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Carl Delfeld Email Alerts

America's Edge in the Politics of Global Investing
[News-and-Society:Economics] Unlike most investment advisors and strategists, I pay a lot of attention to politics, both here in America and in overseas markets. The politics of a country tells me a lot about the probability of long-term economic growth and stability - vital ingredients for successful investing. How does America stand up relative to other markets around the world as voters in New Hampshire go to the polls? Let's find out.

Giving Japan its Due
[News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] As part of a deal with North Korea in the six party nuclear disarmament talks; President Bush has decided to take North Korea off the U.S. list of state sponsors of terror. As part of a deal with North Korea in the six party nuclear disarmament talks; President Bush has decided to take North Korea off the U.S. list of state sponsors of terror. We need to listen to Japan and not run roughshod over the wishes of a critical ally especially when the deal at hand with North Korea is by most accounts deeply flawed.

America Sunny Side Up
[Investing] It is not surprising that Americans are feeling a bit besieged these days with the dollar trading at 25 year lows, the national debt reaching $9 trillion, falling stock prices, the real estate pullback, turmoil in our banking sector, the war in Iraq, and seemingly unstoppable emerging economies like India and China growing at 10% per year. Let's take a walk down the sunny side of the street and put things in perspective.

The Inconvenient Truth about China
[News-and-Society:Environmental] Nobel Peace Prize co-winner Al Gore needs to rename his famous $40 million powerpoint presentation to "The Inconvenient Truth about China". While the media and policy establishment are preoccupied with global warming issues that may have important consequences in 50 years or may be vastly overstated, an environmental disaster exists in China right now. This significant challenge, however, is also a major opportunity for the Chinese leadership and American business.

Global Markets Sunny Side Up
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Despite the steady drumbeat of negative stories on TV business channels, the record of the American and global economy in weathering challenges is actually quite extraordinary. Take a look at the "sunny side" before going to cash and hibernating for the winter.

Is the Dow Jones Index Obsolete?
[Finance:Personal-Finance] American companies and some investors have gone global in a big way and stellar returns from investing in global stock markets over the past few years has left U.S. only investors green with envy. But what is still the most-quoted market indicator in newspapers, on TV and on the Internet - the Dow Jones Industrial Index (DJIA). Let's look briefly at the history of this index, why it may be out of date and introduce an alternative - a new ETF portfolio and index we are sponsoring that tracks the Chartwell Global 30 Index.

Multinational ETFs Gain Momentum
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Since the Dow's previous peak in July, eight of the top 10 performers have been multinational companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson and McDonald's. Many of these companies have been laggards going back as far as 2000 with small-cap stocks outperforming what has been perceived by investors as low-growth multinational dinosaurs. Multinational exchange-traded funds, which are baskets of leading multinational companies, are riding the wave of growth, value and the weak dollar. Here are your ETF options to globalize your portfolio in a low risk, low cost way..

Dow Surges Past 14,000 But Lags Chartwell Global 30
[Finance:Personal-Finance] The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Diamond exchange-traded fund (DIA) that tracks it is making headlines as it hits a new high over 14,000 but a little known global rival demonstrates the power of international exposure. Let's take a quick look inside the Dow Jones industrial average and then highlight a new global challenger I created that better reflects the reality of current global markets: the Chartwell 30 Global Average.

Finding a Big Hidden Asset
[Finance:Wealth-Building] Hidden liabilities come at us every day. The car needs a big repair, a hefty medical bill after an emergency room visit for a sick child or your mortgage payment jumps with climbing interest rates. But what about finding some hidden assets that can be turned into some cold hard cash that can be invested, spent or given to family or a charitable organization? Find me some hidden assets - you may be thinking. One big one may be gathering dust in a box on the top shelf of your closet – your life insurance policy.

Investing From Boone Hall to Iron Duke
[Investing] During a recent trip with my family to Georgia and South Carolina, I had a very interesting day that highlights booth the massive changes and the continuities in our economy as wealth is created and destroyed. What lessons can we learn that will make us better investors?

Faith in America's Golden Future
[Finance:Wealth-Building] Since I do quite a bit of writing and speaking on investment opportunities in international markets, some may get the impression that I am not very keen on prospects for investing in American stocks. In addition, the majority of the exchange-traded funds in Chartwell ETF Advisor's portfolios have been international or global since early 2003. My view is that while the world is clearly filling in and emerging competitors like India and China are catching up with us quickly due to rapid advancements in technology and communications, the American economy is more than holding its own.

