The fall in Chinese technology stocks this year is largely due to a crackdown from Chinese regulators. Concerns about the amount of personal data they control and who has access to that information has seen a clampdown on firms.

However, now these tech companies are facing a further two-pronged attack. First, there are reports that Chinese regulators are going to prevent companies from listing on overseas stock markets. Second, the US Securities and Exchange Commission is currently finalising a key piece of legislation. It will force Chinese firms to comply with audit requirements or face delisting from US stock exchanges.

Both of these moves will negatively impact their shares prices. On Friday as I wrote this, JD.com and Pinduoduo were down over 9% each. DiDi, a ride-hailing app was down over 15% on news that it plans to delist from the NYSE.

That said, I’m optimistic about the long-term prospects of internet and e-commerce companies in China and other emerging markets. Mobile internet use is growing, there’s a burgeoning middle class and in many developing countries, a young population.

Therefore, I’m once again considering if I should take advantage of this long-term trend by buying an ETF that’s been on my radar for several months.

The ETF

ETFs (exchange traded funds) track an index or sector and can be bought and sold like a share through most online brokers.

The fund I’m looking at is HANetf Emerging Markets Internet & Ecommerce UCITS ETF GBP (LSE: EMQQ), which tracks the EMQQ The Emerging Markets Internet & Ecommerce Index.

That means it tracks companies across a wide variety of industries including online shopping and software. A broad range of countries is also taken in along the way, such as Brazil, China, India and Turkey.

For selection, the firms must be publicly listed, derive their earnings from online activities in emerging markets and have a market cap of $300m+. Recognisable companies include Alibaba and Tencent.

This fund should provide me with exposure to the online world that’s growing fast in emerging markets. With a twice-yearly review of the index, I’ll also benefit from any new entrants to this sector.

Am I going to invest?

Over the last year, this ETF is down over 20%. Indeed, on Friday it was down over 5% alone. It’s this type of price action that appeals to me. The price of this ETF has fallen because the Chinese tech stocks generally have been hit hard. but I don’t think this can go on forever. If the long-term trend is as I expect, then this really could be a bargain buy for me. 

However, for my portfolio, I’m still hesitating.

Although some investors may disagree, I still question just how diversified this fund actually is. Though the fund is meant to be diversified in terms of countries, I continue to feel it’s far too weighted towards China for my liking. The top five Chinese holdings account for over 35% of the fund.

Presently, as there’s so much uncertainty about Chinese technology stocks and their regulation in both China and the US, I’m more comfortable watching and waiting from the sidelines.

Niki Jerath has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

Triple Point Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Company (LSE: TEEC) is a cheap UK share I’m paying close attention to right now.

Demand for renewable energy stocks like this is shooting higher as the concept of ‘responsible investing’ takes off. It’s a phenomenon I think could underpin strong share price growth as concerns over the climate emergency steadily grow.

TEEC splashes the cash on low-carbon energy projects across the UK. Its most famous investment is perhaps the acquisition of combined heat and power (CHP+) assets on the Isle of Wight. But it’s steadily building its footprint in the field of hydroelectric power too and late last month spent £26.6m to snap up a cluster of water-based power projects in Scotland.

The UK government has put ‘green’ energy at the heart of its industrial strategy for the next decade. And TEEC could be well-placed to capitalise on such political will. However, it’s worth remembering that a changing of the guard in Westminster could have serious ramifications for shares such as this.

A cybersecurity star

Cybercrime is an increasingly-large problem for individuals and companies all over the globe. As a consequence spending to prevent online attacks is going through the roof. Analysts at Researchandmarkets.com think the global security industry will be worth a staggering $539.8bn by 2030. That compares with the $183.3bn it was estimated at last year.

NCC Group (LSE: NCC) is a cheap UK share I’d buy to make money from this booming sector. It’s been no stranger to profits upgrades in recent months. And in early November it described trading since the beginning of October as “solid”.

