How to invest in France using ETFs
How do I invest in French stocks?
The easiest way to invest in the French stock market is to invest in a broad market index. This can be done at low cost by using ETFs.
On the French stock market you'll find 2 indices which are tracked by ETFs.
Alternatively, you may invest in indices on Europe. In the below listed indices France is weighted with more than 30%.
Performance of French stocks (CAC 40®)
Indices in comparison
The best indices for ETFs on France
For an investment in the French stock market, there are 2 indices available which are tracked by 4 ETFs. On the CAC 40® index there are 3 ETFs. On the MSCI France index there is 1 ETF. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on these indices is between 0.20% p.a. and 0.25% p.a..
Index | Investment focus | Number of ETFs | Number of constituents | Short description |
---|---|---|---|---|
CAC 40® | France | 3 ETFs | 40 |
The CAC 40® index tracks the largest and most traded French stocks listed on Euronext in Paris.
Index factsheet |
MSCI France | France | 1 ETF | 73 (29/01/2021) |
The MSCI France index tracks the leading French stocks.
Index factsheet |
ETF ISIN |
Fund size in m EUR |
TER in % |
Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amundi CAC 40 UCITS ETF DR EUR (C)LU1681046931 | 1,013 | 0.25% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Xtrackers CAC 40 UCITS ETF 1DLU0322250985 | 135 | 0.20% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Lyxor CAC 40 (DR) UCITS ETF - J-EURFR0011122233 | 85 | 0.25% p.a. | Distributing | France | Full replication | |
iShares MSCI France UCITS ETFIE00BP3QZJ36 | 75 | 0.25% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication |
Index | 1 month in % |
3 months in % |
6 months in % |
1 year in % |
3 years in % |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAC 40® | -2.62% | 17.82% | 13.34% | -5.04% | 6.97% | |
MSCI France | -2.39% | 17.46% | 13.52% | -4.47% | 7.86% |
Index | 2021 in % |
2020 in % |
2019 in % |
2018 in % |
2017 in % |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAC 40® | -3.67% | -5.15% | 30.18% | -8.21% | 12.51% | |
MSCI France | -3.48% | -4.22% | 28.94% | -7.72% | 13.90% |
Source: justETF.com; As of 31/01/2021; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.
The best France ETFs
by 1 year return
1 | iShares MSCI France UCITS ETF | -4.47% |
2 | Lyxor CAC 40 (DR) UCITS ETF - J-EUR | -5.00% |
3 | Amundi CAC 40 UCITS ETF DR EUR (C) | -5.04% |
The cheapest France ETFs
by total expense ratio (TER)
1 | Xtrackers CAC 40 UCITS ETF 1D | 0.20% p.a. |
2 | Amundi CAC 40 UCITS ETF DR EUR (C) | 0.25% p.a. |
3 | iShares MSCI France UCITS ETF | 0.25% p.a. |
Europe indices with a large share of France
Besides France ETFs you may consider ETFs on the European stock markets. In total, you can invest in 4 indices on the Eurozone tracked by 29 ETFs. All Eurozone indices weight France with around 31% to 37%. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on the Eurozone is between 0.05% p.a. and 0.25% p.a..
Index | Investment focus | Number of ETFs | Number of constituents | Short description |
---|---|---|---|---|
EURO STOXX® | Europe
France: 31.20% (30/10/2020) |
2 ETFs | 295 (29/01/2021) |
The EURO STOXX® index tracks stocks from eurozone countries included in the STOXX® Europe 600 Index. The STOXX® Europe 600 index tracks large, mid and small capitalisation stocks from European developed countries.
Index factsheet |
EURO STOXX® 50 | Europe
France: 35.00% (30/10/2020) |
19 ETFs | 50 |
The EURO STOXX® 50 index tracks the 50 largest companies in the eurozone.
Index factsheet |
MSCI EMU | Europe
France: 33.63% (30/10/2020) |
6 ETFs | 237 (29/01/2021) |
The MSCI EMU index tracks large and mid cap stocks from countries in the European Economic and Monetary Union.
Index factsheet |
Solactive Euro 50 | Europe
France: 36.70% (30/10/2020) |
2 ETFs | 50 |
The Solactive Euro 50 index tracks the 50 largest stocks of the eurozone.
