Europe

European mutual funds and ETFs invest in a wide range of asset... European mutual funds and ETFs invest in a wide range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, commodities, and alternatives, in a range of countries or regions within and around the European continent. Depending on the fund in question and its mandate, it may have exposure to Developed Europe, Emerging Europe, the Euro Zone, Ex-Euro Zone, the Nordic Countries, or the United Kingdom. As a result, these funds have the flexibility to allocate funds to one or a combination of different asset classes depending on the fund objective. Several of these funds and ETFs can be actively managed as they require special knowledge of foreign markets and active management may increase the chances of generating a higher return compared to an index or passive fund. The fixed-income portion of these funds may invest in debt securities varying by type (government or corporate), credit quality (investment-grade or junk), duration (short or long), and strategy (inflation-protected or sector-diversified). The equity portion of these funds may invest in common equities, and these can vary by market capitalization (small or large), dividend income (total income or high income), and strategy (sector-based or factor-based), among others. The alternatives portion of these funds may invest in strategies including real estate, currency trading, commodities, derivatives or other techniques relying on volatility, hedge fund, or quantitative strategies. Investors looking to diversify their holdings and achieve better returns often own European mutual funds and ETFs. Some of these funds, especially those focused on developed markets such as Germany and France, are appropriate for conservative-minded investors. Aggressive investors looking to take higher risk might prefer allocations to emerging markets in Europe (such as Lithuania or Latvia), which offer the potential for higher returns. Last Updated: 03/28/2023 View more View less

European mutual funds and ETFs invest in a wide range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, commodities, and alternatives, in a range of countries or regions within and around the European continent.... European mutual funds and ETFs invest in a wide range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, commodities, and alternatives, in a range of countries or regions within and around the European continent. Depending on the fund in question and its mandate, it may have exposure to Developed Europe, Emerging Europe, the Euro Zone, Ex-Euro Zone, the Nordic Countries, or the United Kingdom. As a result, these funds have the flexibility to allocate funds to one or a combination of different asset classes depending on the fund objective. Several of these funds and ETFs can be actively managed as they require special knowledge of foreign markets and active management may increase the chances of generating a higher return compared to an index or passive fund. The fixed-income portion of these funds may invest in debt securities varying by type (government or corporate), credit quality (investment-grade or junk), duration (short or long), and strategy (inflation-protected or sector-diversified). The equity portion of these funds may invest in common equities, and these can vary by market capitalization (small or large), dividend income (total income or high income), and strategy (sector-based or factor-based), among others. The alternatives portion of these funds may invest in strategies including real estate, currency trading, commodities, derivatives or other techniques relying on volatility, hedge fund, or quantitative strategies. Investors looking to diversify their holdings and achieve better returns often own European mutual funds and ETFs. Some of these funds, especially those focused on developed markets such as Germany and France, are appropriate for conservative-minded investors. Aggressive investors looking to take higher risk might prefer allocations to emerging markets in Europe (such as Lithuania or Latvia), which offer the potential for higher returns. Last Updated: 03/28/2023 View more View less