Fundamental Indexation and International Diversification

Abstract

Just as fundamental indexation is novel and controversial, international diversification is traditional and widely accepted. In this article, the author links both issues and evaluates a fundamental strategy of international diversification. Considering 16 country benchmarks that make up over 93% of world market capitalization and a 32-year (1974–2005) sample period, the results show that a dividend-weighted fundamental index outperforms a cap-weighted index by the substantial margin of 190 bps a year. If, however, investors are willing to abandon cap-weighted portfolios, the results also show that a simple value strategy which weights the same country benchmarks by dividend yield outperforms the dividend-weighted fundamental index by 170 bps a year over the same period. All the strategies evaluated by the authors can be easily implemented with widely available low-cost country index funds and exchange-traded funds.