Over the past few years, investors that have taken a chance on the iShares MSCI Japan Index (NYSEArca: EWJ) have been rewarded by the appreciating yen against the U.S. dollar. As the yen has started to weaken, exchange traded funds that hedge foreign currency exposure could be a better choice.
“The near-term outlook for corporate Japan might finally be improving. Aside from the falling yen, other positive trends include an improving U.S. economy, relatively healthy Asian economies (a growing major export destination for Japanese products), and post-quake-related spending. These factors should support significantly better earnings in the next fiscal year (which ends March 2013),” Patricia Oey for Morningstar wrote in a recent article.
The Bank of Japan recently boosted its asset purchase program with an inflation target of 1%, creating a headwind for the Japanese yen. In turn, Japanese large-cap companies have spurred a rally because most of them are exporters to several countries. [Lower Risk Stock ETFs to Consider]
“From January 2007 to December 2011, the yen rose more than 50% against the U.S. dollar. These factors weighed heavily on a stock market tilted toward cyclical stocks,” Oey wrote. [Japanese ETFs Rise Despite Aftershocks, Nuclear Crisis]
An ETF that focuses in on Japan’s stock market and hedges foreign currency exposure is the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity (NYSEArca: DXJ) which also tracks a dividend weighted index.
The db-X MSCI Japan Currency-Hedged Equity Fund (NYSEArca: DBJP) also mitigates exposure to fluctuations between the value of the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen.