Travelling through Europe
The most popular shares by holiday destination
Due to the after effects of the coronavirus, many Europeans will be choosing to holiday close to home.
Will you stay at home this summer? Or do you dare to take a trip abroad?
One thing’s for sure, even if you do not cross the border you can still send your holiday money on a trip by investing in popular European shares. Private investors have found their favourite shares in several countries across the continent.
Curious as to which ones? We made a list of the most popular stocks and funds by holiday destination (based on the amount of money invested by BinckBank’s Dutch clients).
Shares
Belgium: Ageas
The insurance company Ageas, a business that survived the closing of Fortis, has been the most popular Belgian share for some time. But pharmacy company Fagron and beer maker AB Inbev are also in demand.
Denemarks: Genmab
Although a small investment country, some Danish companies are quite popular with Dutch retail investors. Biotec company Genmab even leads the European rankings, while companies like Zealand Pharma also score highly.
Germany: Bayer
The quality shares of our eastern neighbours have been in demand for years. At present, Bayer is the most popular, with the well-known conglomerate Siemens ranked second. The well-known German car brands follow.
Finland: Nokia
The Finnish stock market does not attract many Dutch investors except for those who have a preference for Nokia. Those stocks are by far the most sought-after Finnish fund.
France: Air France KLM
Not surprisingly, Air France-KLM leads the ranking with French shares, although of course the fund is also listed in Amsterdam. Following closely are Total and Sanofi, which have no Dutch connections.
Norway: Nel
Only a small group of Binck investors are looking at Norway, but those who do go for the stocks of energy company Nel Hydrogen.
Oostenrijk: Verbund
In Austria, the stocks of the insurance company Verbund are the most sought after, but investors are also looking at Voestalpine, a company linked to motor racing.
Portugal: Amorim
The modest group of investors opting for Portugal tend to join cork giant Amorim, which is the world leader in the wine market in this area.
Spain: Telefonica
Spanish companies are doing better with Dutch investors, although the popularity of Telefonica’s shares is probably still partly determined by the earlier acquisition of Endemol. Banco Santander is a close second.
Italy: Prysmian
The shares of Fiat and Ferrari attract investors, but most of the investments go to Prysmian. This is not only the world’s largest producer of cables and pipes, but also recently merged with Dutch company Draka.
United Kingdom: Glaxo SmithKline
In addition to Germany, the United Kingdom is also a country that traditionally attracts many Dutch investors. Pharma is popular, with Glaxo SmithKline in first position and AstraZeneca in third position. In between is the software fund Sopheon.
Sweden: Powercell
The energy company Powercell, which makes fuel cells, leads the rankings in Sweden. Just behind follows Investor, the investment company of the Wallenberg family.
Switzerland: Nestlé
Switzerland is outside the European Union but has long been in the picture with Dutch investors. Nestlé is the absolute number one, but pharma is again popular with Roche and Novartis in the subsequent positions.
ETFS AND FUNDS
Of course, it is also possible to invest in Europe by investing in a mix of European equities, in which you can choose from a sector, index or country.
Below are a number of ETFs and investment funds that invest more broadly in Europe and some examples of funds that specifically target one or a few countries.
Europe:
ETF’s
- iShares EURO STOXX 50
- VanEck European Equal Weight
- VanEck iBoxx EUR Sov Capped
Mutual funds:
- NN European Participation Fund
- Kempen European High Dividend Fund
- Comgest Growth Europe
Belgium:
LYXOR BEL 20 (ETF)
Germany:
Amundi ETF MSCI Germany UCITS (ETF)
Deutsche Invest I German Equities (Beleggingsfonds)
Great Britain:
Fidelity United Kingdom Fund
Threadneedle UK Corporate Bond Fd Dis (Beleggingsfonds)
Switzerland:
Schroder ISF – Swiss Small & Mid Cap (Beleggingsfonds)
Scandinavia:
Amundi ETF MSCI Nordic (ETF)
Fidelity Nordic Fund
South of Europe:
Fidelity France Fund
Fidelity Iberia Fund
Fidelity Italy Fund
Of course, for all the above shares and funds, investing also involves risk and your money may become less valuable. Therefore, it is always wise to delve well into the companies or countries before you decide to make an investment. But perhaps – if you’re not going on holiday this year – you’ll have plenty of time for this too.
At Binck, personal relationship managers are available for private consultations via telephone, Skype or at the Binckoffices located on the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca. The Binck Costa del Sol office and Investment Academy is located on the Golden Mile in Marbella. Personal appointments at this office can be made by visiting www.binckbank.com/contact. Kaspar Huijsman, Director of Binck Spain and Portugal, explains that “every investor needs help, whether they are new to investing or have years of experience. BinckBank, offers clients a free service where they can learn to understand their investments and develop a solid strategy.”