International REIT ETF Hits the Market
August 7th at 1:00am by Tom Lydon
As domestic real estate investment trust (REIT) indexes decline steadily, the new international real estate-based exchange traded fund (ETF) might be the sector’s savior.
Barclays Global Investors launched the iShares S&P World ex-U.S. Property Index Fund (WPS) Friday on the NYSE. WPS has an expense ratio of 0.48% that will put it in direct competition with the SPDR Dow Jones Wilshire International Real Estate ETF (RWX), which has an expense ratio of 0.59%.
ETF Guide reports that the underlying index is composed of companies involved in international property development, rental, management and investment. The world mix includes Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the U.K. among others. This is the first international REIT ETF to complement the seven U.S. real estate iShares ETFs.
