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Both of these ETFs focus on the international market, but offer different strategies to take your portfolio around the world. Both the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG +2.50%) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA +2.22%) are designed as core holdings for international diversification, but IEMG targets emerging markets while IEFA invests in developed markets outside North America. This comparison examines cost, recent performance, volatility, and portfolio construction to help investors decide wh ...

Core Insights - The iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) includes both developed and emerging markets, while the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) focuses solely on developed markets, providing different investment exposures [1][2] Cost & Size Comparison - Both IXUS and IEFA have an expense ratio of 0.07% - As of January 30, 2026, IXUS has a 1-year return of 37.7% compared to IEFA's 34.9% - IXUS has a dividend yield of 3.2%, while IEFA offers a slightly higher yield at 3.6% - IXUS has assets under management (AUM) of $51.9 billion, whereas IEFA has a significantly larger AUM of $162.6 billion [3][4] Performance & Risk Comparison - The maximum drawdown over five years for IXUS is -30.05%, while IEFA's is -30.41% - An investment of $1,000 in IXUS would grow to $1,305 over five years, compared to $1,353 for IEFA [5] Portfolio Composition - IEFA tracks developed markets in Europe, Australasia, and the Far East, holding 2,589 companies with a sector tilt towards financial services (22%), industrials (20%), and healthcare (11%) [6] - IXUS holds over 4,100 stocks, providing broader diversification with sector allocations leaning towards financial services, industrials, and basic materials, featuring top holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, ASML, and Samsung Electronics [7] Investment Implications - The choice between IXUS and IEFA depends on the desired exposure; IEFA avoids the volatility of emerging markets but limits potential upside during strong emerging market cycles, while IXUS offers broader diversification and exposure to high-growth potential [8]

Core Insights - The iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) and the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) provide different exposures to international equities, with IXUS including emerging markets and IEFA focusing solely on developed markets [1][2] Cost and Size Comparison - Both IXUS and IEFA have an expense ratio of 0.07% - As of January 30, 2026, IXUS has a 1-year return of 37.7% while IEFA has a return of 34.9% - IXUS has a dividend yield of 3.2% compared to IEFA's 3.6% - IXUS has assets under management (AUM) of $51.9 billion, while IEFA has $162.6 billion [3][4] Performance and Risk Comparison - Over the past five years, IXUS experienced a maximum drawdown of -30.05%, while IEFA had a drawdown of -30.41% - An investment of $1,000 in IXUS would have grown to $1,305, whereas the same investment in IEFA would have grown to $1,353 [5] Fund Composition - IEFA tracks developed markets in Europe, Australasia, and the Far East, holding 2,589 companies with a sector focus on financial services (22%), industrials (20%), and healthcare (11%) [6] - IXUS holds over 4,100 stocks, providing broader diversification with sector allocations leaning towards financial services, industrials, and basic materials [7] Investor Implications - The choice between IXUS and IEFA depends on the desired exposure; IXUS offers global exposure including emerging markets, while IEFA provides stability and a higher dividend yield from developed markets [8][11] - IEFA's focus on developed markets avoids emerging market volatility but limits growth potential, while IXUS can deliver higher returns due to emerging market growth despite associated risks [9][10]

Core Insights - The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) differ significantly in cost, yield, and market exposure, with VXUS providing broader global diversification at a lower price compared to EEM's focus on emerging markets at a higher fee [1][2] Cost & Size Comparison - VXUS has an expense ratio of 0.05%, while EEM's expense ratio is 0.72% [3][4] - The one-year return for VXUS is 29.5%, compared to EEM's 36.8% [3] - VXUS offers a dividend yield of 3.0%, whereas EEM has a yield of 2.0% [4] - VXUS has assets under management (AUM) of $135.2 billion, significantly higher than EEM's $27.5 billion [3] Performance & Risk Comparison - Over five years, VXUS has a maximum drawdown of -29.43%, while EEM's maximum drawdown is -39.82% [5] - An investment of $1,000 in VXUS would grow to $1,297 over five years, compared to $1,079 for EEM [5] Portfolio Composition - EEM focuses on emerging markets, with major sector exposures in technology (28%), financial services (22%), and consumer cyclical (12%), holding 1,214 stocks [6] - VXUS diversifies across 8,602 stocks, with significant sector weights in financial services, industrials, and technology, featuring top positions like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd [7] Investment Implications - VXUS provides stable exposure to international stocks at a low cost, making it suitable for conservative investors [12] - EEM offers higher potential returns but comes with increased risk and higher costs, appealing to investors with a greater risk appetite [12]

Core Insights - The iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) provides broad exposure to developed and emerging markets at a lower cost compared to the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG), which focuses solely on emerging markets and has seen stronger recent returns [1][2] Cost and Size Comparison - IXUS has an expense ratio of 0.07%, while IEMG has a slightly higher expense ratio of 0.09% [3][4] - As of February 2, 2026, IXUS has a one-year return of 35.9% and a dividend yield of 3.24%, whereas IEMG has a one-year return of 41.5% and a dividend yield of 2.75% [3] - IXUS has assets under management (AUM) of $51.9 billion, while IEMG has a significantly larger AUM of $120.0 billion [3] Performance and Risk Analysis - Over the past five years, IXUS has experienced a maximum drawdown of 30.05%, compared to IEMG's 37.16% [6] - A $1,000 investment in IXUS would have grown to $1,305 over five years, while the same investment in IEMG would have grown to $1,106 [6] Portfolio Composition - IXUS holds 4,173 stocks across developed and emerging markets, with a focus on financial services (21%), industrials (15%), and basic materials (13%) [7] - IEMG consists of 2,725 stocks from emerging economies, with a significant emphasis on technology (26%), financial services (21%), and consumer cyclicals (12%) [6][10] - Both ETFs have Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing as a top holding, but IXUS diversifies its exposure across various sectors and regions, while IEMG is heavily concentrated in technology [10][11] Investment Implications - International stocks have outperformed U.S. markets in 2025, driven by a weaker dollar, attractive valuations, and strong earnings growth, making both IXUS and IEMG viable options for investors [8][9] - IXUS is suitable for investors seeking comprehensive international exposure with stability, while IEMG appeals to those willing to accept higher volatility for potential long-term growth in emerging markets [11]

Core Insights - Eight out of nine global indexes tracked have shown year-to-date gains as of February 2, 2026, with Japan's Nikkei 225 leading at a gain of 4.6% [1] - India's BSE SENSEX is the only index with a year-to-date loss, currently at -4.2% [1] Index Performance - The S&P 500, TSX, FTSE 100, DAXK, CAC 40, Nikkei 225, Shanghai Composite, Hang Seng, and BSE SENSEX are the nine prominent indexes monitored [1] - The current performance of these indexes is compared to their historical peaks, providing context for their current values [1] Historical Context - A chart illustrates the performance of world markets since the last recession began on February 3, 2020, highlighting the relative performance of various indexes since March 9, 2009 [1] - Another chart provides a longer-term view starting from October 9, 2007, which was a previous closing high for the S&P 500, showing the mid-point of market peaks [1] ETF Examples - The article lists examples of single country ETFs, including SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC), and others, indicating investment options related to the discussed indexes [1]

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