Kong dollar, British pound and the Australian dollar combining for over 82 percent of the index&#39;s currency exposure, according to <a href="https://www.msci.com/documents/10199/9648ed65-8085-4674-927e-63fef6a89ebc">MSCI data</a>.

	Both new ETFs charge 0.48 percent per year, or $48 per $10,000 invested.

	SSgA launched its first currency hedged ETF, the SPDR EURO STOXX 50 Currency Hedged ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/hfez#NYSE">HFEZ</a>) in June. That ETF, which is the currency hedged answer to the popular, SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/fez#NYSE">FEZ</a>), has $7 million in assets under management.

Finding stocks that are yielding more than 5 percent is difficult, considering the heights of the equity markets. Unless companies are actively raising their dividends, each marginal move higher in share price reduces the yield of their stock.

	This problem has become especially poignant to equity investors that are relying on their portfolio to generate a steady income stream.&nbsp; Fortunately, there are several ETFs that can solve this vexing issue with their overseas exposure.
<h3>
	1) Global X Superdividend ETF</h3>

	The Global X Superdividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sdiv#NYSE">SDIV</a>) has more than $1.1 billion dedicated to 100 high dividend-paying stocks around the globe. This ETF takes an equal weighted approach to construct its portfolio and distributes income on a monthly basis. The current 30-day SEC yield of SDIV is 6.10 percent, and it charges an expense ratio of 0.58 percent.

	Related: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/14/08/4790257/consumer-discretionary-etfs-breakout-to-new-highs">Consumer Discretionary ETFs Breakout To New Highs</a>

	So far this year, SDIV has shown that shareholders are not only receiving an excellent income stream, but also capital appreciation as well. This ETF has gained 14.41 percent amid exposure to both developed and emerging markets.
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<h3>
	2) Guggenheim S&amp;P Global Dividend Opportunities Index ETF</h3>

	Another high yield competitor is the Guggenheim S&amp;P Global Dividend Opportunities Index ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lvl#NYSE">LVL</a>), which also houses 100 dividend-paying equities. This ETF currently has an SEC 30-day yield of 5.98 percent with heavy exposure to financials, utilities and telecommunication stocks. In addition, the largest country exposure in LVL is Australia, followed by the United States and Canada.

	Despite the strong yield, this ETF may suffer from the fact that its expense ratio is on the higher end at 0.90 percent, and it only distributes income on a quarterly basis.&nbsp;
<h3>
	3) SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF</h3>

	Finally, the International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>) rounds out our list of sky-high dividend payers. This ETF is dedicated strictly to international stocks and eschews exposure to the United States. DWX has 123 holdings that must have a total market cap greater than $1 billion to be admitted into the fund.

	This ETF currently has a 30-day SEC yield of 5.09 percent and charges an expense ratio of 0.45 percent.&nbsp; So far this year, DWX has gained nearly 9 percent and is 3 percent off its highs amid a volatile summer in European markets.

	Each of these ETFs offers a unique index construction and solid income stream for global equity investors.

Although 10-year Treasury yields have tumbled 7.1 percent in the past five trading days, uncertainty regarding the future of the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program lingers and that could lead rates higher yet again.

	When 10-year Treasuries were recently flirting with yields of three percent, that yield was not only well above that of the S&amp;P 500, but some popular dividend ETFs as well. For investors, the good news is there are plenty of global dividend ETFs that yield well above three percent.

	Related: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/13/09/3930676/nifty-new-global-dividend-etfs">Nifty New Dividend ETFs</a>.

	"S&amp;P Capital IQ Global Equity Strategist Alec Young notes that with the exception of Japan, major foreign stock markets in Europe, Latin America, Canada, Australia and emerging Asia all yield more than their U.S. counterpart, with payouts ranging from 3.0%-4.5%, vs. only 2.0% for the S&amp;P 500 Index. Young adds that the year to date international equity underperformance relative to U.S. stocks has left foreign dividend yields higher due to limited capital appreciation," said the research firm in a new note.

	S&amp;P Capital IQ has Buy or Strong Buy ratings on eight American depository receipts that yield more than three percent, including France's Total (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/tot#NYSE">TOT</a>), Europe's third-largest oil company, and Brazil's Vale (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/vale#NYSE">VALE</a>), the world' largest iron ore maker. The research is also somewhat encouraged by a pair of international dividend ETFs, one of which is the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>).

	Home to over $1.3 billion in assets under management, DWX earns a Marketweight rating from S&amp;P Captial IQ. DWX charges 0.45 percent per year and sports a dividend yield of 6.72 percent. At the sector level, financial services names dominate DWX with an allocation of 23.5 percent. Telecom and utilities garner weights of 18.5 and 12.6 percent, respectively.

	DWX <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/12/09/2906030/s-p-rates-2-global-dividend-etfs-marketweight">offers exposure to 28 countries</a>, though Australia is by far the largest country weight in the fund at 22.5 percent, two and a half times the allocation given to the U.K.

	While DWX is mostly weighted toward developed markets, investors should note the ETF does feature exposure, albeit fractional in some cases, to 10 emerging markets, including South Africa, China and Brazil. Some emerging markets <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/13/08/3824853/etfs-for-emerging-markets-dividend-growth">proving to be dividend growers</a> and that could bode well for DWX in the future.

	S&amp;P Capital IQ also has a Marketweight rating on the $353.6 million First Trust Dow Jones Global Select Dividend Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/fgd#NYSE">FGD</a>). FGD is noticeably different from DWX on several levels. For example, the First Trust offering is a global ETF, not an ex-U.S. fund and that means the U.S. is the fund's largest country weight at 17 percent. Australia is next at 16.3 percent. FGD's top-10 country weights, which comprise nearly three-quarters of the fund's weight, are developed markets.

	Companies need to meet certain criteria to be included in FGD's lineup, including "having a current-year dividend-per-share ratio that is greater than or equal to its five-year average annual dividend-per-share ratio and a five-year average payout ratio of less than or equal to 60% for U.S. and European companies; or less than or equal to 80% for all other countries," <a href="http://www.ftportfolios.com/Retail/Etf/EtfSummary.aspx?Ticker=FGD">according to First Trust</a>.

