“The FTSE 100 is a great reprieve from the Fed and QE as the UK is better positioned to capitalize on European economic growth – a good deal of companies listed on the LSE actually report in EUROs including an original member of the FTSE 100 and one of their main constituents, Unilever (NYSE: UN),” said Recon Capital’s Kevin Kelly. “Unilever’s results were also driven by fair currency winds. The 12.3% rise in first-quarter sales to €12.8bn included a 10.6% currency boost, because Unilever reports in the euro.”
Aside from being the first ETF to trade in the U.S. that acts as a proxy for the FTSE 100, UK has other advantages, including a dividend yield that, heading into today, was close to double that of the S&P 500.
In 2014, U.K. firms once again offered excellent dividend growth. Payouts there surged 31% to $135 billion, according to Henderson Global Investors.
UK Top 10 Holdings
Table Courtesy: Recon Capital