The investment thesis behind the emerging markets consumer
theme has arguably proven to be a dichotomy. Foreign investors
grasp the concept of increasing wages, rising middle classes and
the benefits those factors can have for a developing economy.
Conversely, it has been the methods by which investors choose
to tap into emerging markets consumers that have proven vexing.
On the surface, Western companies with stellar brand recognition
such as Coca-Cola (NYSE:
KO
) and McDonald's (NYSE:
MCD
) would appear to be fine ways to play consumers in the
developing world. The reality is those companies and others like
them have massive top lines and emerging markets still only
represent a fraction of their revenue.
That is to say, investors are best served by focusing on
stocks and
ETFs
that offer exposure to local brands. Some fresh statistics
reiterate as much.
"Consumer spending will grow faster in Asia's rapid growth
markets than in advanced economies. Our forecasts suggest that
Asia-Pacific rapid growth markets will see their share of global
consumption rise from under 14% in 2010 to almost 25% by 2020,"
according to an Ernst & Young report on the emerging markets
consumer.
That forecast is not surprising. Earlier this year, Boston
Consulting estimated
Chinese and Indian consumers will spend a
combined $64 trillion
in the years leading up to 2020.
There are some direct ETF plays on that theme such as the
First Trust ISE Chindia Index Fund (NYSE:
FNI
) which offers a sizable allocation to discretionary names. Of
course, the Global X China Consumer ETF (NYSE:
CHIQ
) and the EGShares India Consumer ETF (NYSE:
INCO
) are direct plays on the consumers of those countries, but there
is more to the story.
"In rapid growth markets, markets for many consumer goods are
reaching 'takeoff points,' where rising per capita income
generates a more-than-proportionate increase in market size.
Demand for consumer durables is set to boom,"
said Ernst & Young
.
Additionally, Ernst & Young sees a strong increase in
exported goods and services in the Pacific Rim over the next
decade. That increase will be driven, in part, by booming
domestic demand. The domestic demand story in the developing
world reminds investors multinationals are not always the best
way to tap into the emerging markets consumer.
An alternative avenue is the newly minted EGShares Emerging
Markets Domestic Demand ETF (NYSE:
EMDD
). The EGShares Emerging Markets Domestic Demand ETF, which
debuted in July, was created to offer investors a better way of
exploiting the domestic demand story in the emerging world. U.S.
multinationals such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's are not found in
this fund.
However, EMDD does offer a direct avenue to the expected
vibrancy of Asia's local demand story over the coming years.
India and China combine for over 30 percent of the fund's weight.
EMDD also features smaller allocations to Indonesia, Malaysia,
Thailand and the Philippines.
For more on the emerging markets consumer, click
here
.
(c) 2012 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment
advice. All rights reserved.