5 Of The Best ETFs In The Last Month

By Tom Lydon on July 21, 2009

Every so often, it’s helpful to take stock of the markets and see what’s been happening in the big picture. With that, here are five exchange traded funds (ETFs) that have moved impressively in the last month.When Gary Gordon wrote about the three most impressive ETF movers in the last month, we thought we could expand on his premise and include some other areas that investors are picking up on during dips in the market place.

In Taiwan, tech companies are leading the economy. This sector in Taiwan is increasing job opportunities to grow the burgeoning firm’s global name brands such as Asustek, innovator of the “netbook,” and Acer, manufacturer of powerful yet cheap PCs that may become the world’s second largest PC maker.
* iShares MSCI Taiwan Index (EWT: 11.11 -0.03 -0.27%): up 44.7% year-to-date; up 14.4% in the last month

ETF EWT
Turkey has some factors in its favor: the central bank has reduced rates to its lo a record low, consumer confidence is on the rise and jobless claims are declining. But the country is not completely out of the deep yet.
* iShares MSCI Turkey Invest Mkt Index (TUR: 39.94 -0.15 -0.37%): up 46.9% year-to-date; up 12.2% in the last month

ETF TUR
Spain’s GDP will drop but not as severely compared to the first quarter, according to Reuters. The Spanish economy contracted 1.9% in the first quarter and is expected to shrink 3.6% in 2009 and 0.6% in 2010. Economic stimulus plans are likely to have increased public deficit above 10% of GDP this year.
* iShares MSCI Spain Index (EWP: 42.23 -0.12 -0.28%): up 12.3% year-to-date; up 10.5% in the last month

ETF EWP
The semiconductor sector is on the mend with demand picking up once again, but has yet to reach numbers previously seen. Overall, the industry is still cutting back to do away with the excess fat and build up efficiency. Tech companies are lowering their forecasts.
* Semiconductor HOLDRs (SMH: 23.81 -0.16 -0.67%): up 21.8% year-to-date; up 1.7% in the last month

ETF SMH
Homebuilders should have been elated to hear that June housing construction rose to its highest level in seven months as builders rushed to pour foundations to enable first-time homebuyers to take advantage of tax credits. Commerce Department reported that construction of new homes and apartments jumped 3.6% last month. New housing starts and permits have risen for the second straight month in June.
* iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction (ITB: 10.43 -0.09 -0.86%): up 6.8% year-to-date; up 8.7% in the last month