About Investing Globally

Traditionally, the primary way to buy shares of overseas companies was either through mutual funds, or else by buying shares of foreign companies that are listed on stock exchanges in the United States. Now, however, several brokerage firms are making it easier to invest abroad: Charles Schwab has cut prices on international stock purchases by U.S. clients; and E-Trade plans to expand its international service to let U.S. investors trade foreign stocks in local currencies. And Fidelity's brokerage section now enables its clients to buy individual shares in 36 foreign markets.

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