The 16-nation eurozone has finally emerged from its recession on the strength of export growth in its largest economy, Germany. There are single-country and broad exchange traded funds (ETFs) to play this positive development.
After feeling the effects of the financial crisis, the European economy is out of a negative growth pattern, boasting 0.4% growth in the third quarter. Matthew Saltmarsh for The New York Times reports that other factors that signal a turnaround include a stronger currency and growth in countries such as Germany and France. (Why it takes more than a stronger currency for growth to resume).
Recovery in the region as a whole is mixed, though. Unemployment remains startlingly high in some areas, wages have stagnated and lending still needs a push to operate at full strength, Terence Roth and Christopher Emsden for The Wall Street Journal report. Greece, Finland and Spain are still contracting.
Although these economies continue to struggle along, industrial countries centered in the region’s economic core are setting the pace for an overall recovery. (Sweden has been a recovery leader). To play the recovery with ETFs, look for those areas that are sitting above their long-term trend lines (the 200-day moving average). Europe can be accessed via either broad, regional ETFs or some strong single-country funds.
For more stories about Europe, visit our Europe category.
- iShares MSCI Germany Index (NYSEArca:EWG): up 19.2% year-to-date