	FGD, often <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/13/03/3395389/3-international-dividend-etfs-your-broker-forgot-to-mention">overlooked in the international dividend ETF conversation</a>, allocates a combined 61 percent of its weight to the telecom, industrial and financial services sectors. The ETF's 30-day SEC yield is almost 6.4 percent and FGD is up 5.2 percent year-to-date.

	For more on ETFs, click <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs">here</a>.

Dividends and yields on developed market equities outside the U.S. have long been more impressive than comparable U.S. fare and it is no surprise to see developed Europe leading. Faltering equity prices amid the Eurozone's sovereign debt crisis have elevated yields, but European equities and select corresponding ETFs have bounced back in recent weeks.

In a research note published on Wednesday, S&amp;P Capital IQ encourages investors "to look inside an ETF to see what countries and sectors it is exposed to and the quality of the stocks in its holdings." S&amp;P Capital IQ rates two multi-country ETFs Market-weight in the note.

Wednesday's note follows research published earlier this week in which S&amp;P Capital IQ highlighted <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/12/09/2901663/s-p-highlights-country-etfs-for-income-investors">several ETFs tracking developed and emerging economies</a> as valid yield plays. In that note, S&amp;P rated well-known ETFs such as the iShares MSCI Germany Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ewg#NYSE">EWG</a>), the iShares MSCI South Africa Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/eza#NYSE">EZA</a>), the iShares Switzerland Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ewl#NYSE">EWL</a>) and the iShares MSCI Turkey Investable Market Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/tur#NYSE">TUR</a>) Market-weight.

In its Wednesday note, S&amp;P rates the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>) Market-weight. The $980.1 million fund charges 0.45 percent per year and sports a dividend yield of 7.21 percent. At the sector level, telecommunications names dominate DWX with an allocation of 24.5 percent. Financials and utilities garner weights of 18.1 and 17.7 percent, respectively. 

DWX offers exposure to 26 developed and developing markets, but Spain and Australia combine for about 30 percent of the fund's weight. France, with an allocation of almost 10.8 percent, is the only other country to receive a double-digit weight. Turkey is DWX's largest emerging market weight at almost 3.4 percent.

Year-to-date, DWX is up 1.9 percent, but the fund has jumped 6.5 percent in the past month.

S&amp;P also rates the iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/idv#NYSE">IDV</a>) Marketweight. That ETF has $1.1 billion in AUM and charges 0.5 percent per year. There are other significant differences between IDV and DWX.

At the sector level, IDV is more diverse, offering double-digit weights to the following five sectors: Financials, consumer staples, utilities, oil and gas and telecommunications. IDV offers exposure to 25 countries, with Australia and the U.K. combining for over 38 percent. Aside from a scant 0.73 allocation to China, IDV's country weights are entirely developed markets.

IDV has a 30-day SEC yield of 4.98 percent and trailing 12-month yield of 5.15 percent, <a href="http://us.ishares.com/product_info/fund/overview/IDV.htm?fundSearch=true&amp;qt=IDV">according to iShares data</a>. The ETF is up almost 11 percent year-to-date and 4.6 percent in the past month.

For more on income options with international ETFs, click <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/12/09/2901663/s-p-highlights-country-etfs-for-income-investors">here</a>.

Emerging Market ETFs

iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Income Fund

iShares MSCI Turkey Investable Market Index Fund

S&P Rates 2 Global Dividend ETFs Marketweight

Actively managed ETFs still account for a percentage of overall exchange-traded products assets and the actively managed space is <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/12/07/2762276/beating-bond-some-bond-funds-trumping-pimco-juggernaut">dominated by just a handful of funds</a>. However, the number of new entrants to the arena continues to expand, giving investors ample opportunity to consider the merits of active management.

Some actively managed ETFs are worth a look for income investors while others provide <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/12/05/2628534/4-etf-fund-of-funds-to-consider">unique fund of funds exposure</a> allowing investors to gain access to multiple ETFs under one umbrella. Some new actively managed ETFs do both of those things.

One such example is the SPDR SSgA Income Allocation ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/inkm#NYSE">INKM</a>), which debuted in late April and has thus far accumulated almost $8.9 million in assets under management. 

INKM is home to just 18 holdings, 17 of which are other SPDR funds. That roster is dominated by some funds ETF investors are no doubt familiar with, including the SDPR S&amp;P Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sdy#NYSE">SDY</a>), the PDR Barclays Capital Long Corporate Term Bond ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lwc#NYSE">LWC</a>) and the and the SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield Bond ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/jnk#NYSE">JNK</a>). That trio constitutes for over 40 percent of INKM's weight.

Other familiar funds found in INKM's lineup include the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>), the SPDR Wells Fargo Preferred Stock ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/psk#NYSE">PSK</a>) and the SPDR S&amp;P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ediv#NYSE">EDIV</a>).

Overall, INKM provides exposure to five asset classes. Equities lead the charge at over 43 percent of the fund's weight while high-grade corporate bonds command an allocation of almost 32 percent. International real estate plays, high-yield bonds and hybrid securities such as preferred stocks account for the rest of INKM's lineup.

That composition speaks to INKM's income-generating potential and the ETF does not disappoint on that front with a 30-day SEC yield of 4.3 percent. Beyond that, most of INKM's holdings, particularly the ones at the top, are heavily traded. That gives the lightly traded ETF sufficient liquidity despite an average daily volume figure that might turn some investors off (just 4,800 shares).

Another advantage regarding INKM that highlights the advantages of active management is that the fund managers can shift to lower-risk securities during times of elevated market volatility. There is a downside, and it highlights an issue facing many actively managed ETFs: Cost.

INKM charges 0.7 percent per year. That is not terrible among actively managed ETFs, but that is a high expense ratio in the overall ETF universe. In fact, owning SDY, LWC and JNK individually would only cost a combined 90 basis points per year, which cements the notion that there is price to pay when dealing with actively managed ETFs.

Remember, some of INKM's fees will eat away at the fund's yield. On the other hand, with investors searching far and wide for yield, some might be willing to pay up for INKM, particularly if the fund can justify its high fees with even higher performance.

For more on income ETFs, click <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/12/05/2628534/4-etf-fund-of-funds-to-consider">here</a>.

