iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI ETF USD Acc (EUR) | EUNN |
by Kenneth Lamont
IShares Core MSCI Japan IMI ETF represents a top option for investors looking to gain access to the Japanese large-cap equity market. Our conviction is grounded in the exchange-traded fund's low management fee and representative beta exposure offered in a market where passive investments have proved difficult to beat over long periods. The expansive market coverage offered by the MSCI Japan Investable Market Net Return Index means that this ETF provides one of the most representative cap-weighted exposures to Japanese large-cap equities. Covering around 1,100 Japanese companies, including large, mid-, and small caps, the index represents around 99% of the free-float-adjusted market cap. With an ongoing charge of just 0.18%, the fund is one of the cheapest in its Morningstar Category. The yawning fee gap between this fund and that charged by the median category peer has proved a formidable hurdle for active managers. This low fee has contributed to strong performance, with the fund comfortably outperforming its average surviving category peer on a risk-adjusted basis over the trailing 10 years. Investors in all foreign markets should be aware of the potential impact that currency movements can have on returns. For example, a European investor in the Japanese equity markets is exposed to both the returns on the underlying market and the fluctuations in the euro/yen exchange rate. Over long periods, the impact of exchange-rate fluctuations is likely to be a wash, consistent with the historical pattern. IShares has a seasoned passive management team befitting the dominant ETF provider in Europe. The well-resourced team has experienced low turnover and can leverage market-leading technology while managing funds. The fund has tracked its benchmark closely over recent years. Given the team's extensive indexing experience, this is not surprising, and we should expect tracking to remain tight. |
Morningstar Pillars | |
People | Above Average |
Parent | Above Average |
Process | High |