How to Build Your Own Global ETF Hedge Portfolio
[Investing:Stocks] With the emergence of exchange-traded funds or ETFs, you have at your fingertips the ability build a global ETF hedge portfolio that is the envy of your friends - and, unlike the heavy hitters, you won’t have to give away 20% of your gains to a hedge fund manager.

Tour the Sweden ETF
[Investing] The book The Flight of the Creative Class by Richard Florida includes an index to measure the kind of creativity most useful to business – talent, technology and flexibility – and found Sweden to be the number one spot in Europe and the world. If your image of Sweden and Denmark is still that of a socialistic, slow growth, bureaucratic economy - you need to join me as I lead a small group of individual investors to visit to both Stockholm as well as Copenhagen, Denmark during the third week of June 2007.

BRIC Begins With Brazil
[Investing:Stocks] In 2006, while investing in BRIC countries was the rage, China and India received most of the attention. The China ETF (FXI) was up 84% and India’s SENSEX index was up over 50%. Meanwhile almost lost in the shuffle, the Brazil ETF (EWZ) was up 45.4% - not bad, not bad at all.

What Next for Japan
[Investing] After a strong performance in 2003, 2004 and 2005, the Japanese stock market was essentially flat during 2006 until a strong December rally brought the most widely traded Japan ETF (EWJ) up just over 5% for the year. What lies ahead for Japan as the world’s second largest economy and stock market?

Build an ETF Dividend Income Portfolio
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Investors are ending the year in a wary mood. Sure, 2006 was a very good year for U.S. investors and substantially better for global ETF investors but what is going to happen next year? The honest answer is that nobody knows. The smart investor will make sure that their portfolios can benefit from rising global markets but still weather the inevitable pullbacks. One way to achieve this is to have a nice chunk in Dividend and Income rich ETFs.

Break the ETF BRIC
[Investing] During the past year, investor interest in the so-called BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia India and China has skyrocketed with a commensurate rise in respective share prices. Is it too late to jump on the bandwagon? What is the best way to invest in these countries and what allocations should be made to each country in the BRIC group?

ETF Tax Planning
[Investing] While exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are well known for their low cost, transparency and flexibility, the tax efficiency advantage of ETFs oftentimes gets overlooked. As we head into the last month of the year, let's look at how investors may lower their tax liabilities by converting some positions in their portfolio to ETFs as well as discuss other ETF strategies to reduce tax burdens.

The West Coast ETF Offense
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Former San Francisco Forty-Niners' coach Bill Walsh is known for his low-risk high return West Coast offensive strategy, which yielded high returns indeed. From 1984 to 1989, San Francisco had a 75.7% winning percentage and won three Super Bowls. Walsh noticed that short passes to backs and receivers led to a much higher completion rate and, just as important, more than half the yards gained from each completion were from running after the catch. In the world of investments, think of dividends as these short pass completions and the capital appreciation from re-invested dividends like running down the field after the catch.

Rifle and Shotgun ETFs
[Investing] Many financial advisors advocate the lower cost broad-based international ETFs over country ETFs but you can easily shoot yourself in the foot by being penny wise and pound foolish. A common question I get at ETF conferences and workshops is whether investors should use broad-based international ETFs or country-specific ETFs to play international growth? The answer is, of course, it depends on what type of investor you are.

300 Million People, 300 ETFs
[Finance:Personal-Finance] As the American population crossed the 300 million mark, the number of ETFs on the market passed 300. No doubt many investors are a bit confused as to how they differ and which ones they should pick for their portfolios. When the rubber hits the road, there are two ETF issues that are paramount: what companies are in the ETF basket and how are they weighted in the basket.

The Wisdom of Foreign Sector ETFs
[Investing] Investing in overseas sectors has been a hit and miss proposition until Wisdom Tree recently rolled out its ten foreign sector ETFs. How do these compare with other options such as global sector and country specific ETFs?

Better than the Dow
[Investing] What is still the most-quoted market indicator in newspapers, on TV and on the Internet - the Dow Jones Industrial Index (DJIA) which has recently made it past its January 2000 high. Let’s look briefly at the history of this index, why it may be out of date and discuss some better ETF options than the Dow Diamonds (DIA) to tap into the mega-cap trend.

