Hello Community,

I am hesitating between two defense ETFs and would like to hear your opinions. Specifically, it is about the VanEck Defense ETF ($DFEN (-0,34%)) and the iShares Global Aerospace & Defense ETF ($DFND (+0,52%)).

My basic idea: A broadly diversified ETF such as the MSCI World is a solid core investment for me. I also like to focus on specific themes such as AI, robotics or healthcare in the long term. However, due to the current geopolitical situation, I also consider the defense and armaments industry to be a relevant area. The situation is unlikely to ease in the next few years, and companies such as Rheinmetall have ambitious growth plans (e.g. doubling sales and profits by 2027). Other companies in the sector are also in a strong position.

I would therefore like to add a suitable defense ETF to my savings plan in the long term.

Hence my questions:

• Which of the two ETFs mentioned would you choose and why?
• Does it make sense to perhaps even save in both?
• Or do you think there is another ETF that is even more interesting in this area?

I look forward to hearing your opinions and welcome any recommendations or views!

Hello everyone,

In the last few days I have introduced myself and my portfolio. I have really taken your advice to heart and tried to implement it in a plausible way. Once again, a big thank you to everyone who has helped me with advice and constructive criticism. Merci! 😁

Today I'm summoning up my courage once again and presenting you with the result of the new and hopefully final restructuring. I have reduced the original 26 items to 6 items and aligned myself as follows. It didn't just come down to the $XDWL (+0,07%) ended up. I still wanted to have some accessories.

The conversion is being done step by step, so it will take some time

Xtrackers MSCI World ETF - $XDWL (+0,07%) - 65%

UBS LFS MSCI Emerging Markets ETF - $EMMUSA (+0,15%) - 5%

Xtrackers MSCI Europe Hi Div Yld ESG ETF - $XZDE (+0,22%) - 5%

Xtrackers DAX ETF - $XDDA (+0,01%) - 5%

VanEck Defense ETF A - $DFEN (-0,34%) - 15%

Xtrackers IE Physical Gold ETC Securities - $XGDU (+0,38%) - 5%

The main value will flow into the All-World and will be supplemented by a small weighting in emerging markets.

I deliberately chose Europe and Germany because I I assume that positive developments can be expected here again in the future. Must!

The Defence item will remain in the portfolio as long as the positive trend continues. Should this change, the stock will be reallocated to All-World.

Gold is a stock that I would also like to keep in the portfolio. I am still $BTC (-0,96%) I am still thinking about. Nothing planned (yet).

I would then allocate the monthly savings installment to the positions on a percentage basis.

That could be a reasonable basis for 2025, what do you think?

Thanks again for your feedback.

Best regards

Daniel

Hello dear community,

Christmas Eve is over and I thought I'd use the time to introduce myself. My name is Daniel, 45 years old, proud father of two grown-up daughters and I'm now also a member.

I burned a lot of money in the 90s with biotech shares on the "Neuer Markt". I think it was Quiagen. No matter. Back then, it wasn't as easy as it is today to get a comprehensive overview of the markets. I was cured for a long time and kept my hands off it. Looking back, not so clever 😩

With regard to my pension, I was actually not completely inactive and will probably have around 5K (per month) before taxes and contributions at 67. In addition, there are payments and shares from Riester, LV, industry pension and separate pension. That should be enough, as I'm actually a frugal person.

In addition, I'm venturing back onto the trading floor with shares and the like.

Now let's move on to my goals in the stock market world.

I want to create as much of a cushion as possible so that I can simply do what I want. Renovate a property, possibly sell it, go traveling, build a new home - anything is possible. And if I do end up giving up early, I want to provide my children with the best possible financial security.

To achieve this, I have structured my portfolio as follows.

35% shares

65% ETFs ETCs and funds

When it comes to shares, I have to admit that I am influenced by current trends and preferences for one brand or another. $AAPL (+0,27%) , $AMZN (+0,13%) etc., have tempted me. However, I quickly realized that I'm not the type for individual stocks. I'm keeping an eye on the shares, but I won't be expanding this part of my portfolio any further and will invest in ETFs again in due course.

In future, the focus will be on ETFs and ETCs, such as gold. $XGDU (+0,38%) gold.

My ETFs are roughly divided up as follows.

- Technology

- industry

- Armaments and defense

- gold

- Raw materials

These are mainly dividend-paying ETFs. I plan to keep reinvesting the dividends via the annual exemption order, in our case EUR 2,000, but save as much tax as possible.

Crypto is a closed book for me. I'm not cut out for this kind of thing. I just don't understand the principle. And somehow too late.

I probably should have invested 100 euros in $BTC (-0,96%) if I had known about it. Then I probably wouldn't have to worry about it today.

