Allianz NFJ International Value Fund (AFJAX) Class A

The Allianz NFJ International Value Fund (AFJAX) is a top rated stock mutual fund. This foreign large value equity fund invests in non-U.S. companies. You can find the fund review in this post.

Allianz NFJ International Value A (Ticker: AFJAX)

The investment aim of Allianz NFJ International Value fund is to seek long-term capital growth and income. This fund invests majority of its net assets in common stocks and other equity securities of non-U.S. companies with market capitalizations greater than $1 billion. It may invest in preferred stocks, convertible securities, American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), and warrants. It may invest <50% of assets in emerging market securities.

Fund Profile

Allianz NFJ International Value A

• Fund Inception Date: March 31, 2005
• Ticker Symbol: AFJAX
• CUSIP: 018920702
• Beta (3yr): 0.98
• Rank in category (YTD): 3%
• Category: Foreign Large Value
• Distribution: 2.12%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 1.21%
• Net Assets: $ 2.05 billion
• Number of Years Up: 4 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 48%

updated on 7/31/2012

Top Performer Precious Metals Exchange Traded Funds July 2012

The 10 top performer precious metals exchange traded funds up to July 29, 2012 are iShares COMEX Gold Trust, SPDR Gold Trust, PowerShares DB Gold Fund, etc.

Best Performing ETFs

These best performing exchange traded funds are sorted based on its YTD performance. There are a total of 20 ETFs in this precious metal ETF category. The expense ratios are ranging from 0.25% to 1%. The ETFs issuers are Barclays iPath, ETF Securities, Invesco PowerShares, iShares, RBS, State Street, and UBS.

Top Performer

The 10 top performer precious metals exchange traded funds up to July 29, 2012 are:

1. iShares COMEX Gold Trust (IAU)
2. SPDR Gold Trust (GLD)
3. ETF Securities Swiss Gold Shares (SGOL)
4. UBS E-TRACS CMCI Gold Total Return ETN (UBG)
5. PowerShares DB Gold Fund (DGL)
6. ETFS Physical Asian Gold Shares (AGOL)
7. RBS Gold Trendpilot ETN (TBAR)
8. PowerShares DB Precious Metals Fund (DBP)
9. iPath Dow Jones-AIG Precious Metals Total Return Sub-Index ETN (JJP)
10. ETFS Physical Precious Metal Basket Shares (GLTR)

Updated on 7/30/2012

Best Franklin Templeton Mutual Funds 2012

Best Franklin Templeton Mutual Funds of 2012 are Franklin Rising Dividends, Mutual Global Discovery, Templeton Global Bond, Franklin Income, etc. These top 10 funds provide asset diversification.

Best Franklin Templeton Funds 2012

Intro

There 3 types of mutual funds offered by Franklin Templeton Investments: Franklin mutual funds, Templeton mutual funds, and Mutual Series. These mutual funds series offer various different classes or categories of mutual funds. Some of the categories are government bond, money market, tax free income, growth, emerging markets stock, sector, value stock, global stock, balanced, etc. It also offers closed end funds.

Note: The list provides Class A funds which have sales load; you can try to invest in Class R or Class Z or Advisor Class for no load funds. These no load Franklin Templeton mutual funds are available through retirement account (IRA) or 401(k) account or other regular brokerages.

Best Franklin Templeton Mutual Funds

These best mutual funds are sorted based on its performance and quality. You can find various funds to invest in. These top funds are international stock mutual fund, European stock fund, municipal bond fund, utilities sector fund, moderate allocation balanced fund, etc. Please check the fund prospectus for investment risk, fund details, etc.

Top 10 Franklin Templeton Mutual Funds of 2012 are

1. Franklin Rising Dividends A (FRDPX)
2. Mutual European A (TEMIX)
3. Mutual Global Discovery A (TEDIX)
4. Franklin Total Return A (FKBAX)
5. Franklin High Income A (FHAIX)
6. Templeton Global Bond A (TPINX)
7. Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income A (FKTIX)
8. Franklin Income A (FKINX)
9. Franklin Templeton Moderate Allocation A (FMTIX)
10. Franklin Utilities A (FKUTX)

updated on 7/27/2012

DFA Emerging Markets Small Cap I (DEMSX) Fund

DFA Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund (DEMSX) is an international stock mutual fund. This diversified emerging markets equity fund invests in small companies located in emerging market countries.

