TOM BUTCHER: I’m here today with Patricia and David of VanEck’s Emerging Markets Equity team to discuss exciting growth spots in today’s emerging markets.
Patricia, can you tell me about one of your favorite growth spots?
PATRICIA GONZALEZ: I think we’ll continue to see very good opportunities arise from the low level of credit penetration in the SME (small- and medium-sized enterprise) segment of Latin America, particularly Mexico. We have seen that the lack of alternatives for this segment has left SMEs with very few options to rely on.
When we look at Mexico we see that the SME segment is extremely important. The majority of companies in the country fall within the SME segment. These businesses generate more than 50% of Mexico’s GDP and also provide a majority of the country’s employment. In our strategy, we take advantage of these opportunities through a company called Unifin1. Unifin is the largest listed company in Mexico focusing specifically on SMEs. In our experience, the kind of lending that banks provide to SMEs is mostly lines of working capital. They are very short term and consequently there is a huge need and opportunity for the funding of fixed assets.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rIoC-IsmLEw
Unifin is very well-positioned to take advantage of that potential growth. With first-mover advantage, it has been in business for over 20 years and has developed a number of products and services for its clients. It has a very good distribution network that has supported its growth and the company has been very profitable. Its strict risk controls and leasing guarantees have allowed it to maintain good asset quality. When we look at management, we find the team has been in the business for a long time and has developed very strong know-how in the leasing market. Management has been able to meet clients’ needs expediently, which has contributed to increased market share. Finally, we think Unifin’s valuation is attractive in terms of the company’s growth and the returns it delivers.
BUTCHER: Speaking with Patricia, she mentioned an exciting opportunity in Mexico. What is your favorite growth spot in the emerging markets?
DAVID FEYGENSON: We see structural growth opportunities resulting from governmental reforms or policy changes that allow new businesses and sectors to flourish. We’re currently seeing this in Turkey, where several years ago the government announced private pension funds similar to 401(k)s in the U.S., which permit individuals to contribute tax-deferred money towards retirement with the government matching contributions up to a certain point.
We are invested with Turkey’s largest pension fund provider, which currently comprises about 20% of the market: AvivaSA2. AvivaSA is a joint venture between Sabanci Group, a large Turkish conglomerate, and Aviva, a large U.K.-based insurance company. Since the implementation of this private pension system, we’ve seen the number of participants increase. Additionally, assets under management have been increasing at roughly 35% per annum over the last five years. There is approximately $17 billion in assets under management in the pension fund industry, so there is plenty of scope for this to grow further over the next several years. AvivaSA allows us to capture this growth and to benefit from potential additional changes the government may implement, such as auto-enrollment requiring people to opt-out of the system rather than opt-in, or requiring that companies offer their employees pension funds. AvivaSA has a large and robust distribution network and is well-positioned to capture growth in the space. We’re very excited about the opportunity.
BUTCHER: Thank you very much.
– – – – – – – – – – IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE
This content is published in the United States for residents of specified countries. Investors are subject to securities and tax regulations within their applicable jurisdictions that are not addressed on this content. Nothing in this content should be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell shares of any investment in any jurisdiction where the offer or solicitation would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction, nor is it intended as investment, tax, financial, or legal advice. Investors should seek such professional advice for their particular situation and jurisdiction. You can obtain specific information on Van Eck Global strategies by visiting Investment Strategies.
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The Emerging Markets Equity strategy is subject to the risks associated with its investments in emerging markets securities, which tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities traded in developed countries. The strategy’s investments in foreign securities involve risks related to adverse political and economic developments unique to a country or a region, currency fluctuations or controls, and the possibility of arbitrary action by foreign governments, including the takeover of property without adequate compensation or imposition of prohibitive taxation. The strategy is subject to risks associated with investments in derivatives, illiquid securities, and small or mid-cap companies. The strategy is also subject to inflation risk, market risk, non-diversification risk, and leverage risk. Please see the prospectus and summary prospectus for information on these and other risk considerations.
1 Unifin is 0.90% of Van Eck Emerging Markets Fund net assets, as of 3/31/16
2 AvivaSA is 0.48% of Van Eck Emerging Markets Fund net assets, as of 3/31/16
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As April winds down, markets remain on edge, with escalating tariffs and renewed trade tensions keeping volatility in focus. In this summary of our full-length newsletter, we spotlight gold and gold equities, both of which have surged to record levels. We also take a step back from the day-to-day noise in crypto to explore the broader shifts in the regulatory landscape in our latest Whitepaper and present Celestia in detail. Finally, we assess how Moat indexes have held up and evolved amid the turbulence.
Gold & Gold mining equities tend to shine during stress periods
Source: VanEck, World Gold Council.
Gold has attracted renewed interest from investors amid concerns about inflation, currency volatility, and overall market uncertainty. Gold mining companies have recently reported improved profit margins and cash generation, with some initiating share buybacks and maintaining relatively strong balance sheets. Despite these developments, many continue to trade below their historical valuation averages.
