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Investing in Emerging Markets Still Holds Promise

Emerging markets have been hit hard in recent years, but investors should consider their long runway for potential growth. (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) Newsletter sign up Newsletter (Image credit: Getty Images) By James K. Glassman published 5 October 2022 Most investors today worry about inflation and the response to it from the Federal Reserve, but it's time for a longer view. If you're buying stocks for gains over the next 10 years or more, you need to imagine the contours of the future. A July report from the United Nations gives a hint. Researchers estimate that practically all population gains through 2050 will occur in emerging markets – especially India, which will become number one next year, surpassing China. Nigeria will be third, tied with the United States. Other nations whose population will grow at a good clip are Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Should You Buy the Mobileye Self-Driving Car IPO? Of course, population isn't everything. But developed nations have powerful assets in their invested capital, infrastructure and education systems. All I'm saying is that it's foolish to ignore developing economies, especially now.

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Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's expert advice - straight to your e-mail. Sign up In 1988, the research firm MSCI launched its Emerging Markets Index (EMI), with stocks from 10 countries that represented just 0.9% of MSCI's All Country World Index (ACWI). Reflecting the rising importance of developing nations in the global economy and financial markets, the EMI today includes stocks from 24 countries accounting for 12% of the ACWI. Since the end of 2000 through Aug. 31, the EMI has outperformed the ACWI by two percentage points annually, on average – a significant difference. Lately, it has been a different story. The EMI returned an annual average of just 0.6% for the past five years through August; the ACWI returned 7%, and MSCI's USA Index returned 11.8%. IShares MSCI Emerging Markets, an exchange-traded fund (ETF), has declined in five of the past 10 years and is down nearly 20% so far this year. Many emerging markets are suffering higher inflation than the U.S. and Europe. Nigeria recently hit a 17-year high of 19.6%; in Turkey, consumer prices have doubled in three years.

The 11 Most Expensive Cities in the U.S. Judging from these figures, you might conclude that emerging markets are dead in the water. But consider valuation: The average price-earnings ratio of the EMI is just 11, compared with 15 for the ACWI and 17 for MSCI's USA index. And the economies of developing countries are growing much faster than those of the U.S. and Europe. According to The Economist, India's gross domestic product will grow 6.9% this year; the Philippines, 6.7%; Argentina, 4.3%; Egypt, 5.7%. By contrast, the estimated growth rate for the U.S. is 1.7%; Europe, 2.8%.

Stay Away From China

China is by far the largest emerging market, representing about one-third of the EMI. But its economy is suffering self-harm: an inexplicably severe response to the COVID pandemic and a crackdown on technology companies, which are seen as a threat to the notion of "common prosperity." Also, the U.S. is intent on eliminating China from supply chains. For these reasons, I am recommending that investors go light on Chinese shares or buy emerging markets funds such as iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China (EMXC (opens in new tab)), an ETF that owns no Chinese stocks at all. (Returns and other data are through Sept. 9 unless otherwise noted; stocks and funds I like are in bold.)

The Best Online Brokers and Trading Platforms, 2022 Another attractive fund is Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility (EELV (opens in new tab)), an ETF that is linked to an index consisting of the 200 least volatile mid- and large-company stocks in S&P's emerging-markets index. The fund, with a dividend yield of 4.7% and expenses of just 0.29%, has ranked in the top 16% of its category over five years. It is broadly diversified. China represents just 6% of the portfolio, a smaller proportion than such countries as Thailand, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Top Emerging Markets Stocks and Mutual Funds to Consider

Or you can stay away from index funds entirely and buy individual stocks or actively managed portfolios such as Wasatch Emerging Markets (WAESX (opens in new tab)), which has only 7% of its assets in China and fully 29% in India. The fund has handily outperformed the EMI, returning 7.3% over the past five years. Its fifth-largest holding is Globant (GLOB (opens in new tab)), a diversified global tech company that bases its operations in Argentina (although it's technically headquartered in Luxembourg). It has a dazzling international client list and shares that have quintupled since 2017 despite a big drop in the past year. A drawback of managed emerging-markets funds is high expense ratios – in this case, 1.37%.

10 Metaverse Stocks for the Future of Technology Another favorite is Matthews Emerging Markets Equity (MIEFX (opens in new tab)), managed by a firm that has deep Asia expertise. The fund has 12% of total assets in Chinese stocks and charges 1.13% in expenses. Among its top holdings is HDFC (HDB (opens in new tab)), an Indian bank with a market capitalization (shares outstanding times price) of more than $100 billion.