DFA Emerging Markets Small Cap I (Ticker: DEMSX)

The investment aim of DFA Emerging Markets Small Cap fund is to seek long-term appreciation of capital. This fund invests significantly all of its assets in broad market coverage of smaller companies associated with each emerging market, which may include frontier markets. It may invest in the form of depositary receipts.

Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: Mar 5, 1998
• Ticker Symbol: DEMSX
• CUSIP: 233-203-611
• Beta (3yr): 1.15
• Rank in category (YTD): 23%
• Category: Diversified Emerging Markets
• Yield: 2.06%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 0.79%
• Net Assets: $ 2.32 billion
• Number of Years Up: 8 years
• Number of Years Down: 5 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 18%

updated on 7/26/2012

YTD Top Performer Long Term Government Bond Mutual Funds 2012

YTD top performer long term government bond mutual funds up to July 22, 2012 are PIMCO Extended Duration, Wasatch-Hoisington US Treasury, Vanguard Long-Term Treasury, etc.

Best Performing Bond Mutual Funds

These best performing long government bond mutual funds are sorted based on its year to date performance up to July 22, 2012. You may find several mutual fund families such as PIMCO fund, Rydex, ProFunds, Wasatch, American Century, Vanguard fund, Fidelity fund, T. Rowe Price fund, etc.

The YTD Top Performer Long Term Government Bond Mutual Funds up to July 22 2012 are:

1. PIMCO Extended Duration I (PEDIX)
2. Rydex Government Long Bond 1.2x Strategy Inv (RYGBX)
3. ProFunds US Government Plus Inv (GVPIX)
4. Wasatch-Hoisington US Treasury (WHOSX)
5. PIMCO Long-Term US Government A (PFGAX)
6. American Century Zero Coupon 2025 Inv (BTTRX)
7. Direxion Monthly 10 Year Note Bull 2X (DXKLX)
8. Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Inv (VUSTX)
9. Fidelity Spartan Long Term Treasury Bond Index (FLBIX)
10. T. Rowe Price US Treasury Long-Term (PRULX)

updated on 7/24/2012

Best No Load Emerging Markets Stock Mutual Funds 2012

Best no load diversified emerging markets stock mutual funds of 2012 are Eaton Vance Parametric Tax-Managed Emerging Markets I, DFA Emerging Markets I, Lazard Emerging Markets Equity, etc.

Top 10 mutual funds

These top emerging markets stock mutual funds are selected based on its performance and quality. These equity funds invest mainly in companies located in emerging markets countries such as Brazil, China, Russia, India, Taiwan, South Africa, etc. The investment risks include foreign investment risk, management risk, stock market risk, emerging markets risk, etc.

Top EM Stock Mutual Funds

Best no load diversified emerging markets stock mutual funds of 2012 are:

1. Eaton Vance Parametric Tax-Managed Emerging Markets I (EITEX)
2. DFA Emerging Markets I (DFEMX)
3. Driehaus Emerging Markets Growth (DREGX)
4. Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Open (LZOEX)
5. Causeway Emerging Markets Investor (CEMVX)
6. Schroder Emerging Market Equity Inv (SEMNX)
7. Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index (VEIEX)
8. Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index (NOEMX)
9. T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock (PRMSX)
10. GMO Emerging Countries II (GMCEX)

updated on 7/23/2012

Note: These top emerging markets stock funds are suitable for 2013 investment as well.

YTD Top Performer Large Growth Stock Mutual Funds July 15 2012

The YTD Top Performer Large Growth Stock Mutual Funds up to July 15, 2012 are Matthew 25, SunAmerica Focused Growth, Hartford Growth Opportunities, etc.

Best Performing Mutual Funds

One of the U.S. domestic stock mutual fund categories is large growth equity fund. This large growth fund invests mainly in large companies with growth potential. You can find the fund review below.

The YTD Top Performer Large Growth Stock Mutual Funds up to July 15, 2012 are

Top Performer Large Growth Funds

1. Matthew 25 (MXXVX)
2. SunAmerica Focused Growth A (SSAAX)
3. Hartford Growth Opportunities A (HGOAX)
4. SunAmerica Focused Alpha Growth A (FOCAX)
5. Touchstone Sands Capital Select Growth A (TSNAX)
6. VALIC Company I NASDAQ-100 Index (VCNIX)
7. Janus Forty A (JDCAX)
8. USAA NASDAQ-100 Index (USNQX)
9. Rydex NASDAQ-100 Inv (RYOCX)
10. Shelton Nasdaq-100 Index Direct (NASDX)

updated on 7/22/2012