An Upgrade for This Wide-Ranging Vanguard Fund
Vanguard Total World Stock Index offers investors the entire global market in one low-cost package.
Daniel Sotiroff
Daniel Sotiroff is a senior manager research analyst for Morningstar Research Services LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. He covers passive strategies.
Before joining Morningstar in 2017, Sotiroff was as a design engineer at Caterpillar, where he worked on front-end loaders for heavy construction and mining applications.
Sotiroff holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in applied mechanics, both from Northern Illinois University.
Latest
A Less Volatile Way to Invest in Emerging Markets
A smoother ride is possible.
Low-Vol Strategies Are Not the Same as Value, Profitability
Low-volatility strategies have different intended outcomes compared with value and profitability.
Outstanding Global Diversification at a Low Cost
Vanguard Total International Stock Index earns our top rating of Gold.
A Great All-Cap Foreign Stock Fund
This compelling choice gets an upgrade.
The Evolution of Foreign Stock Index Funds
What is the best way to make a selection?
Overlooked Foreign Stock ETFs
These three options are pretty good.
Low-cost diversified exposure to foreign developed markets
Foreign stock index funds are more diversified than ever.
Sometimes the Market Is Wrong
But broad-market index funds are still great investments.
Take Advantage of Mean-Reverting Prices With This Foreign Value ETF
Diversification and a low fee improve its appeal.
Be Wary of State-Owned-Enterprises
Foreign governments aren't always on your side.
Foreign Stock Dividends Promise Yields--and Trade-Offs
Investors should be sure to understand the issues with foreign dividend payers.
Dividend Funds Under the Microscope
Not all dividend strategies are the same.
A Less Risky Foreign Stock Fund
Stable companies are only part of the equation.
How Foreign Stocks Affect Your U.S. Taxes
Dan Sotiroff provides some guidance on handling these funds.
A Low-Risk Approach to the Global Market
Trim risk while staying diversified.
REITs Aren't a True Alternative
They're just stocks that look a little different.
3 Lower-Risk Foreign-Stock Funds
These funds provide foreign-stock exposure but keep a lid on risk.
An Extensive Developed-Markets Fund
Diversification and low fees are a compelling combination.
Unraveling Foreign Dividends
Bigger yields require patience.
A Growth-Focused Dividend Strategy
Growth leans toward quality.
Easy Ways to Manage Risk
Don't overthink it.
High-Quality Dividend Growers With an International Flair
Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation Index's portfolio of high-quality firms exhibiting strong dividend growth earns a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Bronze.
A Better High-Yield Strategy
Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF's ability to control risk is a big appeal.
Do Foreign Small Caps Offer Better Diversification?
The advantage is marginal.
3 One-Stop Foreign Index Funds
These total foreign market index funds from Fidelity offer great diversification and carry low fees.
This Small-Cap Fund Provides Better Exposure to Foreign Economies
Diversification potential comes with some risk.
Investors Have Failed to Time Currencies With Hedged ETFs
Attempting to time changes in foreign-exchange rates hurts long-term performance.
This ETF Offers Low-Cost Exposure to Developing Economies
Capturing the evolving composition of the emerging-markets universe.
Yet More Changes for Emerging-Markets Indexes
The composition of emerging markets continues to evolve.
Friendly Fees Spell Success for Passive Foreign-Stock Funds
Index funds are gaining ground on their active counterparts in this arena.
Play Defense With This Treasury ETF
Silver-rated Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF provides low-cost exposure to high-quality, shorter-maturity bonds.
Don't Fall for a Good Story
Some investment strategies are overhyped.
How to Watch Costs With Munis
Here are two of our favorite index-tracking municipal-bond funds.
Vanguard Cuts ETF Fees
We see the cuts as a directional improvement for investors, but they do not impact our Morningstar Analyst Ratings.
Can You Index Municipal Bonds?
Portfolio managers have stepped up their game.
A Broad and Strong Municipal Bond Fund
Outstanding tracking error and low ownership costs make this fund a compelling option.
An Outstanding Global-Stock Fund
This is one of the broadest and cheapest funds in its Morningstar Category.
The Trouble With Market-Cap Weighting
Some strategies don't benefit from a cap-weighted approach.
Big China Stakes Dim Our View of These 2 Funds
Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF have large stakes in Chinese stocks, which holds them back from a higher rating.
This Is One of the Broadest Foreign-Stock Funds Available
Vanguard Total International Stock ETF is an outstanding core foreign-stock fund.
Examining Diversification in the Context of Low-Volatility Funds
Diversification has advantages for low-volatility strategies.
Investors Should Stick With Foreign Stock Index Funds
The lacking performance of these index funds is tied to foreign stock market indexes, but the low fee thesis is intact and investors should sit tight.
Not All Low-Volatility ETFs Are Created Equal
These funds look to cut back on risk, but differences in processes make some funds more appealing than others.
The Role of Currency Hedging in Investor Portfolios
Hedging can help remove foreign currency risk from portfolios, but investors should consider the costs and tax implications.
A Low-Risk Foreign Developed-Markets Fund
This cheap foreign-stock fund effectively cuts back on risk.
Low-Vol Strategies Are Not the Same as Value, Profitability
Low-volatility strategies have different intended outcomes compared with value and profitability.
Cheap, Diversified Exposure to Foreign Developed Markets
Developed-market indexes are less concentrated than they were 30 years ago.
The Currency Hedging Dilemma
Currency hedging comes with some trade-offs.
A Well-Diversified Foreign-Stock Fund With a Value Tilt
This solid value strategy can make some risky bets.