Finding nooks of growth in a sluggish Europe
Beneath this lackluster scenario, though, lie several layers of companies that are part of Europe's turnaround story. Here are two options you might consider: The FirstTrust Europe AlphaDEX exchange-traded fund, invests in an equal-weighted portfolio of European stocks, some of which aren't the name-brand companies found in most capitalization-weighted portfolios. By avoiding concentration in many of the mega-caps dominating most European portfolios, the AlphaDEX has sampled several smaller companies poised for growth, especially those in weaker but recovering euro zone economies such as Greece, Ireland and Spain. For a more focused approach on small-company stocks, consider the WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund.