April has tended to be a bullish month for several international ETFs
Last week, we broke down what seems to be growing interest in
European stocks, with traders possibly turning away from what many see as overheated U.S. equities after the "Trump rally." Interestingly, data from the Investment Company Institute last week also showed a rotation out of U.S. markets and into funds that
buy international stocks. Historical data suggests these traders may be on to something, too, with several international exchange-traded funds (ETFs) historically outperforming in April.
Global ETFs that Outperform in April
Specifically, below are some of the ETFs which have historically performed their best in April. Data is courtesy of Schaeffer's Quantitative Analyst Chris Prybal, and tracks the ETFs' performance since inception.
- The iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC) has averaged a 3.1% gain in April.
- The iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) has averaged a 4.6% gain in April.
- The iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) has averaged a 1.8% gain in April.
- The iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF (EWY) has averaged a 4.5% gain in April.
- The iShares MSCI Turkey ETF (TUR) has averaged an 8.3% gain in April.
Looking at this group, the FXI could be in focus in the coming days, with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to
meet with Donald Trump later this week. There's also some interesting options data among the bunch. For example, call open interest stands near 52-week highs on TUR and EWY, suggesting speculators are growing bullish. Speaking of EWY, this is another ETF to watch going forward, considering President Trump's recent comments regarding
North Korea. Of course, if you want to keep your money in the U.S., check out our list of the historically
best stocks to own in April.