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Middle East ETF Launch: WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund (GULF, WSDT)
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We have seen the launch today on the NASDAQ of the WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund
(NASDAQ: GULF). WisdomTree (PinkSheets: WSDT) is the manager of the index and the ETF.
The WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund is based on the WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Index. This "GULF" ETF provides investors with exposure to approximately 70 dividend paying companies listed in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Our other emerging and developing market coverage on Africa and the Middle East is as follows:
Jim Cramer Gives Middle East Infrastructure Picks
Africa ETF Launched: Market Vectors-Africa Index ETF
Africa: The Final Emerging Market Frontier
Big IPO: Safaricom in Kenya
As of today’s information, this ETF has only $2.493 million in assetsat the date of the launch and 100,000 shares outstanding. If the ETFdoes well and liquidity is present, we’d expect that number to rise onboth counts.
The WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Index is a fundamentally weightedindex measuring the performance of companies in the Middle East regionthat pay regular cash dividends on shares of common stock and that meetspecified requirements. Companies eligible for inclusion in the Indexmust be incorporated in and have their shares listed on a major stockexchange in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar or theUAE. Shares of component companies must also be eligible to bepurchased by foreign investors. The Index is dividend weighted andupdated every 15 seconds between 9:30 AM EST and 4:00 PM EST to reflectmarket prices and exchange rates. Closing or last-sale prices are usedwhen non-U.S. markets are closed. The current individual countrybreakdown may change through time but is listed as follows:
- Kuwait 24.87%
- U.A.E. 19.92%
- Qatar 15.63%
- Egypt 11.93%
- Morocco 9.55%
- Jordan 6.72%
- Oman 6.09%
- Bahrain 5.29%
The Index had a base value of 200.0 as of June 30, 2008.
Jon C. Ogg
July 16, 2008
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