iShares MSCI Israel ETF

EIS

Market cap $691M

iShares MSCI Israel ETF (EIS) is upgraded to a buy, reflecting strong valuation and technical momentum. EIS has surged 64% since April, outpacing the S&P 500, with robust A+ momentum and attractive 13.7x P/E and 1.48x PEG ratios. The ETF is concentrated in Financials and Information Technology, with notable risk from portfolio concentration and geopolitical volatility.

International ETFs like VEA, EZU & EEM outshone U.S. peers in 2025 as cheaper valuations, diversified exposure, and stimulus measures drove substantial gains.

Global market leadership may be shifting again as trade tensions escalate, the U.S. dollar trades at multi-year lows, and gold at all-time highs. This brings back for the second time this year the quest for the best international ETFs. The most recent global outlook from the IMF points to ongoing strengths in emerging markets and developing economies vs. the U.S. and other advanced economies in 2026.

iShares MSCI Israel ETF (EIS) remains a compelling buy, especially if peace in the Middle East holds and regional integration advances. EIS benefits from Israel's robust tech and finance sectors, which could see renewed growth as international pressures ease. Valuation is attractive with a PE ratio around 12, and peace could further drive sales, margins, and future dividend growth for EIS holdings.

The iShares MSCI Israel ETF has seen the share of financial stocks increase year-to-date, with the information technology sector exposure slipping to second place. This makes EIS's future returns increasingly cyclical and more dependent on GDP growth accelerating in 2026, as projected by the Bank of Israel. Earnings growth should benefit from high population growth and Israel's high ranking on competitiveness and innovation.

It has been 225 days since President Trump's Inauguration on January 20th, and the S&P 500 entered today up 8% since the last close before the Inauguration. Speaking of the G7, the US has been the worst market among these seven developed nations since Inauguration Day in January. Along with being the second-best performing country ETF since Inauguration Day, Vietnamhas easily been the best performer since April 8th with a gain of 77.5%.

Global population decline may arrive sooner than expected, creating headwinds for most economies, but Israel stands out with strong population growth and positive immigration. Israel's robust domestic demand, rising GDP per capita, and export-oriented companies—especially in tech and financials—make EIS an attractive geographic diversification play. EIS offers favorable valuation metrics and sector diversification, but ongoing geopolitical risks warrant only moderate, risk-capital exposure.

The market ended the month of July on a down note, but the S&P 500 still ended the month with a gain of 2.3%. While domestic equities posted small gains in July, there was quite a bit of disparity among international markets.

EIS has delivered strong returns, supported by robust economic growth, low valuations, and a favorable currency environment. Despite the Iran conflict, Israeli markets have shown resilience, with limited long-term impact from geopolitical events historically. I rate EIS a 'hold' at current highs, preferring to buy on a 10% pullback near $80 for better risk-reward.

Global markets have been outpacing US stocks (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) and growing at massive rates year-to-date in 2025. Yahoo Finance markets and data editor Jared Blikre — who also hosts the Stocks In Translation podcast — tracks a handful of foreign market ETFs for various countries, including Greece, Japan, Italy, Poland, and Israel.