Time Out for Thailand
[Investing] You would think that as tanks roll into a capital in support a military coup that a country’s stock market would tank as well. In Thailand it seems to be taken as business as usual and this is not exactly a compliment. The Thai stock market took no hit at all and is up 9.6% so far this year. The past year follows a scripted political pattern all too familiar to Asian hands.

A New United Nations of Freedom
[News-and-Society:Economics] If you are fed up with the United Nations, you might consider supporting the new United Nations of Freedom Project based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A country must demonstrate a commitment to freedom to join. This highlights the problem with the United Nations, any country can join and its mission does not acknowledge that without economic, political and religious freedom, there can be no lasting peace, security or sustained economic progress.

Europe and America Putt for Dough
[Investing] Last time team Europe and team USA squared off, it wasn't pretty with America on the losing end of an 18 ½ - 9 ½ score. Later this week, the rematch is on in Kildaire, Ireland and I hope the relative performance of European and American stock markets so far this year is not a leading indicator. Team Europe countries have certainly outshined the US in terms of investment returns this year. While the S&P 500 index is up 5.45%, the Spain ETF (EWP) is up 24.3%, Sweden (EWD) is up 19.2%, the UK (EWU) is up 18% and the closed-ended New Ireland Fund (IRL) is up 22%.

Sweden: A Time to Choose
[Investing] There are many who scoff that politics should have much to do with investing. When selecting ETFs, I look at several factors such as fundamentals of companies in the ETF basket, capital flows, technical factors, macro indicators, currencies and so on. But the direction of market reforms which is what politics is all about sometimes rises to the top. Think of the Reagan led Republican sweep in 1980 and the significant tax cuts and market reforms in Ireland and Australia which preceded their strong economic growth and sustained bull markets. Sweden is just such a case with a key election on September 17th

Going Against the Grain
[Investing] Sometimes it pays to draw an opposite conclusion from what seems to be overwhelming evidence. A recently released report, The New Global Challengers, published by the Boston Consulting Group, highlights how emerging-market companies are becoming major players in both developing and developed markets. The big markets of China, India and Brazil get the lions' share of attention. The real target for investors should be elsewhere.

Merrill Bullish on Vietnam
[Investing] Because of its thinly traded market and lack of investment options, global investors often overlook Vietnam’s potential. Not Merrill Lynch. Merrill Lynch has acquired a coveted "trading code" needed to buy and sell shares directly on Vietnam's small but growing stock market. Merrill Lynch obtained the right to directly hold Vietnamese shares last week, six months after Spencer White, the bank's chief regional strategist, called Vietnamese stocks a "10-year buy".

Load the Silver ETF Bullet
[Investing] Silver has long been the neglected orphan of the precious metals markets. It's time to take a closer look at silver and the silver ETF which has come back sharply to a price under its launch price earlier this year. Actually, silver has some of the best-looking supply and demand fundamentals in the metals markets.

An ETF Portfolio Shock Absorber
[Finance:Wealth-Building] The escalation of tensions in the Middle East, fireworks courtesy of North Korea, 50% of the world’s natural gas reserves in the hands of Russia and Iran, pressure on the U.S. dollar and the random exogenous events that impact markets can keep the most optimistic global investor like me awake at night. How can an investor mitigate the risk that such events will derail their well thought out portfolio?

India Beat China as Next Great Bull Market
[Investing:Stocks] India has the potential to be the next great bull market of the 21st century – an opportunity of being a better investment than even China! Here are six reasons that investors should consider tilting some of their long-term capital towards India and not China.

Indonesia Rising
[Investing] In the beginning of the year, all eyes were on Japan but the Nikkei 225 has been a major disappointment down 6% so far this year. Meanwhile China has done well and Indonesia is the Asia-Pacific region's stock best market this year up 27% this year. This is despite another punishing tsunami and concerns about bird flu. Americans, in particular, seem to miss the story of Indonesia, a 3,200 mile archipelago and third largest democracy in the world

Barclays: the Big Daddy of ETFs
[Investing:Stocks] While picking exchange-traded funds for you global portfolio, have you ever thought; “maybe I should invest in the companies that develop and sponsor the ETFs?” If so, now is the time to take a stake in Barclays PLC the sponsor iShares which is the largest family of ETFs.

