Europe at your neighborhood broker

• Published in: The Journal of European business Vol. 5; no. 4; p. 51
• Main Author: Cirulli, Carol
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Faulkner & Gray, Inc 01.03.1994
• Subjects: Accounting; American Depositary Receipts; American dollar; International finance; Investment policy; Investments; Manycompanies; Mutual funds; Portfolio investments; Stock exchanges; Stock prices; Europe; US
• ISSN: 1044-002X

Individuals who enjoy the challenge of picking their own stocks and the financial control that it gives them may think that the real big international plays are out of their reach. However, it is possible for the average US-based investor to select and purchase a portfolio of foreign stocks. There is no easier way to buy stock in a European company than through an American Depository Receipt (ADR), which is a foreign security traded in the US and which represents one or more actual shares held in trust in the country where the stock is issued. ADRs are denominated in dollars, and they trade and settle just like any other US stock, eliminating much of the expense and complexity associated with buying directly in the overseas market. There are over 1,000 ADRs from which to choose. Among the best picks of ADRs are the following: 1. Volkswagen, 2. Nokia, 3. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, 4. Bass, and 5. British Telecommunications.