1. GLD: The Easiest Way to Invest in Gold When the stock market becomes volatile and currency exchange rates fluctuate, many investors start looking for safer assets. One of the most traditional safe-haven assets is gold. Historically, gold has held its value during economic crises and financial instability, making it a popular choice for defensive investing. However, buying physical gold can be inconvenient due to storage costs, security risks, and low liquidity. Expense Ratio (%) Inception Date Asset Manager 0.40 2004/11/18 SSGA That's where GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) comes in. GLD is a U.S.-listed ETF designed to closely track the price of gold, allowing investors to gain exposure to gold without holding physical bullion. With GLD, you can invest in gold just like buying a regular stock in the market, making gold investment simple and accessible. *This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate ...
Global diversification often feels complicated and overwhelming. While building a portfolio centered on U.S. stocks has its strengths, investors can miss out on promising growth from other developed markets around the world. IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) is designed to solve this problem in one step. In this article, you’ll learn what IEFA is, which countries and companies it invests in, and what advantages and considerations it offers, all explained in a simple and beginner-friendly way. * This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 👉 Click here to view Nintendo Switch on Amazon 1. What Is the IEFA ETF? IEFA is a large ETF created by BlackRock under its iShares brand, and it provides broad exposure to developed stock markets outside the United States and Canada. It tracks the MSCI EAFE Index, where EAFE stands for Europe, Australasia (Australia & New Zealand), and the Far East (Ja...