Dutch Treats and Flemish Flavor
[Investing] In the Dutch golden age during the 17th century, Dutch trading, science and art dominated the world scene. It still packs a global punch and is often overlooked by investors. Belgium, which broke away from the Netherlands in 1830, also presents investors with solid value. King Albert II reigns over this industrious nation with Dutch –speaking Flemings in the north and French-speaking Walloons in the south. Belgium sits at the crossroads of Europe and is home to both NATO and the European Union. Both are undervalued stock markets. Here is why and how to invest.

Ken Lay, Enron & ETFs
[Investing] The painful story of Ken Lay and Enron offers us many lessons on management and investing. My personal view is that Mr. Lay was a good man who got a bit carried away and made a few key mistakes. He should be judged on his total career as an innovative executive and generous contributor to his community and not just on the missteps that lead to the implosion of Enron. All too often, investors forget that the most important factor to consider in evaluating a company is the quality and character of management. You can have the best products, lucrative and profitable markets and the best balance sheet but if management is faulty the whole story and stock price will crumble. For investors, it is logical to ask how they can be expected to assess the quality of management, board oversight, the culture and incentives for employees and understand all the fine print in financial statements. The answer is that the vast majority of investors have neither the experience nor time to do so.

New ETF Innovations for Investors
[Investing] Even as ETFs have gone mainstream, the innovations continue. Here is a review of some new creative ETFs that have been launched or will shortly hit the market.

Triangulate Japan
[Investing] What’s up or rather down with Japan? Here is why the Japanese market is drifting and why the bull story is still intact.

Stay the Course with Global Investing
[Investing] You need to stay the course with a balanced global portfolio that seeks growth and value around the world. The global pull back in equity markets has rattled some investors and perhaps made them think twice about a global approach to investing. Let’s put things in perspective. Even with the haircut in international markets, here are the numbers. During the last 12 months ending last Friday, eleven country-specific iShares that have more than tripled the return of the S&P 500 index:

From Global Momentum to Global Value
[Investing] The recent pullback in international and emerging markets blunts momentum but highlights the need to search for value worldwide.The recent pullback in international and emerging markets blunts momentum but highlights the need to search for value worldwide.

International Markets Get a Haircut
[Investing] As I write this my portfolios on the computer screen are a sea of red and today even stronger countries like Singapore and Austria are taking a nice haircut.

Filling in the World with ETFs
[News-and-Society:Economics] Even if you agree with me that, despite its problems, the U.S. is the greatest country in the history of world – I cannot advocate strongly enough the need for you to have a global perspective in building your portfolios. I say this because the world is filling in and developing countries are rapidly catching up.

ETFs and the Falling U.S. Dollar
[Investing] After a year during which higher American interest rates helped stem pressure on the U.S. dollar, the currency is losing ground around the world. U.S. policy makers and investors are scrambling to cope with what may a long period of dollar weakness.

The Powershares ETF Edge
[Investing] While I tend to favor iShares an investment tool because of the wide menu and country specific options they provide investors, I have to say that I am increasingly impressed with the new and fast-growing Powershares family of ETFs and will be adding two of them to portfolios this month. Powershares also address one weakness of iShares which is that they track indexes that market cap weighted. In other words, the weighting of a company in a particular ETF is dependent on the value of its outstanding shares.

China Portfolio Insurance
[Insurance] Are you excited about the upside potential of China but can’t pull the trigger because of the significant downside risk? Here is a way to invest in China growth and still sleep at night. China has been the largest economy in the world for eighteen of the past twenty centuries and it is clearly determined to regain its role as the hegemonic power in Asia and then challenge U.S. global leadership. Will it be able to sustain its 10% economic growth rate, quell rural discontent, build a sound market-based financial system, privatize dominant state-owned enterprises and move towards openness and democracy? This is a tall order and you can put me in the skeptic column.

The Crown Jewel of India
[Investing] Investors should book reservations ahead of President Bush’s trip to India since India could very well be the great bull market of the 21st century. Unlike China, it is a functioning democracy with respect for property rights and the rule of law. Many of its citizens have English as their native language. It also has more advanced financial markets than China, and a stock market established in 1870 that has 6,000 publicly-traded companies.

Follow Condi to Indonesia
[Investing] Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s visit to Indonesia this week is hopefully the start of a much closer and broader relationship. This would be great news for Indonesia and America, the Asia-Pacific region and global investors.

Brazil's Stronger Balance Sheet
[Investing] Brazil’s booming stock market has caught foreign investor’s attention but the question still lurks in the background like an uninvited guest - is this just another leg in the typical boom and bust cycle?