News that its acquisition of Iron Mountain’s Intellectual Property Management (IPM) business in June is progressing well could help NCCs share price recover after recent heavy weakness. At 231p per share, NCC has basically lost all the gains it accrued during the past 12 months. However, signs of problems with integrating its new unit could conversely see the software business extend its slide.

Virtually brilliant

I invested in Keywords Studios — a provider of software development services — last year to capitalise on the booming video games market. I think motion capture specialist Oxford Metrics (LSE: OMC) could be another way to effectively ride this train. Trading at its Vicon division is extremely strong, thanks to what it describes as a “buoyant” games sector, and in particular the adoption of Virtual Production by various large production studios.

Virtual Production allows developers to go about their business in both the real and digital worlds. It’s complicated and clever stuff, but all I need to know from an investment perspective is that it’s also lucrative business.

Revenues at Oxford Metrics soared almost 18% in the year to September, to £35.6m. I’d buy this cheap UK share despite the threat posed by the high levels of competition in the tech sector it operates in.

Royston Wild owns shares of Keywords Studios. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Keywords Studios and NCC. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

Britain’s housebuilders can expect another decade of big profits as the market’s colossal supply/demand imbalance drags on. A shortage of new homes isn’t confined to this country, of course. It’s the same in Ireland, which is why I’m considering buying penny stock Cairn Homes (LSE: CRN) today.

Cairn recently reported that its revenues rocketed 61% in the six months to June, while its order book leapt to €655m from €214m at the start of 2021. Encouragingly, evidence shows that buyer demand has remained electrifying since then too. Average property prices in Ireland soared 12.4% in the 12 months to September, according to the country’s Central Statistics Office. This was also up from 10.9% in the previous month.

Big margins at Cairn Homes are also helping to drive profits right now (it expects a gross margin of 19% in 2021). However, I am aware that margins could start to recede if supply chain issues mean building material costs keep surging, hitting shareholder returns in the process.

Another housing hero

I think investing in Triple Point Social Housing REIT (LSE: SOHO) could be a good way to insulate myself against the danger posed by Omicron. After all, demand for the accommodation it provides (to people with special needs) remains stable during good times and bad. The business collected 100% of rents even as the Covid-19 crisis savaged the British economy.

Security isn’t the only reason I like Triple Point Social Housing. I also like the steps it’s taking to boost its property portfolio, the company adding a raft of new assets to its books for a shade under £30m last month. Such action will allow it to capitalise on the fast-growing specialised supported housing (SSH) sector to full effect.

Finally, I like Triple Point’s classification as a real estate investment trust (REIT). This ensures it has to pay a minimum of 90% annual profits out by way of shareholder dividends.  I’d buy the business despite the danger of overpaying for acquired assets which fail to deliver the desired rewards.

An electric vehicle penny stock

TI Fluid Systems is a UK share I bought last year to latch onto the electric vehicle revolution. And I’m thinking of investing in European Metals Holdings (LSE: EMH), which operates the massive Cinovec lithium project in Czechia. Most plug-in hybrid and battery-powered cars contain lithium-ion batteries, meaning European Metals can expect sales of its product to soar.

I’m also a fan of this company because it’s located slap bang in the middle of Europe’s carbuilding belt, making it simpler to sell its product to major manufacturers. Pleasingly, sales of low-carbon vehicles are booming in Europe. According to ING Bank, new registrations leapt 41% in the five years to 2020, beating the US and its figure of 28% by a wide margin.

The European Metals share price could suffer if development of Cinovec hits trouble, of course. However, all things considered, I think the reward-to-risk profile of this penny stock is highly attractive.

Royston Wild owns shares of TI Fluid Systems. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

Many people focus on their home countries when investing. I think this is a mistake. There are plenty of attractive investments listed in London, but there are also lots of high-qualities businesses listed over the pond.

As such, I own a handful of US equities in my portfolio. These are my three favourite US stocks to buy today. 

Stocks to buy for growth

The first company on my list, which I already own and would be happy to buy more of, is Visa (NYSE: V).

