7 of the Best Global Equity Funds
Summary: These are seven of the best global equity funds, as produced by the Zacks’ Fund Screener. This list is dynamic, which is to say it changes every day, and according to an individual’s preferences. Thus we show you how to create your own list.
By: Robert F. Abbott, freelance writer and author of Big Macs & Our Pensions
Global equity mutual funds allow you to invest in the stock of quality companies around the world.
The term global, as I explained in the article International Mutual Funds, refers to stocks of all countries, including the United States (these articles are written from the perspective of an American investor). We often use international mutual funds and global mutual funds interchangeably, but technically international refers to funds made up of stocks outside the United States.
Just one more definition or clarification: Equity means the same thing as stock, so we can use these two terms interchangeably. Both refer to owning shares in a company; in comparison, bonds are the equivalent of loans to a corporation or government. And, now let’s see the list:
7 of the Best Global Equity Funds
Be advised the funds and the mutual funds you see are provided only for educational purposes; they are not recommendations of any kind.
I created this list at by using the screener at Zacks.com, beginning with this blank screen:
From this blank screen, I made the following choices:
- Objective Description: using the drop-down menu, I selected Global Equity
- Load: selected N (for none) from the drop-down menu (this eliminates front-end and back-load funds, which impose unnecessary costs);
- Mutual Fund Rank: left as is, meaning top-rated funds only (if you want other ratings, you need to take out a paid subscription);
The remaining selections were left as is. I then clicked Risks in the menu on the left side of the screener, and on the line that says Sharpe 3-Yr, I added 1.1 in the blank entry cell (learn more about the importance of the Sharpe Ratio for risk management here).
After adding the Sharpe value, this screen came up; it shows our selections in reverse order. From this screen we can tweak our selections if we wish.
Next, I clicked the green Run Screen button (about halfway down on the right side), and that gave us the list of global equity funds we saw above. Here it is again:
If I were looking for the best global equity funds right now, I would begin doing my due diligence on the fund names that appear. Remember, this was a mechanical exercise to get a short list; beyond this we will have to apply our knowledge and common sense to finalize a selection.
And this is only one of many best lists that might be created for this type of fund. Different screeners and slightly different criteria might generate a much different list. Find a screener you like and experiment until you’re satisfied you’ve found something that works for you.
Be sure, too, that your selections—in this or any other category—work for you. If you haven’t yet done so, please read my article, Top Mutual Funds: As Defined by You.
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