Bonds

EDIV

INKM

Under The Hood: Dividends Beyond Stocks

It was a tumultuous second quarter for equities as the SPDR S&amp;P 500 (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>) fell almost 3.2 percent, but dividend ETFs flexed their muscles and provided investors some shelter from macroeconomic headwinds and broader market carnage.

During the quarter, the iShares High Dividend Equity Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/hdv#NYSE">HDV</a>) and the SPDR S&amp;P Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sdy#NYSE">SDY</a>), two of the most popular dividend ETFs, were able to scratch out positive returns. The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/vig#NYSE">VIG</a>), the largest dividend ETF by assets, performed in line with the S&amp;P 500.

VIG's unimpressive second-quarter performance aside, these are good days for dividend investors. Dividend increases have far outpaced reductions and suspensions this year to the point where about 80 percent of S&amp;P 500 constituents <a href="http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2012/06/15/an-etf-that-pays-you-for-waiting/">currently pay dividends</a>. 

That's good news considering the income one can depend on from Treasuries and CDs. In other words, barely enough to get fund a trip to Starbuck's (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sbux#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>) on the city bus. With that in mind, these dividends merit consideration in the second half.

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/don#NYSE">DON</a>)
Maybe it is because DON tracks mid-caps that it flies under the radar. It certainly is not because of size as the six-year-old DON has over $341 million in assets under management. DON, which charges 0.38 percent per year, currently yields almost 3.1 percent, according to <a href="http://www.wisdomtree.com/etfs/fund-details.aspx?etfid=3">WisdomTree data</a>.

Home to over 350 stocks, DON has a lot to like in that its yield and expenses are reasonable. Plus, the fund has jumped almost five percent year-to-date. The biggest knock on DON is an almost 39 percent allocation to financials. Obviously, this is a mid-cap fund so that does not mean the most controversial bank stocks are featured here, but recent history has taught investors that when one big bank sneezes, it seems like the rest of the sector catches a cold. 

EGShares Low Volatility Emerging Markets Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/hilo#NYSE">HILO</a>)
The EGShares Low Volatility Emerging Markets Dividend ETF usually enters the <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/06/2664497/the-definitive-guide-to-emerging-markets-dividend-etfs">emerging markets dividend ETF conversation</a>, but the fund is showing it might be one of the better international dividend funds, including those that track developed markets.

In the second quarter, HILO outperformed the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>), which focuses more on developed markets, by more than 200 basis points. DWX may have the higher yield, but HILO's price/earnings and price/book ratios are slightly better. 

HILO's heavy allocations to conservative sectors such as telecommunications and utilities along with an almost 17 percent weight to Thailand could be positive catalysts for the fund in the second half.

Global X SuperDividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sdiv#NYSE">SDIV</a>)
The Global X SuperDividend ETF, which just celebrated its first birthday, give investors some reasons to celebrate. Home to 100 stocks, the ETF is well-balanced as no stock receives a weight in excess of 1.47 percent. SDIV has a jaw-dropping yield of 9.41 percent. 

That high yield is driven by the fact that SDIV allocates less than a third of its country weight to the U.S., giving investors an opportunity to exploit the higher yields often offered by global stocks. SDIV's U.S./global mix has worked in investors' favor this year as the Global X offering has outperformed DWX and the iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/idv#NYSE">IDV</a>) year-to-date.

Another point in SDIV's favor: It pays a monthly dividend.

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/emcb#NASDAQ">EMCB</a>)
There should be at least one bond fund on this list and EMCB makes the list for several reasons. First, with almost $60.2 million in AUM, the almost four-month-old ETF, has been one of the better new ETFs of 2012 in terms of attracting assets. Second, EMCB yields five percent. Third, it pays a monthly dividend.

Finally, PIMCO's Bill Gross <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/12/06/2702422/etfs-bill-gross-might-like-bono-hdv-pbj">recently said he likes Brazilian and Mexicand debt</a>. Brazil and Mexico combine for more than 38 percent of EMCB's weight. 

Guggenheim Multi-Asset Income ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/cvy#NYSE">CVY</a>)
Last week, the Guggenheim Multi-Asset Income ETF cleared resistance at $21 and now looks poised to challenge its 52-week high in the $21.75 area. Do not be deterred by the fact that almost a third of this ETF's weight is devoted to financials. In this case, that means real estate investment trusts (REITs).

Along those lines, CVY is true the multi-asset roots it purports to have. The fund holds common and preferred stocks, ADRs, REITs, MLPs and royalty trusts.

CVY has a trailing 12-month yield of 5.31 percent and the fund has jumped 4.5 percent in the past month. In this environment, the knock on CVY is an almost 18 percent weight to energy stocks. If oil prices continue to struggle, that could suppress CVY's second-half upside.

For more on dividend ETFs, click <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/12/06/2667219/s-p-bullish-on-vanguard-dividend-appreciation-etf-vig-pe">here</a>.

EMCB

HILO

SBUX

5 Dividend ETFs for the Second Half 

We've previously examined what we deemed <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/01/2246418/five-more-etf-mendoza-line-candidates">Mendoza line ETFs, or those funds that are trading below their 200-day moving averages</a>. The baseball euphemism works because it's used to describe a batter whose average resides below .200, a condition that occasionally afflicts even the game's best players.

Hey, until a couple of weeks ago Albert Pujols was below the Mendoza line. Thing is it's easier for a baseball player to pull himself out of this ominous territory than it is for a stock or ETF to get back above its 200-day line. Many technicians believe a security below its 200-day moving average denotes a bear market and many fund managers shy away from stocks, ETFs, etc. that rest below this critical moving average. 

Unfortunately, there are no shortage of ETF Mendoza line candidates these days. Funds tracking global markets are especially well-represented on our latest sub-Mendoza line list. The screen used here was for traditional, long ETFs tracking global markets that are at least 10% below their simple 200-day moving averages.

Global X FTSE Argentina 20 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/argt#NYSE">ARGT</a>)
No surprise here. Against perhaps the most hostile <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/12/04/2500217/time-to-cry-for-argentina-etf-argt-ypf">political backdrop in South America for Western companies</a>, Argentina's current regime is literally cooking the goose that is ARGT, the lone ETF devoted exclusively to this frontier market. 

