Timothy Middleton of MSN Money interviewed David John Marotta about how to get better foreign stock returns for large portfolios by emphasizing those countries with the most economic freedom. It was titled "11 places better to invest than the U.S." and can be found at http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/P125132.asp.

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If you would like read our columns on country specific foreign stock investing, here are the direct links to those articles:

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1. Eastern Europe and Turkey: BRIC Wannabes (2008-09-22)
   The BRIC acronym made four emerging market countries sound like more attractive investment opportunities than the other two dozen. BRICET is the term used to add Eastern Europe and Turkey to the in-crowd.
   
   
2. BRIC Countries: China (2008-09-15)
   In recent years the Chinese economy has been waxing toward ascendance. It passed Japan in November 2007 and began to rival the brightness of America.
   
   
3. BRIC Countries: Russia (2008-09-01)
   Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has been trying to remake itself and regain its former glory and respect. But a lack of glasnost ("tell the truth") and perestroika ("decentralize power") still plagues the country.
   
   
4. First Quarter Review 2008 (2008-04-28)
   The first quarter of 2008 made the difference between well-designed portfolios and poorly designed portfolios obvious. Check your quarterly statement to see which category describes your portfolio.
   
   
5. BRIC Countries: A Passage to Indian Freedom (2008-09-08)
   India dDuring the cold war was highly socialistic with the government exercising control over every aspect of the economy. These restrictive policies caused extremely low growth rates, derisively dubbed the "Hindu rate of growth."
   
   
6. BRIC Countries: Brazil (2008-08-25)
   In 2003, the Goldman Sachs Global Economics Department predicted the economic and geopolitical influence of Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRIC countries) would become increasingly visible in the developed world and even dominate it by 2050.
   
   
7. Blending Index Funds to Achieve Higher Returns (2007-07-23)
   If you have been following my investment advice closely, you can probably guess that I don't favor stock-picking as the best way to meet your financial goals. But even if you favor index funds, as I do, that doesn't mean you have to use them exclusively.
   
   
8. Foreign Freedom Investing 2008 (2008-07-14)
   You can both diversify for safety and boost your returns by adding international investments to your portfolio. In the past year, international stocks performed 2.5% better than U.S. stocks. And developed countries with the most economic freedom returned an additional 4.4% more than the international index.
   
   
9. Hedge Funds Aren’t Worth The Risk Part 2 - Poor Performance (2005-06-27)
   Hedge funds may seem attractive to the casual observer, but the naïve investor who is duped by their deceptive marketing may experience several years of dismal returns, excessive fees and irreconcilable conflicts of interest. If you own or are considering investing in a hedge fund, make certain you’ve done due diligence on the conditions, performance and compensation.
   
   
10. Italian Communists and Beautiful Girls (2005-08-01)
    Last month, The Soccer Organization of Charlottesville Albemarle (SOCA) sent its Girls fourteen and under (U-14) team on a three country tour of Europe. As a parent and assistant coach I had the pleasure of seeing first hand three of the twenty six freest economies in the world. Italy is a beautiful country and this was my fourth visit in thirty years.
    
    
11. Foreign Freedom Investing 2007 (2007-07-09)
    Adding international investments to your portfolio is a good way to diversify for safety while boosting returns. On average, international stocks appreciate more than US stocks. What's more, companies located in countries with the most economic freedom typically appreciate more than the broader international average. Over the past year, countries with the most economic freedom appreciated 7% more than the international index.
    
    
12. Keeping Expenses Low While Building Your Portfolio (2007-07-30)
    Q: I enjoyed reading about your "Rocks and Sand" technique to keep expense ratios low. I own iShares EAFE (EFA) for my foreign rock. What no-transaction fee foreign mutual fund that tracks the EAFE index do you recommend for monthly deposits until I purchase another "rock?" - Steve
    
    
13. Australia: Investing Down Under (2007-01-22)
    On January 26, Australians celebrate their annual Australia Day to commemorate the founding of the Colony of New South Wales in 1788 and their proud national history. This year investors down under have even more reason to celebrate.
    
    
14. Investments in China (2005-03-14)
    In a recent survey of leading executives, China is currently the most attractive destination for foreign investment. While we recommend that investors have significant stock investments in foreign countries, we have serious qualms about China.
    