Banking on India

India is the biggest and the best of the emerging markets, and banks with broad retail and commercial diversification provide an easy way to invest in the entire domestic economy. Besides HDFC, also consider ICICI (IBN (opens in new tab)), an Indian bank stock with a $79 billion market cap. HDFC's shares are up by about a third over the past five years; ICICI's have more than doubled. I'm also a fan of Dr. Reddy's Labs (RDY (opens in new tab)), which has returned 10.2% annualized over the past five years. Dr Reddy's manufactures pharmaceuticals – mainly generics – and sells them in India, other emerging markets, and the U.S. and Europe. Except for the early COVID period, sales and profits have risen consistently.

10 Low-Volatility ETFs for a Roller-Coaster Market Brazil is the largest South American market, and although it suffers from political volatility, it has strong companies worth considering. I prefer firms that target the domestic market, including banks Bradesco (BBD (opens in new tab)) and Itau Unibanco (ITUB (opens in new tab)); BrasilAgro (LND (opens in new tab)), whose businesses are rural real estate and farming; and Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição (CBD (opens in new tab)), a retailer that sells food, clothing, electronics and gasoline. Among the top holdings of that Invesco Low-Volatility fund, DLocal (DLO (opens in new tab)) is an international payments platform based in Uruguay with a market cap of $7.4 billion. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (PAC (opens in new tab)), a similarly sized company that operates five airports, mostly on the West Coast of Mexico, yields 5.1%. These are sizable, tested companies. They trade on U.S. exchanges, so they have decent, if not robust, liquidity and have to meet our standards. Still, emerging markets are volatile, and the risks, as we have seen with China, are often political as well as economic. The current slump may last for years, so you need a long perspective. But putting up to 10% of your assets in a mix of developing-country stocks and funds today could give your portfolio a boost in the decade ahead. James K. Glassman chairs Glassman Advisory, a public-affairs consulting firm. He does not write about his clients. His most recent book is Safety Net: The Strategy for De-Risking Your Investments in a Time of Turbulence. You can reach him at [email protected].

10 High-Paying Dividend Stocks Yielding 5% or More Explore More Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets James K. GlassmanContributing Columnist, Kiplinger's Personal FinanceJames K. Glassman is a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. His most recent book is Safety Net: The Strategy for De-Risking Your Investments in a Time of Turbulence. Latest Homebuilders Appear Headed for More Pain Storm clouds are brewing for homebuilders as the Fed's aggressive rate hiking quickly cools demand for new housing. By Will Ashworth • Published 10 November 22 15 States That Tax Military Retirement Pay (and Other States That Don't) retirement Taxes on military retirement pay vary from state-to-state. How generous is your state when it comes to helping retired veterans at tax time? By Sandra Block • Published 10 November 22 You might also like Stocks: Winners and Losers from the Strong Dollar Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets The greenback's rise may hurt companies with a global footprint, but benefit those that depend on imports. By Anne Kates Smith • Published 17 August 22 5 Exciting Emerging Markets Funds to Buy Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets Emerging markets funds haven't been immune to global inflationary pressures. But now might be the time to strike on these high-risk, high-reward products. By Kent Thune • Published 5 July 22 African Stocks: Investing in the Last Great Emerging Market Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets A massive middle class and rapid technology-enabled development could turn African stocks into growth darlings over the next two decades. By Charles Lewis Sizemore, CFA • Published 15 April 22 India Is on a Tear Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets Massive modernization presents opportunities for investors. By Nellie S. Huang • Published 21 December 21 Wasatch Emerging Markets Small Cap Goes Its Own Way Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets This emerging-markets stock fund isn't afraid to stray from the pack. By Nellie S. Huang • Last updated 2 November 22 Investors: Don't Give Up on Investing in China Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets Turmoil in China has been all over the financial news, but the volatile market is too big to ignore. By Andrew Tanzer • Published 28 October 21 China's Evergrande Crisis: A Real Threat to U.S. Stocks? Foreign Stocks & Emerging Markets A looming debt default by Chinese real estate titan Evergrande is sparking fears of global contagion and knocking stocks from their perches. By Dan Burrows • Published 20 September 21 Fidelity's FIGFX Makes the Case for Investing Overseas Kip 25 Fidelity International Growth fund tends to thrive during stretches of market uncertainty. By Nellie S. Huang • Last updated 29 July 21 View More ▸ kiplinger About Us (opens in new tab) Terms and Conditions (opens in new tab) Privacy Policy (opens in new tab) Cookie Policy (opens in new tab) Kiplinger is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
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