Hey, you know you've got problems when some analysts say Peru (just one example) is more business friendly than your country. Unfortunately, Argentina's nationalistic tendencies have doomed ARGT. At more than 24% below its 200-day line, ARGT needs a hot streak and needs it fast.

Guggenheim BRIC ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/eeb#NYSE">EEB</a>)
There are a lot of BRIC and BRICS ETFs on the market today and EEB obviously falls into the former category, leaving South Africa out of its country mix. No <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/12/05/2603828/building-with-brics-etfs-in-the-second-half">South Africa and a low allocation to India</a> aren't bad things regarding EEB. If anything, those are points in the fund's favor.

EEB's problem is two-fold: A 25.3% allocation to energy stocks and a 54.6% weight to Brazil. Those are two of the biggest reasons why EEB is almost 13% below its Mendoza line.

SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>)
Even international dividend funds are offering little shelter from the global storm these days. In theory DWX, should be holding up better than it is as 39% of its weight goes to the ultimate in defensive sectors, telecommunications and utilities. 

DWX offers exposure to 26 countries, but one could parse through that lineup and find problems with at least two-thirds of the group. The lineup includes seven Euro Zone members, the U.K. and Australia, meaning an alluring yield of 7% might be destined to grow in the near-term.

First Trust ISE Chindia Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/fni#NYSE">FNI</a>)
FNI is home to 50 stocks and the fund aims to evenly split the group between China and India at 25 for each country, but at the moment there are more Chinese stocks in the fund and the world's second-largest economy commands a larger percentage of FNI's total weight. 

That's the good news because it can be argued Chinese stocks are currently sporting some compelling valuations. The bad news is almost every ETF with significant India exposure is being tarred and feathered in this environment, meaning India is and will continue to be a serious drag on FNI's performance. FNI is 11% below its 200-day moving average. 

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gnat#NYSE">GNAT</a>)
Despite the fact that over half of its weight is tied up in developed markets such as the U.K., the U.S., Canada and Australia, GNAT has not been able to hide from the fact that it's an energy and materials play. In the proper market environment, investors would want to own some of this ETF's top holdings such as Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A) and Total (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/tot#NYSE">TOT</a>).

That time isn't now and making matters worse for GNAT is on top of the fact that it's 11% below its 200-day line, the fund also recently <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/05/2625729/4-etfs-staring-at-the-death-cross-ewq-ezu-rye">entered death cross territory where the 200-day line moves below the 50-day moving average</a>.

For more technical analysis of ETFs, please click <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/05/2625729/4-etfs-staring-at-the-death-cross-ewq-ezu-rye">HERE</a>.

Futures

Technicals

Commodities

Events

Econ #s

ARGT

GNAT

5 Global Mendoza Line ETFs (DWX, EEB, FNI)

The deluge of <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/03/2430857/etf-showdown-dividend-dilemma-hdv-hdiv-jnj">new dividend ETFs</a> has been an oft-lamented theme for close to a year. Maybe longer and that makes sense. In an environment where investors are starved for yield, there are now scores of ETFs that help investors generate the income they so badly crave with dividend yields that are far more robust than the S&amp;P 500 or U.S. Treasuries.

More dividend ETFs means more choices for investors and that's a good thing, but with so many dividend ETFs popping up, there are bound to be a few that slip through the cracks and go unnoticed. It's even possible that some unnoticed new dividend funds come courtesy of large ETF sponsors.

One example is the iShares Asia/Pacific Dividend 30 Index Fund (NYSE: DVYA). Now about seven weeks old, the iShares Asia/Pacific Dividend 30 Index Fund is off to solid start in terms of garnering attention from investors as the fund has almost $10.3 million in assets under management. Not bad for seven weeks of work.

DVYA's name is actually sort of deceiving as the fund is home to 31 stocks currently, but we're not going to quibble about that. What may be deceiving to some is Asia/Pacific is a rather large region and depending on one's sense of geography, the area could include 20 or more countries. The index DVYA strong dividend payers in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. That's it.

Alone, Australia accounts for almost 45% of DVYA's weight while Hong Kong checks in at 21.25%. Singapore is next at 17.1% and New Zealand receives a weight of 10.2%. Given the many issues facing Japan's economy and that Japanese equities have been labeled as "undervalued" for several years with few investors biting, it might be a good thing the land of the rising sun only accounts for 6.8% of DVYA's weight.

Financials represent 23.5% of the fund's sector weight, but conservative investors will like the fact that consumer staples and telecom names combine for over 36% of DVYA's sector allocation. Industrials are the only other group to receive double-digit representation. 

DVYA has a few potential rivals, including the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>) and the WisdomTree Australia Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ause#NYSE">AUSE</a>), though it should be noted, DWX is more diverse than DVYA at the country level and AUSE obviously focuses on Australia. With an expense ratio of 0.49%, DVYA is more expensive than DWX (0.45%) and cheaper than AUSE (0.58%).

Of course, with ETFs such as DVYA, DWX and related fare, the most important issue after performance is yield. In that case, DVYA does impress with a 30-day SEC yield of 4.82%, according to the iShares Web site. Given that DWX is home to more than quadruple the number of stocks and more than six times the number of countries as DVYA features, this may not be an apples-to-apples comparison, but the SPDR fund does feature a 30-day SEC yield of almost 8.7%.

AUSE

Under The Hood: Small Fund, Big Yield? (DWX, DVYA, AUSE)

Following a strong start to 2012 for global stocks and the ETFs that track them, dividends are likely to make up a larger part of total returns through year end, according to a research note published by S&amp;P Capital IQ. 

"Hhigher valuations and signs that growth is slowing from Brazil to China to beleaguered Europe drive our more cautious international views today compared to our more bullish stance in December, before the surge," according to S&amp;P Capital IQ's Alec Young.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ETFs offering global exposure with dividend yields exceeding 4% and S&amp;P highlights three of them in the note. Those funds are the iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/idv#NYSE">IDV</a>), the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>) and the WisdomTree DEFA ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwm#NYSE">DWM</a>), all of which are rated Marketweight by S&amp;P.

With over $912 million in assets under management, the iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Index Fund is largest of the trio and the fund currently sports a trailing 12-month yield of almost 5%. While Australia and the U.K. combine for over 34% of IDV's weight, the ETF is also heavily allocated to Euro Zone nations as four of those countries combine for about 23% of the ETF's weight.

The SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF currently yields an impressive 6.5% and has almost $816 million in assets under management. With an expense ratio of 0.45%, DWX is cheaper than IDV, which charges 0.5%. DWX's country allocation is also led by the U.K. and Australia, but the ETF is also heavier on Euro Zone nations as seven of those countries combine for roughly 41% of the fund's weight. DWX also offers more emerging markets exposure than its iShares rival.

The WisdomTree DEFA ETF is also cheaper than IDV with fees of 0.48% and DWM currently yields around 4.2%. The fund offers exposure to 20 countries, but approximately 57% of that country weight is devoted to the U.K. Japan, Australia and France. Including France, DWM allocates portions of its weight to nine Euro Zone nations.

S&amp;P also has Marketweight ratings on the Vanguard MSCI Europe ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/vgk#NYSE">VGK</a>) and the iShares MSCI EAFE Value Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/efv#NYSE">EFV</a>).

Follow me on Twitter: @ETFProfessor1

After-Hours Center

S&P: Dividends to Drive Global Equity Returns (IDV, DWM, DWX)

Right off the bat, we should admit that not all of the ETFs mentioned here are specific to the gambling industry. There is just one ETF devoted to casino operators and related fare and it has already been noted ETFs <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/02/2329740/five-more-stocks-etfs-need-more-of">are often short on marquee casino stocks</a> such as Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>) and Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/wynn#Nasdaq">WYNN</a>). 

Still, it might be worth finding ways to play the global gambling boom with select ETFs. Global gambling revenue jumped to $419 billion last year from $397 billion in 2010 and is forecast to reach $448 billion in 2012 <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/09/business/la-fi-gambling-revenue-20120209">according to Bloomberg</a>. 

It's not just about Las Vegas anymore. Arguably, it hasn't been for a while. Macau is the world's largest gaming hub followed by Vegas, but analysts expect Singapore will take the number two spot within the next several years. Maybe even this year. As the Bloomberg article notes, Cambodia is on the rise, too.

With that, consider these ETFs as a way to beat the house.

Market Vectors Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>)
THE casino ETF is the Market Vectors Gaming ETF. For some reason BJK, which just celebrated its fourth birthday, has no legitimate competition. Las Vegas Sands and Wynn combine for almost 23% of BJK's weight, but this ETF is global in nature. Roughly two-thirds of the fund's country weight is of the ex-U.S. variety. A fair bit of that comes in the form of emerging markets as China and Malaysia combine for almost 29% of BJK's weight.

Showing that investors are feeling better about the global economy, BJK has jumped 13% year-to-date, but the ETF would need to break through resistance around $36 to keep the party going.

iShares MSCI Singapore Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ews#NYSE">EWS</a>)
Singapore's gambling revenue topped $5 billion in 2010 and $6 billion last year, so the growth trajectory here is quite impressive. There are good reasons to play <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/01/2304152/5-developed-market-etfs-your-broker-forgot-to-mention">Singapore that do not involve gambling</a> and investors need to evaluate those reasons because EWS is not a direct gaming ETF by any means. Financials and industrials account for about 70% of the ETF's weight.

Said another way, increased gaming revenue should help Singapore's economy and that should help EWS going forward.

iShares MSCI Malaysia Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ewm#NYSE">EWM</a>)
Until recently, Malaysia has been part of the global gambling conversation. At least not for many Americans, but it's not Americans Malaysia relies on to fuel its gambling industry. Let's put it this way: If you're a believer in the rising economic strength of Asian tigers Indonesia and Thailand, than betting on Malaysia's gambling business makes sense because most of Malaysia's gambling "whales" come from Indonesia and Thailand.

Global X FTSE ASEAN 40 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/asea#NYSE">ASEA</a>)
ASEA is an ETF <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/12/01/2257297/the-best-non-china-asia-etfs-for-2012">we've liked for a while</a> and it's global gambling utility comes from the fact that Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand account for nearly all of the fund's country weight. A move above $16.50 could ASEA to new highs beyond $17.25.

SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>)
DWX, which currently yields 6.82%, is the "stretch" play on our list, but it does offer a combined weight of almost 10% to China and Singapore. And the ETF offers some exposure to another gambling destination that doesn't get much press: Czech Repbulic, which receives an allocation of almost 5% in DWX. There's no Czech Republic ETF yet, so we're turning to DWX. Prague has dozens of casinos. And you thought the romance capital of Eastern Europe was just for finding future swimsuit models...

Sector ETFs

Travel

Movers

ASEA

WYNN

Vegas Baby: Roll The Dice With Gambling ETFs (LVS, WYNN, BJK)

Of the many presents investors would probably like to give back this Black Friday one came courtesy of Moody's Investors Service and that was a downgrade of Hungary's credit rating <a href="%E2%80%9Dhttp%3A//www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/11/11/2150474/how-to-profit-from-hungarys-downgrade-to-junk-status%E2%80%9D">to junk status</a>. 

As Benzinga reported earlier, Hungary was downgraded by Moody's Investors Service from Baa3 to Ba1 with a negative outlook a week after it had to ask the International Monetary Fund for help.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is making the Moody's downgrade out to be an assault on Hungary itself and while that may good to drum up some national pride, it doesn't change the fact that an already financially imperiled nation now faces higher borrowing costs.

And don't think that just because Hungary isn't a member of the Euro Zone there aren't ways to play this news. There are and here are some ETFs you might want to short or avoid on news of Hungary's new found junk status.

SPDR S&amp;P Emerging Europe ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gur#NYSE">GUR</a>):
While Hungary accounts for just 3.7% of the SPDR S&amp;P Emerging Europe ETF's weight, the country's problems are really the icing on the cake for an ETF that devotes 80% of its weight to Russia and Turkey. There isn't a Euro Zone member found in GUR, but Europe's sovereign debt crisis has and will continue to punish this ETF.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/esr#NYSE">ESR</a>):
There isn't a huge amount of difference between GUR and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund. Both are heavy on Russia. The sector breakdowns are comparable and the charts are interchangeable, which is to say both should be avoided. Hungary accounts for over 3.5% of ESR and in the absence of Hungary-specific ETF, GUR and ESR make for fine shorting opportunities.

