

China's vast industrial overcapacity and weak domestic consumption threaten global economic balance and may trigger rising protectionism. Record-breaking Chinese exports face mounting global pushback, increasing risks for investors in China, especially in industrial sectors.

Assetmark Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Franklin FTSE China ETF (NYSEARCA:FLCH) by 3,125.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,025,288 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 993,499 shares during the quarter. Assetmark Inc. owned


Franklin FTSE China ETF (FLCH) offers cost-efficient, diversified exposure to China's evolving high-tech and industrial sectors. FLCH benefits from catalysts like easing US-China trade tensions, supportive PBOC policy, and China's 15th Five-Year Plan prioritizing advanced industries. Despite attractive valuations—FLCH trades at a 13.85x P/E versus higher global peers—significant geopolitical, regulatory, and property sector risks persist.

FLCH, the most cost-efficient Chinese ETF around, has outperformed non-Chinese EMs and global markets by 2x since we last covered it. FLCH's largest sector, Chinese consumer discretionary, stands to benefit from rising consumer confidence readings (currently at 30-month highs) and anticipated 2026 fiscal and monetary stimulus. Despite concerns over higher tariffs, China continues to mitigate pressures on the trade front very comfortably, with the trade surplus crossing the $1 trillion mark.

Getting emerging market exposure is a viable option in the current market environment. That's especially so given the global de-dollarization and prospect of further rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

Franklin FTSE China ETF has a price far from the highs, but forward valuations are above the 10-year average. This is normally not a problem, and I usually tend to interpret it as a sign of confidence. But the problem is that here the forward EPS consensus remains quite static, despite all the stimuli put in place.

Trump's tariff reduction rhetoric and China's economic data seem to signal a positive outlook for the FLCH ETF, despite political risks. FLCH's lower expense ratio and better diversification make it a strong representative of the Chinese market. There seems to have been more trade destabilization in the U.S. than in China following the implementation of tariffs, as suggested by the countries' import-export reports.