Yes! As an investment advisor I read just about everything I can. On a daily basis I read the Financial Times, Bloomberg.com, WSJ.com, Reuters, and the AP. A look at some of the headlines in the last few days might give you some insight as to what ETFs you might be looking at to build your portfolio.

Financial Times 3/5/2010 America must help its homeowners by Mort Zuckerman
This article essentially agrees with the notion I have had since this crisis took hold and that is unless homeowners that are way underwater get tossed a life preserver they could take us all down. The foreclosure are rising and new home sales are sluggish. According to the article more than 1 in 4 homes have a mortgage that exceeds its value. On top of it all the Making Home Affordable program the government rolled out has helped approximately 116,000 homeowners out of the roughly 8 million that could (and should) be addressed. Keep in mind we are seeing 300,000 or more new foreclosures a month.

The play here is avoiding US and European banks. Sure they may be enjoying some upside now but with homeowners getting little help, commercial property getting the squeeze and banks cutting credit available to many people where their profits are going to struggle. If you want to invest in the US and avoid the financials look at the Wisdom Tree Dividend ex-Financials ETF (ticker DTN).

Financial Times 3/5/2010 ANZ to rebuild Indian network by Jo Leahy and Peter Smith
Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ) is heading into India to re-establish its banking network there after a 10 year absence. ANZ has been jockeying to get into the position of being a banking power in Asia and the Pacific. ANZ bought Royal Bank of Scotlands’ operations in six Asian countries in 2009. The take away here is that these are not US banks and as you can read the European banks are selling their divisions in the hottest growing areas in the world. Bad timing? No. US and European banks need capital so they are selling divisions and ANZ is there to capitalize and move into places that US and European banks cannot afford to move into.

The play here is to gain exposure to Australian and Singapore Banks. This can be achieved with the iShares Australia ETF (ticker EWA), iShares Singapore ETF (ticker EWS), iShares Pacific x-Japan Ticker (EPP), or the Wisdom Tree Pacific x-Japan Equity Income (ticker DNH).

Financial Times March 6-7, 2010 Gucci eyes Asia as shoppers opt for discreet consumption an interview with Robert Polet Gucci Group chief executive
This ties along with the previous article in that investors should be looking to Asia and the Pacific. According to the article Gucci is targeting Asia for the bulk of its investment this year along with Latin America. According to Mr. Polet Asia and the Pacific ex Japan accounts for 28% of Gucci sales almost doubling since 2005.

The play here is Asia as a whole. You can cover the region with the iShares Asia x-Japan (ticker AAXJ). With this ETF you are getting pretty much all of Asia. If you follow growth this is the region of the future.

These are just a few examples of current news helping point the way for your portfolio.

Disclosure Statement: ETFGPS is a blog that Navigates The World of ETFs. Sustainable Investment Strategies LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser in the State of Maryland, and does hold positions in DTN at the time of writing. Investors who are interested in money management services may visit the Sustainable Investment Strategies LLC web site.

This is not a personal add seeking a single white female (SWF).  It is the other SWF the less commonly know Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).  A sovereign wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund composed of financial assets.  SWF’s are some, if not, the largest investment funds in the world.  SWF’s typically come about as a result of governments having budgetary surpluses.  Here in the US we have forgotten about government budget surpluses.

To the point

So why the picture of the Norwegian flag?  Well Norway is the home of the world’s 2nd largest SWF.  James Lamont of the Financial Times recently reported in an article titled Norway Wealth Fund in $4bn green push that The Norwegian Government Pension Fund has directed 1% ($4bn) of assets to “green shares.”

Not just any “green shares”

According to Lamont, the target of the investments will be emerging nations such as India where $1.2bn has been deployed to 232 Indian companies related to clean energy and environmental sustainability.  There is an important jewel of information in the article.  Consider that $4bn in new investment will be going to the emerging markets in “green shares.”  The Norwegian authorities have also pointed to the fact that they will be putting a “greater share” of assets in developing nations.

What does it mean to you?

If you are inclined to consider “green investing,” consider a global fund.  Additionally, the article indicates that Norway is very focused on India for future investment.  You can play both global green and India through ETFs.

Wisdom Tree India ETF (ticker EPI) is well above its 50 and 200 day EMA and is up over 75% YTD

Powershares CleanTech ETF (ticker PZD) is well above its 50 and 200 day EMA ans is up over 29% YTD.  According to PowerShares,  company is considered to be part of the cleantech industry if it “produces any knowledge- based product or service that improves operation, performance, productivity or efficiency, while reducing costs, inputs, energy consumption, waste or pollution.”

Charts courtesy of StockCharts.com

Full Disclosure Statement: ETFGPS is a blog that Navigates The World of ETFs. Sustainable Investment Strategies LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser in the State of Maryland, and does not hold positions in the above ETFs at the time of writing. Investors who are interested in money management services may visit the Sustainable Investment Strategies LLC web site.