Lazard Emerging Markets Fund A Inc

Why we like the fund: This is a fairly concentrated fund that invests in companies across emerging markets. Examples of emerging market countries are China, India, Brazil and South Africa. The team members are 'value' investors, quite contrarian and often buying companies with depressed share prices; they have been investing on this basis for decades. The manager of this fund is exceptionally experienced and focused exclusively on managing emerging market equity funds. How to use the fund: Emerging market economies are growing at faster rates than more mature developed markets, which should enhance the opportunity. An emerging market equity fund should be a mainstay of most portfolios, but any allocation should reflect the slightly riskier nature of the underlying investments and a long-term view (ten years or more) is needed. This fund could blend well with a 'quality' fund that invests in businesses which are financially stronger or have competitive advantages but tend to be more expensive. An example in this category is the Fidelity Sustainable Emerging Markets Fund.