Vanguard
Effective Dec. 23, Vanguard lowered the expense ratios on 12 of its funds to 0.12 percent. The funds and the number of basis points their fees were reduced by are as follows:
- Consumer Discretionary (VCR | A-94), 2 basis points
- Consumer Staples (VDC | A-92), 2 basis points
- Energy (VDE | A-93), 2 basis points
- Financials (VFH | A-95), 7 basis points
- Health Care (VHT | A-95), 2 basis points
- Industrials (VIS | A-90), 2 basis points
- Information Technology (VGT | A-93), 2 basis points
- Materials (VAW | A-86), 2 basis points
- Telecommunication Services (VOX | B-54), 2 basis points
- Utilities (VPU | A-95), 2 basis points
- Russell 1000 Growth (VONG | A-90), 3 basis points
- Russell 1000 Value (VONV | A-87), 3 basis points
VFH had the most dramatic reduction, at 7 basis points, but that may be because its assets under management increased by nearly $1 billion to $2.7 billion during 2014.
iShares
Meanwhile, iShares changed the fees on 41 of its funds, including 22 reductions and 19 increases. Except for the iShares MSCI Pacific Ex Japan ETF (EPP | B-97), which saw its expense ratio reduced by 1 basis point to 0.49 percent, all of the following ETFs—which are almost all single-country funds—saw their expense ratios lowered to 0.48 percent. We also show how many basis points their fees were reduced by:
- iShares MSCI Australia ETF (EWA | A-98), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Austria Capped ETF (EWO | C-87), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC | A-92), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI France ETF (EWQ | A-97), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG | A-97), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF (EWH | B-96), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF (EWM | B-99), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Singapore ETF (EWS | B-95), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF (EWP | B-94), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Sweden ETF (EWD | A-95), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Switzerland Capped ETF (EWL | B-96), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI New Zealand Capped ETF (ENZL | C-98), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWU | B-92), 3 basis points
- iShares MSCI Belgium Capped ETF (EWK | B-67), 2 basis points
- iShares MSCI EMU ETF (EZU | A-64), 2 basis points
- iShares MSCI Italy Capped ETF (EWI | C-91), 2 basis points
- iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ | B-97), 2 basis points
- iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF (SCJ | B-99), 2 basis points
- iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF (EWW | B-96), 2 basis points
- iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF (EWN | B-98), 2 basis points
- iShares MSCI Ireland Capped ETF (EIRL | D-66), 2 basis points
Another 19 iShares ETFs—again, almost all single-country funds—saw their expense ratios increase by 1 basis point. Those funds and their new expense ratios are as follows:
- iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF (EWZ | B-97), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI BRIC ETF (BKF | B-96), 0.68 percent
- iShares MSCI Chile Capped ETF (ECH | C-98), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM | B-96), 0.68 percent
- iShares MSCI Israel Capped ETF (EIS | C-41), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA | B-90), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF (EWY | B-91), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (EWT | B-90), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF (THD | B-98), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Turkey ETF (TUR | B-100), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Russia Capped ETF (ERUS | C-93), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI All Peru Capped ETF (EPU | C-37), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Brazil Small-Cap ETF (EWZS | D-98), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI China ETF (MCHI | B-33), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF (ECNS | D-27), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA | C-91), 0.68 percent
- iShares MSCI Indonesia ETF (EIDO | B-99), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Philippines ETF (EPHE | B-99), 0.62 percent
- iShares MSCI Poland Capped ETF (EPOL | B-80), 0.62 percent
Another 14 iShares saw their fee waivers extended through the end of next year, Dec. 31, 2015:
- iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG | A-98)
- iShares MSCI All Country World Minimum Volatility ETF (ACWV | A-60)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Asia ETF (EEMA | C-92)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets EMEA ETF (EEME | C-23)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM | B-96)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Growth ETF (EGRW | F-92)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Minimum Volatility ETF (EEMV | B-60)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value ETF (EVAL | C-92)
- iShares MSCI Global Agriculture Producers ETF (VEGI | B-71)
- iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF (PICK | B-59)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Latin America ETF (EEML | C-97)
- iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF (HEWJ | D-38)
- iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Germany ETF (HEWG | D-42)
- iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EMU ETF (HEZU)
