Real Profits
With its beautiful landscapes, surrealist Carnival and strong resource-based economy,
Whereas the Dow Jones Industrial Average is roughly 1,000 points off its post-recovery high and the S&P 500 has shed more than 200 points, the
This outperformance has prompted both individual investors and money managers to wonder whether the market has become too rich—a valid question. Brazilian equities have benefited from considerable tailwinds over the past year: Petrobras (NYSE: PBR) announced significant oil discoveries; the country will host the 2016 Olympics; and low leverage insulated the nation’s banking industry from the worst of the financial crisis.
That being said, plenty of catalysts exist to keep the run alive.
For one,
And although Centro Banco do Brasil is in the midst of a tightening cycle, both consumer and corporate credit have continued to expand.
Investors may need to pick their spots a bit more carefully to lock in profits, but don’t expect the party to end anytime soon.
T. Rowe Price
Having worked closely with his predecessor Gonzalo Pangaro for the better part of eight years, Buck has left the portfolio largely intact and continues to follow a moderate-growth strategy. Seeking out inexpensive blue chips that have the potential to grow earnings year-over-year, Buck steered the fund to a 114 percent gain in 2009. This year the portfolio is up about 0.5 percent, while the Bovespa Index is down 2.5 percent.
Lately Buck has built stakes in consumer-oriented names such as credit card service providers, clothing manufacturers and retailers to gain exposure to a growing middle class.
The fund boasts a peer-leading expense ratio of just 1.29 percent and an extremely low annual turnover of 21.2 percent—an unusual combination for funds focused on
T. Rowe Price Latin America owes its success to sectors that are the nuts and bolts of the region’s developing markets: financials, materials, energy and the consumer. Resource rich,
Brazilian equities account for 68 percent of the fund’s investable assets, but solid performance in
Exchange-traded funds (ETF) offer targeted exposure to specific segments of the Brazilian market.
Global X
Global X Brazil Mid Cap focuses on sectors that will benefit from rising household incomes and soaring consumer spending: Utilities account for 20 percent of investable assets, consumer staples receive a 17 percent allocation and industrial, financial and consumer-discretionary names also figure prominently. This balanced mix results in a portfolio that better represents the Brazilian economy.
EG Shares
Over the past decade, only 2.1 percent of
These shortcomings pose a significant problem;
Whereas investors seeking to profit from the
EG Shares Brazil Infrastructure Index holds names such as toll-road operator Companhia de Concessoes Rodoviarias (Sao Paolo: CCR03), steel producer Companhia Siderurgica Nacional SA (Sao Paolo: CSNA3, NYSE: SID) and aircraft manufacturer Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica (Sao Paolo: EMBR3, NYSE: ERJ), as well as a number of construction firms, raw materials producers and utilities. All portfolio holdings stand to win contracts or attract direct investment as
Despite the geographic distance, the tenets of successful investing remain the same. Identify macro trends that offer long-term growth opportunities and take advantage of short-term sell-offs to secure attractive entry points. Mutual funds and ETFs simplify this process considerably, and the three funds discussed in this article provide exposure to structural trends in the Brazilian economy.
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