The recent sell-off may provide a long-term opportunity for the Eurozone market. Supporting the region, the European Central Bank has been implementing a quantitative easing program. As witnessed here in the U.S. with the Federal Reserve, the bond purchasing plan in Europe could also support the markets and weaken the euro currency.
The pressure on the euro currency could also make European exports, a major component in their economy, cheaper and more competitive on the global market. For investors, the loose monetary policy means that people may need to hedge currency risk when exposed to Eurozone equities – a weaker EUR means that potential stock returns are lower when converted back into the stronger U.S. dollar.
Greece remains a short-term concern. Nevertheless, the Greek government has offered up a new bailout proposal that includes heavy austerity plans for debt sustainability, the New York Times reports. [Don’t Let Short-Term Risk Dissuade You From Europe ETFs]
For more information on Europe, visit our Europe category.
Max Chen contributed to this article.