Select the very best international funds

An American investor has a chance of picking a few large caps stocks for his portfolio to out perform the market. We can do research on the company even if it is a department store that has tons of business around the clock or a chain fast food company that has dirty stores and long waits for food. We can do some homework on the companies we invest in. When it comes to the international market the American investor stands little chance of making consistently good investment decisions. When it comes to Global and international funds it really pays to select fund run by a manager who has the research, resources, and tools to provide the investor with great returns. When going to the dentist most people want the best dentist working on their teeth. The same is true with surgeons, mechanics and electricians. It really pays to have the best people doing work on our behalf. The same is true in investing. You need the best manager and organization standing behind him to provide you with the best returns on your money.

International funds invest all over the globe. There is always a market ready to explode with growth. Should it be manufacturing in India, oil discovery in Canada or mining in Africa there are opportunities somewhere in the globe. The best fund manager can find those opportunities for the investor. Your portfolio will grow much faster as a result.

So how does one find the best funds to invest in globally? The internet has a lot of research available but the two favored by the author are fund picks by Fidelity and Morningstar. Googling the words “fund screener” will find an abundance of additional resources for selecting a great fund.

Janus overseas fund symbol JAOSX: This fund seems to always be in the top 25% of all funds. This fund is up nearly 400% from March of 2003 to December of 2009. From March of 2009 to December 2009 this fund nearly doubled!

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Fund symbol LZOEX: The fund is up 600 percent from March of 2003 to December 2009. It has more than doubled from March 2009 to December 2009. This fund has been managed by John R. Reinsberg since 1994.

Artisan International fund symbol ARTIX: Artisan International Fund is more diversified than the above funds hence does not have the dramatic swings of the above mentioned funds. The fund has yields a handsome 137 percent gain from March of 2003 to December of 2009. During the period of March 2009 to December 2009 the fund yielded a nice 81 percent gain. Mark Yockey has been the manager for this fund since 1995 and returns nice gains without the large ups and downs of the above mentioned funds.

Another great fund is the Harbor International Fund symbol HNIIX. This fund is up at a rate of over 13 percent since its inception in 1987. This fund tends to invest in developed countries of Europe and the Pacific region.

There are many other fine international funds available. If you look for good returns over a 3, 5, and 10 year period and find solid returns under the same manager you most likely have an outstanding fund!

While having the international funds will go a long way towards meeting your financial goals as investor more diversification is highly recommended. Develop your own asset allocation and invest in the best funds in those asset classes. Once the investor has their asset allocation select the best small cap, best mid cap, large cap, bond, and even concentrated portfolio funds for their portfolio.

Regardless if you are investing in your IRA, 401K, 403B or taxable account invest your money wisely. How you invest is equally as important as how much you invest.