It’s been a very tough year for emerging market ETFs and talk the Federal Reserve will soon taper its bond purchases is only adding to the pain.
Investors have pulled more than $11 billion from the two largest developing country ETFs, Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets (NYSEArca: VWO) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (NYSEArca: EEM), so far in 2013.
However, a specialized emerging markets ETF that focuses on consumer firms has been able to buck the outflow trend.
EGShares Emerging Markets Consumer ETF (NYSEArca: ECON) has gathered $373 million of inflows year to date, according to IndexUniverse data, with total assets topping $1 billion. [Emerging Market ETF Focuses on Consumers]
ECON is in the red for the year but has held up relatively better than the diversified emerging market ETFs.
The fund’s manager, Emerging Global Advisors, concentrates on developing economies. The firm’s latest offering, EGShares EM Dividend High Income ETF (NYSEArca: EMHD), was launched in mid-August. [New Dividend ETF for Emerging Markets]
ECON roughly splits its exposure to the consumer staples and consumer discretionary sectors.