It’s not even close. The brainy investment gurus managing billions for Harvard, Princeton and Yale are way ahead of the average American investor in building balanced global portfolios using new tools like exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

While these Ivy League endowments have more than 50% of their investments in international investments like ETFs, the Financial Times reports that the average American 401(k) investor has a mere 4% in international stocks or bonds.

Many investors do not realize that over the last ten years, the U.S. market has never been the world’s top stock market. In fact, it has never ranked higher than fourth place. ETF Country Funds are an excellent tool to tap these markets.

In addition, many of these investors are still substantially invested in S&P 500 index funds that lost 47% of their value from 2000 to 2002. Americans still have $1.1 trillion of funds tied to the S&P 500 index despite the introduction of new low cost, tax efficient and more flexible index investment tools such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that in the past were widely available only to institutional investors.

Like a good cooking recipe, the key to building a balanced global portfolio is the right blend of ingredients such as ETFs. An analysis by mutual fund giant American Funds found that over the past 25 years, a (60% US)/(40% international) equity portfolio was actually less volatile than a S&P 500 index fund.

About Chartwell Partners
Chartwell Partners, a global investment advisory firm, has introduced a new web-based investment advisory service that helps investors become more comfortable with a global portfolio approach. The new website offers investors valuable information and four model global portfolios that use ETFs as a core investment tool.