The options for international sector exchange traded funds (ETFs) doubled overnight as State Street Global Advisors announced the addition of ten such funds to their SPDR lineup.
This brings the Spider line to include 80 ETFs, with 31 of those focused on global access to international markets. The new offerings enter a market space that WisdomTree had been cornering.
Why would you choose one or the other? As Gary Gordon for ETF Expert says: it’s a matter of preference. State Street’s funds have a traditional market-cap weighted methodology. WisdomTree’s funds have a dividend-weighted index methodology. Dividends in the WisdomTree funds will come annually, while State Street’s will be quarterly.
The expense ratio for the State Street funds is set at 0.5%, while the WisdomTree funds come in at 0.58%.
The 10 new ETFs are are international sector SPDRs and they give access to investments outside the U.S. benchmarked to a series of S&P World ex-US Broad Market Indices. The following ETFs are market-cap weighted, include only non-U.S. holdings, and use the Global Industry Classification Standard, or GICS.
The ETFs are:
- SPDR S&P International Consumer Discretionary Sector (IPD)
- SPDR S&P International Consumer Staples (IPS)
- SPDR S&P International Financial Sector (IPF)
- SPDR S&P International Health Care Sector (IRY)
- SPDR S&P International Industrial Sector (IPN)
- SPDR S&P International Materials Sector (IRV)
- SPDR S&P International Technology Sector (IPK)
- SPDR S&P International Telecommunications Sector (IST)
- SPDR S&P International Utilities Sector (IPU)
- SPDR S&P International Energy Sector (IPW)
WisdomTree’s funds launched Oct. 13, 2006 and they are:
- WisdomTree International Basic Materials Sector (DBN)
- WisdomTree International Communications Sector (DGG)
- WisdomTree International Consumer Discretionary Sector (DPC)
- WisdomTree International Consumer Staples Sector (DPN)
- WisdomTree International Energy Sector (DKA)
- WisdomTree International Financial Sector (DRF)
- WisdomTree International Health Care Sector (DBR)
- WisdomTree International Industrial Sector (DDI)
- WisdomTree International Technology Sector (DBT)
- WisdomTree International Utilities Sector (DBU)
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.