Top-Rated ETFs Invest in Foreign Stocks
NEW YORK (
) -- The best bets in exchange traded funds invest in commodities and international stocks, according to TheStreet.com Ratings.
Of the 10 top-rated funds, six invest in stocks outside the U.S. and three target precious metals or coal. All the funds have "buy" recommendations, but three have earned our top grade of A-plus.
The
PowerShares Global Progressive Transportation Portfolio
(PTRP)
, the best-rated fund, has gained 17% in the past year. The fund advanced as shares of
Maxwell Technologies
(MXWL) - Get Report
and
Westport Innovations
(WPRT) - Get Report
doubled.
The second-best rated ETF,
First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX Fund
(FXH) - Get Report
, which has climbed 12% in the past year, is positioned to benefit as
bring the company new customers. More than half of the fund focuses on health care products and services, while 36% is invested in drugmakers and biotechnology. Hot holdings include
Tenet Healthcare
(THC) - Get Report
,
Community Health Systems
(CYH) - Get Report
and
Intuitive Surgical
(ISRG) - Get Report
, which have risen by more than 40%.
Despite all the hype surrounding alternative energy, coal remains a popular energy source. The
PowerShares Global Coal Portfolio
(PKOL)
has increased 22%. Industry leaders
Massey Energy
(MEE)
and
Patriot Coal
(PCX)
have doubled in value this year. An economic rebound would boost demand for energy, making this an attractive ETF.
The
in the third quarter held shares of small- and mid-cap airlines and Brazilian companies.
The
bet on higher volatility, a rising U.S. dollar and the natural gas.
To find the best rated open-end equity funds, check out our
page.
Kevin Baker became the senior financial analyst for TSC Ratings upon the August 2006 acquisition of Weiss Ratings by TheStreet.com, covering mutual funds. He joined the Weiss Group in 1997 as a banking and brokerage analyst. In 1999, he created the Weiss Group's first ratings to gauge the level of risk in U.S. equities. Baker received a B.S. degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an M.B.A. with a finance specialization from Nova Southeastern University.
