A Good Consumer Is the Best Defense: ETFs

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The SPDR S&P International Consumer Staples Sector ETF(IPS Quote) and SPDR S&P International Consumer Discretionary Sector ETF(IPD Quote) got TheStreet.com Ratings' highest marks among 15 exchange traded funds that received new coverage.

The funds, given initial ratings of at least A, carry "buy" recommendations.

The SPDR S&P International Consumer Staples Sector ETF's portfolio of 50.5% food, 17.5% beverages, 12.5% agriculture and 8.3% retail stocks provides a defensive position during what has turned out to be the longest recession in more than half a century.

The largest consumer-staple holdings include Nestle(NSRGY Quote), British American Tobacco(BTI Quote) and Unilever(UN Quote).

The SPDR S&P International Consumer Discretionary Sector ETF has auto makers as its biggest positions. They include Toyota(TM Quote), Honda(HMC Quote) and Daimler(DAI Quote).

Research Methodology

TheStreet.com Ratings condenses available fund performance and risk data into a single composite opinion of each fund's risk-adjusted performance. This allows the unbiased identification of those funds that have historically done well and those that have underperformed the market. While there is no guarantee of future performance, the ratings provide a solid framework for making informed, timely investment decisions. The funds below have reached their one-year anniversary, accruing enough of a track record to receive ratings.

Newly Rated Exchange Traded Funds Fund (Ticker) Initial Rating Total Return 1 Year Inception Date SPDR SP Intl Con Stap Sect ETF (IPS) A+ -9.6% 7/16/2008 SPDR SP Intl Con Disc Sect ETF (IPD) A -8.4% 7/16/2008 SPDR SP Intl Energy Sector ETF (IPW) B+ -18.6% 7/16/2008 SPDR SP Intl Finl Sector ETF (IPF) B -22.8% 7/16/2008 SPDR SP Intl Tech Sector ETF (IPK) B -18.5% 7/16/2008 SPDR SP Intl Telecom Sect ETF (IST) C+ -10.2% 7/16/2008 SPDR SP Intl Materials Sec ETF (IRV) C+ -29.1% 7/16/2008 SPDR SP Intl Health Care ETF (IRY) C+ -16.0% 7/16/2008 Market Vectors Africa Index ETF (AFK) C+ -31.0% 7/10/2008 SPDR SP Intl Industrial ETF (IPN) C+ -23.6% 7/16/2008 PowerShares Global Wind Energy Port (PWND) C -30.6% 7/1/2008 WisdomTree Middle East Div Fund (GULF) C- -35.5% 7/15/2008 SPDR SP Intl Utils Sector ETF (IPU) D+ -25.6% 7/16/2008 Market Vectors Gulf States (MES) D+ -47.3% 7/22/2008 PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries (PMNA) E+ -46.5% 7/9/2008 Source: TheStreet.com Ratings Data as of most recent month-end

Funds rated A or B are considered "buy." Those at the C level are rated as "hold," while underperformers at the D and E levels are ranked as "sell."

For more information, check out an explanation of our ratings.

Reported by Kevin Baker in Jupiter, Fla.