When it comes to exchange traded funds, or any security for that matter, investors will find that searching for perfection is akin to aiming for a moving target.
There are plenty of “good,” “great” and “solid” ETFs, but of the nearly 300 that either focus explicitly on or offer some exposure to China, there is no shortage of criticism. It is not perfect, but the new db X-trackers Harvest MSCI All China Equity Fund (NYSEArca: CN) could prove to be an improvement on the China ETF investing experience. [New ETF Offers Broader Avenue to China]
Traditional complaints about China ETFs have included those about too few stocks, excessive exposure to financial services companies and state-controlled enterprises, not enough weight to tech and Internet stocks, too much exposure to Internet names and not enough access to A-shares.
CN certainly solves the A-shares conundrum, particularly for the investor that does not want the all-in commitment of a specific A-shares ETF. CN’s largest holding is a 50.5% allocation to the db X-trackers Harvest CSI 300 China A-Shares Fund (NYSEArca: ASHR).
CN also features China B-shares, China H-shares, China Red Chips, China P-Chips, China ADRs, and securities of Chinese companies listed in the US and Singapore. [The Allure of China A-Shares ETFs]
In proof that CN does in fact have a deep bench, the ETF held more than 600 stocks when it debuted. That is more than 20 times the amount held by the iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSEArca: FXI), the largest China ETF.
Think a deeper bench is inconsequential when it comes to China ETFs? Think again. The iShares MSCI China ETF (NYSEArca: MCHI) and the SPDR S&P China ETF (NYSEArca: GXC) each have lineups that are several times larger than FXI’s. GXC and MCHI also have lengthy track records of out-performance of FXI. [A China ETF for the Long=Term]
CN offers utility on another front: The much ballyhooed Alibaba IPO.