    
15. Italian Mafia Coming to America Soon (2005-08-08)
    Last month I had the pleasure of traveling with SOCA’s U-14 Girls Express team throughout Europe. We have chronicled the high regulatory burden that Italy puts on its citizens and the way that regulation stifles growth. The other major problem within Italy is the corruption and organized crime throughout the country.
    
    
16. Country Specific Investing Pays Dividends (2005-07-25)
    The iShares MSCI EAFE fund (EFA) based on the International Index lost 1.92 percent during the first half of 2005. For larger accounts, we recommend a strategy designed to enhance the international index with a diversified collection of countries that on average should do better than this International index.
    
    
17. The Guillotine of French Economic Freedom (2006-02-13)
    The financial outlook for France is not promising. We can learn from their decline. The Heritage Foundation’s survey last year of 155 countries ranked France among the top-ten countries to lose the most economic freedom. The French people are paying the price. According to a study by T. Waning, economic freedom is to blame for France’s nightmarish unemployment rates brought into the public eye by angry youths protesting the lack of liberte, egalite, fraternite.
    
    
18. Exchange Traded Funds (2005-01-31)
    There has been nothing new in finance in the last fifty years - except exchange-traded funds. Exchange Traded Funds, or ETFs, combine many of the best characteristics of stocks and mutual funds.
    
    
19. O Canada, The True North Strong and Free! (2006-06-26)
    July 1st is Canada Day, the day our northern neighbors celebrate their union as the North American colonies of Great Britain. We should celebrate too. Not only are they good neighbors but a good investment.
    
    
20. The Celtic Tiger: The Greening of Ireland (2007-03-12)
    The Republic of Ireland and its economic boom period knows as the "Celtic Tiger" is another textbook case study in economic freedom. Ireland's strong economic performance is a direct result of its increased economic freedom and reduced government regulation.
    
    
21. Foreign Freedom Investing 2006 (2006-07-24)
    On average, international stocks appreciate more than US stocks, and stocks in countries with the most economic freedom appreciate more than the international average.
    
    
22. Salzburg: Seasoned with White Gold (2005-08-22)
    In Austria our soccer team visited the Hallein Salt Mine about 30 miles south of Salzburg. Lessons about the white gold from ancient salt mines are just as applicable today to the black gold of oil reserves.
    
    
23. Austria and the Road back from Serfdom (2005-08-15)
    Austria is the 19th freest economy in the world. Much of Austria’s economic freedom is the direct result of the most famous Austrian economists, Friedrich August von Hayek, who won the Nobel Prize in 1974. Hayek is best known for writing "The Road to Serfdom" - his steadfast defense of liberal democracy and free-market capitalism against a rising tide of socialist and collectivist thought in the mid-20th century.
    
    
24. The United States - Land of the Free (2006-07-03)
    This year, the US reclaimed its spot among the top ten countries in the world with the most economic freedom according to The Wall Street Journal/Heritage Foundation 2006 Index of Economic Freedom. But for a nation which considers itself a paragon of liberty, watching other countries enjoy more economic freedom than we Americans comes as an affront to our self image.
    
    
25. Germany: Worst Economic Weakness May Be Over (2005-08-29)
    Germany’s economy is one of the weakest in the EU. Over the past three year Germany has shown little growth. Their stock market returns have been poor. IShares German (EWG) has a one, three, and five year annualized return of 12%, 8.5%, and -3% respectively. These returns are all two to three percent under the International Index.
    
    
26. Economic Freedom Part 2: Let Freedom Ka-Ching (2004-04-19)
    Freedom matters. Those countries with the most economic freedom provide the best place for your foreign investments.
    
    
27. Economic Freedom Part 1: Invest in Countries with Economic Freedom (2004-04-12)
    Protectionism doesn’t work. Trade, not aid makes countries better off. And countries with economic freedom will experience the most lucrative trade.
    
    
28. Five Reasons to Invest Outside the US (2003-08-25)
    Here are five reasons why you need to continue to have a significant foreign stock investment.
    
    
29. Foreign Trade Not Aid Encourages Freedom Abroad (2004-04-05)
    Foreign aid is like a parent playing for their child’s soccer team. The parent may score some goals in that game, but you will have a weaker team as soon as the parent steps off the field.
    
    
30. Will the U.S. go the way of Japan? (2002-11-18)
    The Japanese economy has suffered a 12-year decline. Are we in the US likely to follow the Japanese pattern of economic and stock market decline?
    
    

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