EGShares Health Care GEMS ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/hgem#NYSE">HGEM</a>):
You might be thinking health care stocks and ETFs might be a place to hide out in this wild market environment. They might be, but HGEM probably isn't the place to do the hiding-out. As if the 57% combined exposure to India and China isn't bad enough, Hungary accounts for 4.9% of this ETF. 

SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>):
If one did no further due diligence beyond noting “dividend” in the name of this ETF and seeing that DWX has a yield of close to 7.6%, this ETF might look like a pretty good idea right now. Think again. The yield is inflated by a declining price, which could fall further courtesy of a terrible chart. Oh yes, three of the PIIGS are found in this ETF as well as Belgium. That makes the almost 1% weight to Hungary an added bonus for traders looking to short DWX.

Bull case:
Are you crazy? Kidding aside, the bull case for GUR and ESR could take months to materialize and if it does, it will be because of Russia, not Hungary. On the basis of yield, DWX might be the only ETF here worth even a small position at the moment.

Bear case:
Moody's lowers its ratings further on Hungarian debt, a legitimate possibility. Fitch Ratings and Standard &amp; Poor's could get in on the fun as well. Hungary's debt as a percentage of GDP rises above the current level of 81%.

Downgrades

HGEM

Four ETFs For Hungary's New Junk Status

Back in September, we graded the oil services ETFs. So popular was that piece that we received scores of emails asking for rankings of various ETF groups. We're happy to oblige and do so with a look at an area of the market that nearly every investor is talking about these days: Dividends.

And not just any old dividends. We're zeroing in on international dividend ETFs, trying to help you find the best bang for your buck. 

Our four criteria, which were applied on an equal-weight basis, were liquidity, fees, diversity of holdings and potential to perhaps break away and outperform the rest of the quartet in a bull market. Yield was not part of the evaluation process, but we will mention each ETF's yield for you. 

Let's get started with the...

iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/idv#NYSE">IDV</a>):
The iShares Dow Jones International Select Dividend Index Fund is certainly the biggest ETF on our list by assets, but assets under management isn't part of the criteria here. IDV's liquidity is good, but its fees are in the middle of this pack with an expense ratio of 0.50%. It'd be nice if IDV's 22% weight to financials was lower, but four other sectors get double-digit weights.

Over 10 countries are represented in IDV and that's a plus, though over 20% devoted to Italy, France, Spain and Austria could restrain IDV's breakout potential. Yield from Finviz: 5.17%. Grade: B

First Trust STOXX Euro Select Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/fdd#NYSE">FDD</a>):
Right away, we see the problem with this ETF and that's Europe. A 0.6% expense ratio isn't great, nor is FDD's liquidity. Three sectors – financials, telecom and utilities – account for over 80% of FDD's weight and financials check in at over 40% on their own. That's just too much and it contains FDD's upside. Yield from issuer Web site: 5.46%. Grade: C

SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>):
DWX isn't as big as IDV, but it's cheaper at 0.45%. In fact, that expense ratio is good enough to make DWX the cheapest member of our list. Five sectors get double-digit allocations and nearly 30 countries, including some emerging markets, are represented here. In the right environment, DWX could take on another 30% from where it currently trades. A break of resistance at $52 could take the ETF to the 60s. Yield from issuer Web site: 6.95%. Grade: A.

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dol#NYSE">DOL</a>):
With an expense ratio of 0.48%, the WisdomTree International LargeCap ETF is the second-cheapest member of our list. It's sector diversity is just a tick below DWX's and IDV's, though DOL does offer exposure to 18 countries, including back door emerging markets exposure via Hong Kong and Singapore. A patient investor that can get into DOL around $40, might be able to see $50 in 12-14 months. Yield from issuer's Web site: 3.24%. Grade: A-

Global X SuperDividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/sdiv#NYSE">SDIV</a>):
The newest member of our list, the Global X SuperDividend ETF made its debut earlier this year and is proving to be one of the more worthwhile new ETFs of 2011. Not a pure international play as the U.S. accounts for over a third of SDIV's weight, 10 other developed and emerging markets are represented in this ETF.

What SDIV lacks in liquidity and low fees (0.58% expense ratio), the ETF makes up for in sector diversity and the fact that it holds 100 stocks each accounting for 1% of the ETF's weight. Yield from issuer's Web site: 3.3%. Grade: B+

WisdomTree Trust International LargeCap Dividend

First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Income Fund

Rating Some Of The International Dividend ETFs

There was a time when dividend stocks and ETFs offered some semblance of shelter from market storms and those days will return. We just don't know when. No one does, but one positive aspect of the market's recent woes is that some decent dividend ETFs have gone on sale.

With their newly high yields, two such dividend ETFs square off in this week's edition of the “ETF Showdown.” Global travelers will like this match-up as we're taking a look at two international dividend ETFs.

In one corner, weighing in with almost $524.2 million in assets and an expense ratio of 0.45%, we have the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>). In the other corner, we have the Guggenheim S&amp;P Global Dividend Opportunities Index ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lvl#NYSE">LVL</a>). LVL sports an expense ratio of 0.6% and $40.2 million in assets under management.

That quick tale of the tape would lead one to believe DWX is the obvious winner. Not so fast, amigo. Both ETFs hold around 100 stocks, give or take a few. DWX features a predictable dividend makeup with a 45% combined allocation to telecom names and utilities. Financials, industrials and consumer discretionary names also receive double-digit weights.

Telecom and utilities offerings account for about 50% of LVL's weight with financials getting another 22%. No other sector gets double-digit representation in the ETF. Plus, LVL isn't as international as one would think. The U.S. is the biggest country weight at 23.3%, but the fund offers solid developed markets exposure through decent weights to the U.K. Australia, Israel and Spain.

