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ECNS

iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF (ECNS)

Rating:55Neutral
Price Target:$28.00â–²(10.06% Upside)

ECNS, the iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF, reflects a mixed overall quality, combining some solid growth stories with several challenged companies. Strong contributors like Minth Group and Atour Lifestyle Holdings support the fund’s rating through healthy financial performance and generally positive price trends, while weaker holdings such as GCL-Poly Energy Holdings and Zai Lab, which face profitability and cash flow issues along with bearish trading signals, weigh on the outcome. The main risk is the ETF’s focus on smaller Chinese companies, where financial instability and negative momentum in several holdings can make returns more volatile.

Positive Factors
Exposure to China Small-Cap GrowthThe ETF focuses on smaller Chinese companies, which can offer higher growth potential compared with large, established firms if the market improves.
Broad Sector DiversificationHoldings are spread across many sectors like health care, technology, industrials, and consumer stocks, helping reduce the impact if any single industry struggles.
Strong Performance in Select Top HoldingsA few of the largest positions, especially in health care and electronics, have shown strong recent gains that can help offset weaker names in the portfolio.
Negative Factors
Weak Recent Overall PerformanceThe fund’s returns have been negative over the past month, three months, and year to date, showing that it has been under pressure in the current market environment.
Concentration in Hong Kong-Listed StocksMost of the ETF’s assets are tied to Hong Kong-listed companies, increasing its sensitivity to local market and regulatory risks.
Relatively High Expense RatioThe fund’s ongoing fee is on the higher side for an ETF, which can eat into returns over time, especially when performance is weak.

ECNS vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

AUM
56.30M
Region
Asia-Pacific
Expense Ratio
0.59%
Beta
0.83
Issuer
iShares
Inception Date
Sep 28, 2010
Dividend Yield
7.46%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
MSCI China Small Cap

ECNS Summary

ECNS is the iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF, which follows the MSCI China Small Cap index. It invests in many smaller Chinese companies across sectors like health care, technology, and industrials. Some of its holdings include Kingdee International Software Group and Zai Lab, which are involved in software and biotech. Investors might consider ECNS if they want growth potential from up-and-coming Chinese businesses and broader diversification beyond large, well-known firms. However, small-cap stocks in China can be very volatile, so the ETF’s value can rise and fall sharply with changes in the Chinese market.

How much will it cost me?

This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.59%, which means you’ll pay about $5.90 per year for every $1,000 invested. That’s higher than the average low-cost index ETF because it focuses on a more specialized, harder-to-access area of the market: Chinese small-cap stocks.

What would affect this ETF?

This ETF could benefit if China’s economy strengthens, government support for technology and health care continues, and smaller companies gain from innovation and rising consumer spending, helping its many tech, health care, and industrial holdings. On the negative side, it is highly exposed to China-specific risks such as regulatory crackdowns, slower economic growth, and geopolitical tensions, and small-cap stocks can be more volatile and sensitive to changes in investor confidence and global interest rates.

ECNS Top 10 Holdings

ECNS is a pure play on Chinese small caps, with most of its firepower in tech, health care, and communication services. TCL Electronics and JOYY have been quietly rising, helping to prop up returns, while Zai Lab’s mixed pattern and Kingdee’s losing steam keep the ride bumpy. Consumer and lifestyle names like Atour are lagging, and media player China Ruyi plus Meitu are dragging the fund with weaker trends. With all holdings rooted in China, performance is tightly tied to the country’s domestic growth and sentiment.

ECNS top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
HK:0268HK:0268Kingdee International Software Group Co2.26%$1.26MHKD 29.85B-41.19%50Neutral
HK:9688HK:9688Zai Lab Ltd1.74%$969.60KHKD 21.69B-14.77%42Neutral
HK:0257HK:0257China Everbright1.58%$879.51KHKD 29.46B-2.54%66Neutral
ATATATATAtour Lifestyle Holdings1.52%$842.82K$4.47B-14.56%75Outperform
HK:0425HK:0425Minth Group1.43%$792.20KHKD 25.33B-38.37%71Outperform
HK:1070HK:1070TCL Electronics Holdings1.41%$783.92KHKD 38.32B63.44%66Neutral
JOYYJOYYJOYY1.39%$774.85K$3.93B33.62%60Neutral
HK:0136HK:0136China Ruyi Holdings Limited1.36%$753.12KHKD 20.60B-55.05%51Neutral
HK:0189HK:0189Dongyue Group Limited1.26%$702.53KHKD 16.00B-5.01%62Neutral
HK:3800HK:3800GCL Technology Holdings Limited1.24%$686.71KHKD 19.43B-57.61%38Underperform

ECNS Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price25.44

Price Trends

50DMA27.65Negative
100DMA28.34Negative
200DMA30.84Negative

Market Momentum

MACD-0.53Positive
RSI27.84Positive
STOCH8.66Positive

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ECNS, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 25.44 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 26.69, below the 50-day MA of 27.65, and below the 200-day MA of 30.84, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.53 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 27.84 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 8.66 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for ECNS.

ECNS Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

ECNS against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
ECNSECNS$25.44$28.00(10.06% Upside)$56.30M0.59%55Neutral
MCHIMCHI$49.07$69.82(42.29% Upside)$5.49B0.59%58Neutral
FXIFXI$33.08$47.06(42.26% Upside)$3.75B0.74%73Outperform
PGJPGJ$20.82$30.51(46.57% Upside)$76.42M0.70%67Neutral
FCAFCA$23.74$34.56(45.59% Upside)$27.18M0.80%68Neutral
MJSCMJSC$57.68―$21.92M1.01%67Neutral

Performance Comparison

-20%0%20%ECNSMCHIFXIPGJFCAMJSCDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
ECNS and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
ECNSiShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF25.44-8.97-26.07%
MCHIiShares MSCI China ETF49.07-13.30-21.32%
FXIiShares China Large-Cap ETF33.08-6.03-15.41%
PGJInvesco Golden Dragon China Etf20.82-10.57-33.68%
FCAFirst Trust China AlphaDEX Fund23.74-3.76-13.68%
MJSCMUFG Japan Small Cap Active ETF57.688.7917.98%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.