EEM iShares MSCI Emerging Markets

Major equity indexes traded sideways for most of the week as earnings and economic data reports flooded the scene. Much to the bulls’ surprise, steep profit-taking pressures permeated Wall Street on Thursday, sparking a wave of selling that sent virtually every asset class tumbling; the S&P 500 Index shed 2% on the day, effectively erasing all of its prior gains accumulated throughout the month of July [see also How Well Do Defensive ETFs Actually Work?].

To help investors keep up with markets, we present our ETF Scorecard, which takes a step back and looks at how various asset classes across the globe are performing. For most of the return comparisons below, we reference trailing 1-week and trailing 1-month returns; this offers a good insight into the prevailing sentiment in the markets by capturing the performances across short-term and longer-term time intervals [for more ETF news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Risk Appetite Review

The bears took over this week and selling pressures were the dominant force; not surprisingly, High Beta led the way lower: google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Ticker', '5-Day Return', {role: 'style'}], ['S&P 500 (SPY)', -2.8, 'blue'], ['Equal Weight (RSP)', -2.81, 'orange'], ['High Beta (SPHB)', -3.58, 'red'], ['Low Volatility (SPLV)', -3.37, 'green'], ]); var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat( {suffix: "%"}); formatter.format(data,1); // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById('visualization102875')). draw(data, {title:"Comparing Risk Preferences", width:700, height:400, vAxis: {title: ""}, hAxis: {title: ""}} ); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization);

Major Index Review

The “Risk Off” theme is further evidenced given the negative performances across the board, with Small Caps being the biggest losers overall:

google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Index', '1-Week Return', '1-Month Return'], ['S&P 500 (SPY)', -2.8, -2.58], ['Nasdaq 100 (QQQ)', -2.16, -0.71], ['Dow 30 (DIA)', -3.02, -2.94], ['Russell 2000 (IWM)', -3.01, -7.2], ['Developed Markets (EFA)', -2.4, -3.8], ['Emerging Markets (EEM)', -2.54, -0.77], ]); var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat( {suffix: "%"}); formatter.format(data,1); formatter.format(data,2); var options = { title:"Comparing Major Equity Benchmarks", width:700, height:400, hAxis: {title: ""}, }; // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.ColumnChart(document.getElementById('visualization102879')). draw(data, options); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization); Domestic Sector Review

The Consumer Staples, Energy, and Industrial sectors were the worst performers over the last five days:

google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Index', '1-Week Return', '1-Month Return'], ['Discretionary (XLY)', -2.49, -3.2], ['Financials (XLF)', -2.65, -2.73], ['Energy (XLE)', -3.93, -3.75], ['Utilities (XLU)', -3.58, -2.94], ['Staples (XLP)', -4.07, -4.32], ['Technology (XLK)', -1.94, 0.13], ['Health Care (XLV)', -1.85, -2.26], ['Materials (XLB)', -2.74, -2.97], ['Industrials (XLI)', -3.89, -5.33], ]); var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat( {suffix: "%"}); formatter.format(data,1); formatter.format(data,2); var options = { title:"Comparing Sectors", width:700, height:400, hAxis: {title: ""}, colors: ["purple", "limegreen"] }; // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.ColumnChart(document.getElementById('visualization102881')). draw(data, options); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization);

Sector Valuations

Sector P/Es dropped across the board, with the Discretionary sector leading the way lower in terms of contracting valuations: google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Index', 'Last Weeks P/E', 'This Weeks P/E'], ['Discretionary (XLY)', 19.63, 18.5], ['Financials (XLF)', 14.82, 14.75], ['Energy (XLE)', 15.88, 15.64], ['Utilities (XLU)', 16.3, 16.02], ['Staples (XLP)', 18.69, 18.3], ['Technology (XLK)', 16.47, 16.42], ['Health Care (XLV)', 17.44, 17.2], ['Materials (XLB)', 19.14, 18.84], ['Industrials (XLI)', 17.21, 16.75], ]); // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.ColumnChart(document.getElementById('visualization102884')). draw(data, {title:"Valuation Review: Comparing Sector P/E's", width:700, height:400, hAxis: {title: ""}} ); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization);

Foreign Equity Review

Chinese equities held their ground best this week while the rest of the foreign market lineup turned in a negative performance: 

google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Index', '1-Week Return', '1-Month Return'], ['Brazil (EWZ)', -5.77, 1.38], ['Russia (RSX)', -4, -11], ['India (EPI)', -3.78, -5.48], ['China (FXI)', 0.87, 5.31], ['Japan (EWJ)', -0.74, -1.48], ['Australia (EWA)', -1.59, 0.19], ['Germany (EWG)', -4.65, -8.04], ['United Kingdom (EWU)', -2.35, -4.27], ]); var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat( {suffix: "%"}); formatter.format(data,1); formatter.format(data,2); var options = { title:"", width:700, height:400, title: "Geographic Review: Comparing Single Countries", colors: ["green", "orange"] }; // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.ColumnChart(document.getElementById('visualization102887')). draw(data, options); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization);

Regional Valuations

Regional P/Es were either flat or dropped lower, with the ex-U.S. group posting a very small improvement: 

google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Index', 'Last Weeks P/E', 'This Weeks P/E'], ['United States (SPY)', 16.77, 16.48], ['ex-U.S. (CWI)', 13.98, 14.01], ['Asia Pacific (GMF)', 12.88, 12.94], ['Dev. Europe (FEZ)', 14.45, 14.43], ['Em. Europe (GUR)', 7.3, 7.1], ['Latin America (GML)', 13.92, 13.8], ['Middle East & Africa (GAF)', 15.8, 15.77], ]); // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.ColumnChart(document.getElementById('visualization102889')). draw(data, {title:"Valuation Review: Comparing Regional P/E's", width:700, height:400, hAxis: {title: ""}} ); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization); Alternatives Review

Commodities

Oil prices posted the biggest decline over the last week, while natural gas prices remain at the bottom of the barrel from a monthly perspective: 

// //

Currencies

The U.S. dollar is the only currency that managed to stay in positive territory this week, and it’s also the best performer from a monthly perspective as well:

google.load('visualization', '1', {packages: ['corechart']}); function drawVisualization() { // Create and populate the data table. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ ['Index', '1-Week Return', '1-Month Return'], [' U.S. Dollar (UUP)', 0.74, 1.64], ['Euro (FXE)', -0.53, -1.61], ['Yen (FXY)', -1.09, -0.67], ['Pound (FXB)', -0.63, -1.58], ['Aussie (FXA)', -1.31, -0.53], ['Emerging Markets (CEW)', -0.68, -0.24], ]); var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat( {suffix: "%"}); formatter.format(data,1); formatter.format(data,2); var options = { title:"", width:700, height:400, title: "Comparing Currencies", colors: ["skyblue", "yellowgreen"] }; // Create and draw the visualization. new google.visualization.ColumnChart(document.getElementById('visualization102894')). draw(data, options); } google.setOnLoadCallback(drawVisualization);

*All data as of market close 7/31/2014.

Follow me on Twitter @Sbojinov

[For more ETF analysis, make sure to sign up for our free ETF newsletter]

Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.