On the other hand, DWX is all global all the time. There is no allocation to the U.S. in DWX and while Australia and the U.K. combine for 27% of the ETF's country weights, there is emerging markets exposure through Brazil, Hong Kong, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey, just to name a few.

Overall, LVL offers exposure to 11 countries. DWX nearly triples that with allocations to 28 different countries. 

Both DWX and LVL offer sporty yields in the neighborhood of 6%, though LVL slightly bests DWX here. LVL wins in terms of year-to-date performance, though that isn't saying much as both funds are down on the year. 

Both ETFs make for compelling rebound plays, but with superior sector diversity, country exposure and lower fees, DWX wins this showdown.

ETF Showdown: International Dividend Dance-Off

Emerging markets ETFs have been moving in fits and starts this year and while a sequel to last year's strong performance for the asset class isn't off the table, it is clear that developed markets have been far more dependable this year.

That's good news for risk-averse investors, but buying an ETF that tracks a developed should mean much more than plunking some cash down on the SPDR S&amp;P 500 (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>) and just letting it sit there. Options are abound in the developed market ETF universe are more exciting and potentially more profitable than a simple index fund tracking U.S. stocks.

Let's examine some developed market ETFs that may be worth considering.

1) SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>):
DWX isn't a pure developed markets play as 10 countries with the emerging markets designation are included in this ETF, but their combined weight is scant. DWX is comparable to many dividend ETFs that track U.S. stocks in that telecom and utilities figure prominently in the ETF's mix. There is no getting around DWX's 35.5% surge in the past year and an almost $4 drop this month could be a buying opportunity.

The knocks on DWX are intertwined. A 24% weight to financials and members of the European Union account for over 50% of the ETF's country allocations.

2) Market Vectors Germany Small-Cap ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gerj#NYSE">GERJ</a>):
Now about six weeks old, GERJ has done an admirable job of attracting investor interest, accumulating $2.5 million in assets under management. Germany has been the EU's most dependable and resilient economies and was the fastest-growing G-7 member last year. If the small-cap theme is reborn, GERJ's exposure to an export-driven economy could put the ETF in position to be one of 2011's better rookie ETFs.

3) iShares MSCI Netherlands Investable Market Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ewn#NYSE">EWN</a>): 
The Netherlands doesn't offer the size or the growth of Germany, but hey, it's not Portugal or Greece, either. This is basically a pretty sleepy economy marked by highly productive workers and dependable, incremental growth. EWN is kind of the anti-emerging markets ETF, but if it bounces off support $22, a quick $2 can be had on a run back to $24. If that resistance breaks, another 10% could be in the cards.

4) iShares MSCI New Zealand Investable Market Index Fund (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/enzl#NYSE">ENZL</a>):
Just eight months old, ENZL got off to a slow start, but has since accumulated almost $98 million in AUM. While New Zealand is a developed market, it is also viewed as a commodities trade, so the ETF is probably down over the past few weeks, right? Wrong. This fund has surged almost 20% in the past two months and has done so in straight-line, parabolic fashion giving the ETF a chart that looks almost like silver's, you know, pre-margin hike carnage.

5) Global X FTSE Nordic Region ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gxf#NYSE">GXF</a>):
We recently extolled the virtues of GXF as a way for the indecisive investor to developed market non-U.S. exposure without messing with the EU. Sweden accounts for almost 47% of GXF's weight, which is a good thing, but the ETF is also worth a look for what it does NOT feature. Translation: Problem child Nokia (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/nok#NYSE">NOK</a>) gets a weight of just 4.7% here and Iceland is not represented at all.

Small Cap Analysis

iShares MSCI New Zealand Investable Market Index Fund

ENZL

GERJ

Five Unheralded Developed Market ETFs To Consider

ETFs have been popular tools for hedging purposes among institutional investors, but that reputation may be vulnerable in the wake of last Thursday's "flash crash" that saw scores of ETFs trade below $1.
When the New York Stock Exchange released its list of 173 securities that were affected by the sell-off, 111 of them were ETFs while the Nasdaq's list of 281 securities inlcuded 193 ETFs, according to Reuters.
Even low volume ETFs like the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>) saw dramatic plunges. DWX traded for as low as a penny. Docile fare like the Vanguard Value ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/vtv#NYSE">VTV</a>) and the Claymore/SWM Canadian Energy Income (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/eny#NYSE">ENY</a>) saw their prices cut in half due to the flash crash.
ETF issuers like BlackRock (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/blk#NYSE">BLK</a>) and State Street (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/stt#NYSE">STT</a>) blamed exchanges for the plunges endured by ETFs at the hands of the flash crash, but investors seemed fearful that many ETFs fell more than the indexes they track.
ETF issuer Vanguard recommended clients use limit orders for their ETF trades, according to Reuters.

