Investors seeking exposure to the Hong Kong stock market might consider exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Historically, Hong Kong has thrived as a global financial center and capitalist economy, and it largely has continued to do so since it became a semiautonomous region of China in 1997. But during the past two years, Hong Kong’s democratic government and economy have been badly weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic and a major political crackdown from the Communist government in Beijing. Businesses have closed, and politicians have been arrested.
Despite these negative trends, Hong Kong still remains open for business and investor capital, with ETFs offering one way to gain diversified exposure to what continues to be a leading financial center in the global economy.
Hong Kong’s economy has done relatively well amid the global pandemic. In Q4 2021, Hong Kong’s gross domestic product (GDP) grow 4.8% year-over-year, driven by improved private consumption and strong exports. For full year 2021, real GDP grew by 6.4%, and Hong Kong’s government forecasts the economy will grow further in 2022.
Key Takeaways
- Hong Kong equities underperformed the broader U.S. stock market over the past year.
- Two Hong Kong exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade in the United States: EWH and FLHK.
- The top holding for each of these ETFs is AIA Group Ltd.
Just two distinct Hong Kong ETFs trade in the United States, excluding inverse and leveraged ETFs. Hong Kong equities, as measured by the MSCI Hong Kong Index, have underperformed the U.S. equity market over the past 12 months, with a total return of -4.8% compared with the S&P 500’s total return of 23.3%, as of Jan. 31, 2022. The best-performing Hong Kong ETF, based on performance over the past year, is the iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (EWH). We look at both Hong Kong ETFs below. All numbers below are as of Feb. 5, 2022.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with very low assets under management (AUM), less than $50 million, usually have lower liquidity than larger ETFs. This can result in higher trading costs, which can negate some of your investment gains or increase your losses.
- Performance Over One-Year: -5.3%
- Expense Ratio: 0.51%
- Annual Dividend Yield: 2.46%
- Three-Month Average Daily Volume: 4,412,188
- Assets Under Management: $911.0 million
- Inception Date: March 12, 1996
- Issuer: BlackRock Financial Management
EWH tracks the MSCI Hong Kong 25/50 Index, an index designed to gauge the performance of the midcap and large-cap segments of the Hong Kong equity market. This fund is much larger and more liquid than FLHK, its counterpart, but it’s also more expensive EWH follows a blended strategy, investing in value and growth stocks. Insurance, real estate, and diversified financial stocks are the three largest components of the portfolio. The fund’s top three holdings are AIA Group Ltd. (1299:HKG), a provider of insurance and financial services; Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. (388:HKG), an owner and operator of stock and futures markets; and Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (669:HKG), a multinational manufacturer of power tools, hand tools, outdoor equipment, and more.
- Performance Over One-Year: -6.9%
- Expense Ratio: 0.09%
- Annual Dividend Yield: 3.18%
- Three-Month Average Daily Volume: 4,345
- Assets Under Management: $18.3 million
- Inception Date: Nov. 2, 2017
- Issuer: Franklin Templeton
FLHK tracks the FTSE Hong Kong RIC Capped Index, a market capitalization-weighted index representing the performance of midcap and large-cap Hong Kong-listed stocks. The ETF follows a blended strategy, providing exposure to a mix of growth and value stocks at a relatively low cost. Nearly 85% of FLHK’s holdings are companies domiciled within Hong Kong, which is part of China as a special administrative region (SAR). About 12.4% of the companies in the portfolio are headquartered in other parts of China, followed by Macau, another China SAR, and other nations. The fund’s largest exposure is to the financial sector, followed by real estate and industrials.FLHK’s top three holdings are AIA Group; Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing; and Techtronic Industries, all described above.
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Source: Investopedia