Index factsheet |
ETF ISIN |
Fund size in m EUR |
TER in % |
Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
iShares EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF (DE)DE0005933956 | 5,350 | 0.11% p.a. | Distributing | Germany | Full replication | |
iShares Core EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (Dist)IE0008471009 | 4,172 | 0.10% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
Lyxor EURO STOXX 50 (DR) UCITS ETF - AccFR0007054358 | 3,985 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | France | Full replication | |
Xtrackers EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF 1CLU0380865021 | 3,760 | 0.09% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
iShares Core EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)IE00B53L3W79 | 3,608 | 0.10% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
iShares Core MSCI EMU UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)IE00B53QG562 | 2,576 | 0.12% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
Amundi EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681047236 | 2,519 | 0.15% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Xtrackers EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF 1DLU0274211217 | 2,464 | 0.09% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Xtrackers MSCI EMU UCITS ETF 1DLU0846194776 | 1,763 | 0.12% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
iShares EURO STOXX UCITS ETF (DE)DE000A0D8Q07 | 1,741 | 0.20% p.a. | Distributing | Germany | Full replication | |
Amundi Index MSCI EMU UCITS ETF DR EUR (C)LU1602144575 | 1,249 | 0.25% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Deka EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETFDE000ETFL029 | 910 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Germany | Full replication | |
UBS ETF (LU) MSCI EMU UCITS ETF (EUR) A-disLU0147308422 | 679 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
UBS ETF (LU) EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF (EUR) A-disLU0136234068 | 409 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Lyxor Core EURO STOXX 300 (DR) UCITS ETF AccLU0908501058 | 346 | 0.07% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
SPDR MSCI EMU UCITS ETFIE00B910VR50 | 300 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
Lyxor Core MSCI EMU (DR) UCITS ETF - DistLU1646360971 | 253 | 0.12% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
BNP Paribas Easy EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETFFR0012740983 | 246 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | France | Full replication | |
Lyxor Core EURO STOXX 50 (DR) UCITS ETF DistLU0908501488 | 233 | 0.07% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Invesco EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETFIE00B60SWX25 | 206 | 0.05% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Unfunded swap | |
HSBC EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EURIE00B4K6B022 | 193 | 0.05% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
BNP Paribas Easy EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETFFR0012739431 | 164 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | France | Full replication | |
Invesco EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF DistIE00B5B5TG76 | 86 | 0.05% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Unfunded swap | |
Amundi EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (D)LU1681047319 | 81 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Lyxor Core EURO STOXX 50 (DR) UCITS ETF AccLU0908501215 | 79 | 0.07% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Amundi Prime Eurozone UCITS ETF DR (D)LU1931974429 | 57 | 0.05% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
Lyxor 1 EURO STOXX 50® UCITS ETFDE000ETF9504 | 50 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Germany | Full replication | |
Deka EURO STOXX 50 (thesaurierend) UCITS ETFDE000ETFL466 | 28 | 0.15% p.a. | Accumulating | Germany | Full replication | |
Amundi Prime Eurozone UCITS ETF DR (C)LU2089238112 | 11 | 0.05% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication |
Index | 1 month in % |
3 months in % |
6 months in % |
1 year in % |
3 years in % |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solactive Euro 50 | -1.53% | 19.31% | 12.15% | -2.65% | - | |
EURO STOXX® 50 | -2.40% | 17.91% | 10.10% | -2.15% | 5.27% | |
MSCI EMU | -1.31% | 17.83% | 13.06% | -0.34% | 4.98% | |
EURO STOXX® | -2.03% | 17.82% | 12.86% | 0.80% | 6.49% |
Index | 2021 in % |
2020 in % |
2019 in % |
2018 in % |
2017 in % |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EURO STOXX® 50 | -2.40% | -3.08% | 30.41% | -12.01% | 9.77% | |
MSCI EMU | -2.05% | -0.76% | 26.22% | -12.40% | 12.75% | |
EURO STOXX® | -2.03% | 0.55% | 28.14% | -12.88% | 13.09% | |
Solactive Euro 50 | -1.53% | -3.86% | - | - | - |
Source: justETF.com; As of 31/01/2021; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.