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

ETFs Ravaged By Last Thursday's Flash Crash

By now everyone knows that growth of emerging markets ETFs has been exponential. Investors have become enamored by emerging markets, but that infatuation doesn't carry over to EVERY corresponding ETF. 
In fact, there are more than a couple of ETFs with international slants that suffer from low assets and a lack of liquidity. And of this group, there are plenty of names that might not deserve the Rodney Dangerfield treatment.
Let's have a look at 10 international that deserve more respect (in no particular order.)
1) Market Vectors Poland ETF (NYSE: PLND): This is an ETF the ETF Professor has covered at length in the past and with good reason. Poland is by far the strongest economy in emerging Europe, yet that hasn't translated into strength for PLND. The ETF, which debuted in late November, is down about 0.5% and has attracted just $17.3 million in assets. Volume is less than 25,000 shares a day, but the Professor thinks this ETF ultimately survives.
2) Claymore/SWM Canadian Energy Income ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/eny#NYSE">ENY</a>): ENY has been around for a while and has almost $75 million in assets. In addition, it's the best and only way to play the Canadian oil sands through an ETF. Don't focus on the slack trading volume, but do enjoy the 4%+ yield.
3) Global X/InterBolsa FTSE Colombia 20 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/gxg#NYSE">GXG</a>): South America, or shall we say, Brazil, gets plenty of attention, but Colombia is also worth a look. GXG has doubled in the past year, yet few would know it. The ETF has less than $8 million in assets and trades less than 8,000 shares. It would be a shame to see this ETF disappear.
4) iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/thd#NYSE">THD</a>): OK, THD doesn't really suffer from low assets (almost $244 million) and volume is decent at almost 185,000 shares. Then again, these numbers belie the rapid growth of Thailand. THD is definitely a survivor and thriver and should accumulate more assets sooner rather than later.
5) SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>): SPDR ETFs don't often fall by the wayside and DWX is probably here to stay, but given the diverse country and dividend exposure DWX offers, it deserves a little more respect.
6) Market Vectors Indonesia ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/idx#NYSE">IDX</a>): Considering IDX is just over a year old, it has done an admirable job of attracting assets ($227.5 million), but considering that the ETF has nearly tripled in the past year and that Indonesia is another rapidly expanding Asian market, volume in IDX is weak at less than 82,000 shares a day.
7) WisdomTree Emerging Markets Small Cap Dividend (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dgs#NYSE">DGS</a>): Volume and assets aren't the problem here, they're both fair, but most investors probably don't realize DGS is up 80% in the past year. DGS is worth further examination.
8) WisdomTree International Energy ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dka#NYSE">DKA</a>): Take a look at the companies that DKA holds and you'll be stunned about the ETF's weak volume (23,400 shares) and small assets ($45.2 million). DKA's impressive constituent list makes it worth a look.
9) BLDRS Asia 50 ADR Index (Nasdaq: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/adra#Nasdaq">ADRA</a>): Much like DKA, ADRA boasts an impressive lineup of well-known companies, but volume is weak at less than 10,000 shares and assets are less than $57 million. The idea here is good, but the stats are suspect.
10) iShares S&amp;P Global Materials ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/mxi#NYSE">MXI</a>): With over $850 million in assets, we're not worried about MXI's AUM. Volume is decent, too, but it should be better considering materials are always in play and that the three largest iron ore producers in the world are found among MXI's top holdings. MXI is not optionable and that may be one reason investors gloss over this ETF, but if you're looking to play global materials demand through an ETF, look no further than MXI.

ADRA

Wisdomtree Emerging Markets Smallcap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Trust International Energy Sector Fund

iShares S&P Global Materials Sector Index Fund

iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index Fund

Ten International ETFs That Deserve More Respect

In all the chatter about emerging markets, particularly those in the Asia Pacific region, the tiny island nation of Taiwan is sometimes overlooked. A precarious political relationship with China may make some investors pensive about Taiwan, but there is plenty of opportunity here.
On Sunday night, Taiwan reported a 9.2% surge in fourth-quarter GDP, easily the best quarter of 2009 for Taiwan, which posted contractions in the first three quarters of last year. The country is forecasting growth of 4.7% for 2010.
There are several ETFs that investors may want to take a look to trade the GDP report with or to play Taiwan for the longer term. Of course we have the iShares MSCI Taiwan Index (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ewt#NYSE">EWT</a>), the one Taiwan-specific ETF on the market.
EWT trades 13.6 million shares per day and is up 80% in the past year. EWT has $3.37 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.82% and could be a short-term vehicle as well as a long-term core portfolio holding.
Another option is the SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dwx#NYSE">DWX</a>), which devotes about a third of its country weight to Taiwan. 
DWX has lagged EWT on a year-to-date basis, losing about 7% compared to a 4% down move for EWT. DWX is also far less liquid, trading less than 45,000 shares a day, but remains an interesting option for investors looking for Taiwan exposure mixed with some other countries combined with the allure of global dividends.
Still another choice for investors attracted to Taiwan is the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/dgs#NYSE">DGS</a>), which like DWX, holds about a third of its weight in Taiwan. 
DGS doesn't have the volume or assets that EWT has, but of the three choices mentioned here, DGS has the best sector diversification with six sectors accounting for roughly 84% of the ETF's weight. By comparison, hardware alone accounts for nearly 43% of EWT's weight.
One thing is clear and that is Taiwan's exports grow by 15.2% in the fourth quarter with China being the primary destination for the bulk of those goods, so Taiwan is destined to continue to be viewed as a China play. 
EWT and DGS are probably the best ways to play this trend.

ETF Plays For Taiwan's GDP Announcement

As the stock market remain shaky, finding the right investment becomes trickier. As a result people are looking for creative ways to find additional value in the market.
ETFs that offer access to dividends are a great way to get returns while the uncertainty in stocks remains. Good dividends could also shed a positive light to companies. This is especially true when a company is able to raise dividends when competitors lower dividends, or worse, stop paying out dividends totally.
One ETF that has consistently paid out dividends is SPDR S&amp;P Dividend. SPDR S&amp;P Dividend (NYSE: <a href="/stock/sdy">SDY</a>) has produced yields of 5.3% and is down 0.13% to $45.51. 
Measuring High Dividend Yield stocks out of the Financial sector, Wisdom Tree Dividend Ex Financial (NYSE: <a href="/stock/dtn">DTN</a>) yields 3.73% and fell 0.05% to $39.50. 
First Trust Morning Star Dividend Leaders (NYSE: <a href="/stock/fdl">FDL</a>) offers dividend yield of 4.54% with a dividend payout of $0.15 the previous payout date. First Trust Morning Star Dividend Leaders fell 0.1% to $13.58.
Aside from US stocks, foreign stocks also have ETFs that take advantage of the historically higher dividend payouts from European companies. SPDR S&amp;P International Dividend ETF (NYSE: <a href="/stock/dwx">DWX</a>) produced a dividend yield of 3.07% and paid a dividend of 0.42 last September. 
Telecommunications is a growing industry and keep providing steady dividends. IShares S&amp;P Global Telecommunications (NYSE: <a href="/stock/ixp">IXP</a>) delivered Dividend Yield of 4.87% and last paid out a dividend of $1.33. IXP dropped 0.23% to $54.72.
Utilities is another sector that is indispensable. Wisdom Tree International Utilities (NYSE: <a href="/stock/dbu">DBU</a>) has provided a handsome dividend yield of 3.75%. Wisdom Tree International Utilities ETF rose 0.67% to $22.40.

WisdomTree Trust International Utilities Sector Fund

First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund

iShares Trust S&P Global Telecommunications Sector Index Fund

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