Don't Worry, Go Fishing
[Investing] While most of us enjoy chasing higher returns by moving in and out of stocks, ETFs and mutual funds, a few perhaps wiser investors build a diversified portfolio and just let it run.

What's Next for Emerging Market ETFs?
[Investing] Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) tracking emerging markets have had a remarkable run. In 2005, the South Korea (EWY) was been up 57%, Brazil (EWZ) up 56%, Mexico (EWW) up 49% and the Emerging Markets (EEM) up 34%. In the last 12 months, China (FXI) has shown some life up 26% and South Africa is up 32%. The MSCI Emerging Market index is up 82% since mid-2004. In addition, lower risk countries like Singapore (EWS) have been up for four straight years and its Straits Times Index has risen by 85% since 2003. I am getting a lot of call lately about what to do next. Should investors buy, hold or sell?

Planes, Trains and Ships
[Investing] With global trade booming, don’t forget to look at the companies that move all that stuff around. Corporate America’s outsourcing to China’s giant manufacturing platform and our 2005 record trade deficit may have you wringing your hands but it also represents opportunities for shrewd investors.

Commodity Surf Lifts Australian Stocks
[Investing:Futures-and-Commodities] On the back of record highs for gold, copper and nickel, the Australian stock market has overcome concerns about higher oil prices, consumer debt and real estate slowdown.

Calling China's Taiwan Bluff
[Investing] Politics not economics is usually the first concern for most investors considering investing in Taiwan. For the next couple of years, both lead to a window of opportunity for investors with nerve and foresight.

A Nod to the King
[Investing] Thailand’s Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra resignation this month is a major opportunity for investors willing to step into a temporary political vacuum. The Prime Minister’s surprise announcement came after a meeting with the symbolically powerful King of Thailand, Bhumibol Aduljadej, at his seaside palace. The King has presided over Thailand since 1946 and is revered by all.

Major US Trade Issue is Japan, not China
[Investing] It's not China or India. Expand your vision to Japan...again.

Is the Dow Obsolete?
[Investing] Dow Jones has outlived its usefulness.

Portfolio Caffeine
[Investing] Caffine equals Money

Magnificent Kinkakuji
[Investing] Gold for Christmas may be the present that gives great returns this entire next year.

Buying Into Japanese and German Exporters
[Investing] As global economic trends shift, some old favorites hold interesting opportunities for profit.

Eight Rules For ETF Success
[Investing] ETF's don't belong on autopilot. Building your portfolios with low-cost, tax-efficient ETFs is a smart strategy, but keep involved.

Old Europe's New Shine
[Investing] New profits from the Old world have the world leading towards the UK and away from France.

Samsung the Elephant
[Investing] Even at 25% growth this year, Samsung and South Korea's other major companies may not be able to overcome China's changing trends.

Canada Plays China Card
[Investing] China is flanking the U.S. to the North and Canada is a willing partner.

ETFs Unplugged
[Investing] The hidden factors that may make your ETF a less effective investment.

Jumpstart for Jakarta
[Business] Jakarta is an unlikely place for massive investment and value growth over the next decade, but that is just where some major changes are taking place that will transform its future.

Asia's New Investment Jewel
[Investing] Everyone is focused on China, and correctly so. However, smart investors are already identifying what's next. Some will identify it now, others will wait to see it on the evening news when it's too late.

Scots Beat Yanks in China Bank Deal
[Investing] With visions of an ATM in every neighborhood in China, foreign banks and investment firms are queuing up to join the “China Club.”

Chile Leads the Latin Pack
[Investing] Everyone's talking about China. Don't miss the opportunities in the other CHI

The Switzerland of Asia Shines
[Investing] The Switzerland of Asia provides a great opportunity for the global-minded investor and those ready to become so.

Come Home Corporate America
[Business] The American manufacturing base still matters. Outsourcing may provide the foundation for stealing America’s manufacturing AND high-tech future.

China's Inscrutable Currency Strategy
[Investing] The move by China’s central bank to drop the yuan’s rigid peg to the dollar on the day of my return after a three-week trip to Asia left a host of questions unanswered. The answers to these will determine if this is a good investment or a trap.

China's Great Missed Opportunity
[Investing] Here we are more than twelve years later and this bullet has turned into a time bomb that could derail China’s impressive economic growth and a better life for its people. The fact that a majority of China’s large companies are still owned and controlled by the Chinese government has three negative economic consequences.