While historical trends indicate that gold and gold mining equities have outperformed during certain periods of market stress, these patterns may not repeat under different economic conditions. Performance can be influenced by a range of factors including interest rates, central bank policy, geopolitical developments, and investor sentiment.
⚖️ Whitepaper Highlights: How New Crypto Regulations May Shape the Future
Cryptocurrencies are entering a new era. With the re-election of Donald Trump and the implementation of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, digital assets are moving into a landscape defined not just by innovation, but also by regulatory clarity.
MiCA’s structured and transparent approach aims to promote legitimacy, safeguard investors, and enhance trust in digital asset markets across Europe. It could also serve as a blueprint for other jurisdictions looking to regulate crypto effectively.
Most blockchains, like Ethereum or Bitcoin, are monolithic which means they perform all major functions (consensus, data availability, and execution) on a single layer. This design ensures security but according to new modular networks, limits scalability and flexibility.
The modular blockchain thesis, which Celestia is leading, proposes separation of layers and respective responsibilities in the network.
Note: This article in not accessible to our UK readers.
🌊 Riding the Gold Wave
Chasing the Vein: Fund Flows into Gold Miners
Source: Mining.com. Data as of 21 March 2025. Note: Data covers 493 funds with combined assets under management of $62 billion.
U.S. equity markets experienced significant declines during the month of March. Meanwhile, spot gold price recorded new all-time highs, surpassing the $3,000 per ounce mark on 14 March and closing at a record price of $3123.57 on March 31, a 9.30% ($265.73) monthly gain. As of 31 March, gold prices have risen by 93.61% over the past five years (1). Investors should keep in mind that past performance is not representative of future results.
The gold miners, as represented by the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (GDMNTR), outperformed significantly, up 15.51% during March (2). This gain reflects both their operational leverage to rising gold prices and market perceptions of relative value. However, gold miners can also be subject to heightened volatility, operational risks, and sensitivity to commodity price swings.
While gold and gold equities may serve as diversifiers in a portfolio due to their historically low correlations with many asset classes, investors should remain mindful of the inherent risks, including price volatility, currency movements, and shifts in investor sentiment that can lead to rapid reversals in performance.
Market turbulence in March weighed on stocks. The Moat Index was not immune to the market turmoil, as it declined along with the broad U.S. equity market ending the month lower. However, the Moat Index showed resilience relative to the S&P 500—thanks in part to defensive sector resilience and underweight exposure to mega-caps.
At the same time, the SMID Moat Index lagged small and mid-caps in March. Smaller U.S. stocks were also impacted by global trade tensions and economic growth concerns with the broad small- and mid-cap benchmarks falling during the month. However, year-to-date, the SMID Moat Index remains ahead of the broader small- and mid-cap markets.
(1) Source: World Gold Council, ICE Data Services, FactSet Research Systems Inc.
(2) Source: Financial Times.
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BBVA Acción Eurostoxx 50 ETF FI Cotizado Armonizado (BBVAE ETF) med ISIN ES0105321030, strävar efter att spåra EURO STOXX® 50-index. EURO STOXX® 50-indexet följer de 50 största företagen i euroområdet.
Den börshandlade fondens TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 0,20 % p.a. ETFen replikerar resultatet av det underliggande indexet genom full replikering (köper alla indexbeståndsdelar). Utdelningarna i ETFen delas ut till investerarna (halvårsvis).
BBVA Acción Eurostoxx 50 ETF FI Cotizado Armonizado har tillgångar på 133 miljoner euro under förvaltning. Denna ETF lanserades den 3 oktober 2006 och har sin hemvist i Spanien.
Beskrivning BBVA Acción Eurostoxx 50 ETF FI Cotizado Armonizado
Med BBVA Acción Eurostoxx 50 ETF FI Cotizado Armonizado deltar investerare i ökningen av värdet på aktierna i de 50 största konglomeraten i euroområdet (euroområdet). Euro Stoxx 50-indexet inkluderar aktier från 8 länder i euroområdet: Belgien, Finland, Frankrike, Tyskland, Irland, Italien, Nederländerna och Spanien.
Explore Dogecoin’s impact on crypto, turning internet memes into cultural and financial assets.
𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕕𝕖𝕤:
00:00 – Intro
00:27 – Where do Memes come from?
03:13 – What are some of the first Memes you remember?
10:28 – Do these things have value?
14:04 – The different types of cryptocurrencies
17:20 – How did Dogecoin start?
24:26 – What is some of the utility?
28:36 – How does it fit into the portfolio?
30:38 – Final thoughts
Research Newsletter
Each week the 21Shares Research team will publish our data-driven insights into the crypto asset world through this newsletter. Please direct any comments, questions, and words of feedback to research@21shares.com
Disclaimer
The information provided does not constitute a prospectus or other offering material and does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction. Some of the information published herein may contain forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. The information contained herein may not be considered as economic, legal, tax or other advice and users are cautioned to base investment decisions or other decisions solely on the content hereof.