Add international stocks to your portfolio for added diversification and exposure to emerging markets. There are various means by which this can be accomplished, including American depositary receipts (ADRs) or global depository receipts (GDRs), mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that feature international assets.
International investing can seem intimidating at first, but with the right tools any investor can reach their investing goals.
1. Choose a Broker
There are various approaches to investing in foreign stocks. Many of the larger foreign companies trade on major American exchanges like New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq as American depositary receipts (ADRs). Others trade as regular shares on local markets that can be accessed by any brokerage offering trading on those exchanges; still others track foreign indexes with ETFs and mutual funds that track them, accessible through any brokerage account including retirement accounts like traditional and Roth IRAs.
Foreign stocks provide investors with an opportunity to diversify their portfolios and gain exposure to faster-growing economies, but can pose numerous risks, including political turmoil in a foreign country, changes in regulation and currency volatility. It is vitally important for any investor to carefully weigh these factors prior to investing; that is why selecting a broker offering a range of international markets from the outset is highly recommended.
2. Open an Account
Investors investing in foreign stocks must be familiar with various trading regulations and protocols, and be mindful of any additional steps required when opening an account – usually more time and information will be required by brokerage firms, including identification documents, net worth information, investment goals and income details.
Many foreign companies trade American depository receipts (ADR) on the NYSE and Nasdaq exchanges; each ADR share represents an equivalent equity stake on their home markets.
Financial advisors typically recommend adding 5%-10% of foreign stocks to your portfolio, in order to gain direct stake in global growth while expanding profit opportunities.
3. Select a Strategy
Foreign stocks offer great potential to add international flavour to your portfolio or simply diversify it, providing opportunities for growth. Financial advisors typically recommend allocating 5%-10% to foreign markets for conservative investors, with up to 25% being appropriate for more aggressive investors.
Foreign stocks offer many advantages for investors, such as lowering your overall risk profile and increasing returns while providing exposure to fast-growing global economies. When it comes to investing in foreign stocks, however, it is essential that one carefully considers any risks involved.
These risks include volatile growth, economic and political instability, limited liquidity issues and differing regulatory standards and reporting requirements; currency risk. There are various ways to purchase international stocks: directly on international exchanges (though your brokerage account may not permit this option), ADRs or mutual funds and ETFs – choosing which option best meets your investment goals, experience, risk tolerance and time horizon is ultimately up to you.
4. Make the Purchase
Foreign stock investments give your portfolio exposure to expanding economies and companies that may be less volatile. They also diversify risk and multiply gains – just make sure they fit with your goals and risk tolerance!
Investors often exhibit home country bias — preferring stocks from their home nation over those from others – which can cause underdiversification that limits returns and leaves you exposed to sluggish economies, political unrest, currency fluctuations and limited data access. One of the best ways to add international stocks to your portfolio is via mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking foreign markets; these investments don’t require stockpicking as daily trading takes place through your brokerage account – making them ideal choices for beginners looking for international stocks! Alternatively, direct trading on foreign exchange platforms may also work as options – although more cost effective options may exist as options when adding international stocks directly through an exchange platform.