In addition to my initial investment, I would like to use the monthly savings installment of 500 euros with an annual growth rate of 3% for the next 20 years to perhaps take a bath in my bathtub like Scrooge McDuck. It probably won't be enough for the money bin, but what the heck.

My basis is the UniDynamicFonds: Global -net- A ($LU0096426845 C ). Yes, I know it's a fund with a relatively high TR. It's a relic from days gone by. However, it has not done badly over the last five years. I will convert this main position into an ETF in due course and steadily build it up. The second fund will then also be transferred to ETFs. Here are the $XAIX (+0,07%) and the $XUTC (-0,05%) are ready.

But I will come back to you with a separate question.

My current larger positions are

- UniDynamicFonds: Global net A $LU0096426845

- UniSector: HighTech A $LU0101441672

- VanEck Defense ETF A $DFEN (-0,34%)

- VanEck Semiconductor ETF A $IE00BMC38736 (+0,47%)

- IE Physical Gold ETC Securities $XGDU (+0,38%)

- VanEck Ms Developed Markets Div Lead ETF $TDIV (-0,04%)

- SPDR MSCI ACWI IMI ETF $SPSA (-0,06%)

The rest is somewhat broadly diversified. I find Health very interesting, but here I have chosen two individual stocks $$NOVO B (+1,7%) & $DXCM (+0,03%) "and I'm still looking for the right ETF. Here I have the $XUHC (+0,28%) for the time being.

In the near future I will be looking at Japan $UIM5 (-0,83%) Nordic countries $XDN0 (+0,52%) Europe $V3EL (+0,47%) and also Germany $VGER (+0,06%) further. I also see long-term potential here and I am creating some distance from my very US and technology-heavy investment stocks.

Roughly speaking, my portfolio should have a large all-world ETF and everything else around it - in keeping with the current times - is the Christmas bauble around the tree.

I look forward to any feedback.

Have a nice holiday season

Best regards

Daniel

____

Thanks to @DonkeyInvestor for the guide 🤪

Good evening,

I have just come across the ETF $IEFM (+0,8%) (actually $CEMR, but unfortunately it is not shown here) (Edge Europe Momentum EUR (Acc)) and it seems very interesting to me as it covers the European market. Over the long term, the ETF has had nice growth and the individual companies such as $SAP (-0,41%) , $ASML (+1,6%) , $NOV (+1,1%) but also $RACE (-0,24%) I like very much. In $SAP (-0,41%) I am also already invested. However, I am currently also investing in other ETFs such as the $VWCE (-0,01%) the $IGLN (+0,38%) , the $DFEN (-0,34%) , the $VHYL (+0,14%) (actually $VGWD but it is not shown here either) and the $QDV5 (-0,82%) . Would it be worthwhile to include the $IEFM (+0,8%) in my savings plan and thus increase the European share in my portfolio? What do you think of the ETF?

My ETF portfolio

Only completed this month, so the gains and losses are perhaps a little strange.

$IUIT (-0,19%)

$DFEN (-0,34%)

The Information Tech ETF serves to invest as focused as possible in all the compounders, I would generally prefer the equal weight variant, but unfortunately it is not yet available in Europe as far as I know. The VanEck ETF is intended to protect the portfolio somewhat from geopolitical risks, and the companies are also quite interesting and all have the state as a major customer, either directly or indirectly, which I think is a very good addition. Weighting is around 55% at the beginning and will be rebalanced as soon as the equities exceed the 80-85% threshold. In this way, I hope to take as much upside as possible and leave the equity area largely unhindered.

$IGLN (+0,38%)

The 22% weighting is based on the post from dear @Epi regarding gold.

$DTLA (+0,44%)

$IDTP (+0,09%)

$IBTA (+0,13%)

Like gold, the combination of bonds is intended to take out some volatility and provide an alternative cash position. However, I am considering possibly exchanging the 1-3 year bonds for BTC.

Moral doubts? Coming soon to the depot. $DFEN (-0,34%)

Hello dear Gequin Community,

I am currently working on restructuring my portfolio. Historically, I currently have a few funds and a number of individual shares.

I would like to switch the funds to ETFs and continue to save in them.

Classically, I would now select the following ETFs:

$VWCE (-0,01%) / $VHYL (+0,14%) and $VFEG (+0,17%)

Now my little thought experiment: Why should I limit myself to three ETFS when I could spread the whole thing much more widely? I have also thought about something like this (with smaller sums, of course):

$WELS (+0,52%)

$ECOG (+0,03%)

$EXH5 (-0,54%)

$CHIP (+0,37%)

$DFEN (-0,34%)

$XDWF (+0,08%)

$RBOT (+0,18%)

$XAIX (+0,07%)

$IH2O (+0,01%)

$WELW (+0,7%)

Of course I have a few duplications here, but I am much more differentiated.

Does this approach make sense in your eyes or is it a modest idea?