The corporation operates one of the world’s main payment networks. It connects buyers and sellers who are using Visa-branded networks and cards. With the number of cashless transactions rising worldwide, the company is one of the primary beneficiaries. 

What’s more, as one of the world’s largest payment network operators, Visa’s size is a substantial competitive advantage. It would cost a competitor tens of billions of dollars and many years to take over the firm’s position in the market. 

These are the two main reasons I would buy the stock for my portfolio today. However, the firm can’t take its position in the market for granted. Competitors are nipping at its heels. The company needs to stay alert to fend off the competition, or it could fall behind. 

Growing market 

Sticking with companies that have robust competitive advantages, I would also acquire Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). 

The organisation is one of the world’s most prominent designers and producers of high-performance computer processors. The demand for these is exploding as the market for digital services also explodes. 

Nivida is reaping the benefits of this market expansion. The company’s net income lept 84% year-on-year in the third quarter. The organisation reinvests virtually all of its income back into processor development.

This spending only helps reinforce the group’s leading position in the market. As long as the firm continues with this strategy, I reckon its growth should also continue. 

Challenges it could face going forward include the supply chain crisis and rising input costs, which may increase the costs for consumers. 

Market maker 

I also think Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is one of the best stocks to buy in the US today. I would acquire the shares because the company has an unrivalled franchise in the US equity markets.

The investment bank is one of the most recognisable brands on Wall Street. It manages the wealth of the rich and famous through its wealth management arm. This brings in a steady stream of recurring income. 

At the same time, the group has a leading position in the market for taking companies public. Over the past two years, this division has been a healthy profit centre for the organisation. 

Thanks to its position in these two markets, I think Goldman has a definite competitive advantage, although this is a competitive business. Keeping customers happy is one of the main challenges the business faces, or they could move to rivals.

Rupert Hargreaves owns shares of Visa. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

The outlook for the Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR) share price has changed dramatically over the past week. The emergence of the new coronavirus variant, coupled with travel bans governments imposed to try and control its spread, have brought the aviation sector’s recovery to a sudden halt. 

Before the travel bans, it appeared as if Rolls’ outlook was improving. Airlines were placing orders for new planes, and consumers were returning to the skies. The latest set of travel restrictions is a massive setback for the group. It is unclear if, or when, this latest headwind will disappear. 

As such, I have been wondering if I should change my bullish opinion on the stock. Before this week’s events, I was a buyer of Rolls-Royce shares. Now the outlook has changed, I am re-evaluating my position. 

Rolls-Royce share price outlook

The impact the latest travel bans have had on the aviation industry is evident. Shares in carriers like IAG plunged a double-digit percentage immediately after the restrictions were announced. Traffic on some long-haul routes, which was recovering, has now virtually stopped. 

Granted, many global destinations remain unaffected. Internal markets such as the US are also unaffected by the bans. However, the aviation industry operates on minuscule profit margins, and if it is not running at 100% capacity, losses quickly emerge. 

I think the latest pandemic restrictions will set Rolls’ recovery back. As of yet, it is difficult to say to what degree they will impact the group. It depends on how long the restrictions last.

If they last into the second quarter of next year, Rolls may have to revisit its earnings projections for 2022. If restrictions are rolled back in the next month or two, the impact on the group may be more manageable. 

The key summer season

In reality, it does not matter what happens over the next couple of weeks. The future of the Rolls-Royce share price will depend on what happens next summer.

If the aviation industry is able to enjoy a relatively normal 2022 summer season, profits could recover across the sector. This would improve confidence and may lead to more aircraft orders. Improved consumer confidence may also translate into more bookings, generating more revenue for airlines and justifying more aircraft orders. 

All in all, while the latest travel restrictions are frustrating for the airline industry, they are not the end of the world. It was always going to take years for the industry to recover from the pandemic. A couple of months here or there will not make much difference (assuming the restrictions only last for a couple of months).

As such, I think the Rolls-Royce share price still looks attractive as a contrarian value investment. I would buy the stock for my portfolio as the airline industry continues to recover from the lows of the pandemic.  

Rupert Hargreaves has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.