First Trust Emerging Markets Equity Select ETF (RNEM) Alternatives

First Trust Emerging Markets Equity Select ETF (RNEM) belongs to the Emerging Markets Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with RNEM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or funds that fit a different role in your portfolio.

Cheapest Alternatives to RNEM

RNEM charges 0.75% annually. Among ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among RNEM alternatives.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	Inception
VEXC	Vanguard Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF	0.07%	Sep 30, 2025	RNEM vs VEXC
VWO	Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	0.08%	Mar 4, 2005	RNEM vs VWO
SCHE	Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF	0.11%	Jan 14, 2010	RNEM vs SCHE
SPEM	SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF	0.11%	Mar 19, 2007	RNEM vs SPEM
EMCR	Xtrackers Emerging Markets Carbon Reduction and Cl...	0.15%	Dec 6, 2018	RNEM vs EMCR

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to RNEM

Among ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category, these options rank highest on PortfoliosLab's risk-adjusted score, which accounts for volatility, drawdown, and return consistency over a 1-year period.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	Inception
EMIF	iShares Emerging Markets Infrastructure ETF	95	Jun 16, 2009	RNEM vs EMIF
EMXC	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF	94	Jul 19, 2017	RNEM vs EMXC
ECOW	Pacer Emerging Markets Cash Cows 100 ETF	93	May 2, 2019	RNEM vs ECOW
ROAM	Hartford Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF	93	Feb 26, 2015	RNEM vs ROAM
SDEM	Global X MSCI SuperDividend Emerging Markets ETF	93	Mar 17, 2015	RNEM vs SDEM

Top Performing RNEM Alternatives (YTD)

RNEM alternatives from the Emerging Markets Equities category, sorted by year-to-date return.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	Inception
TUR	iShares MSCI Turkey ETF	12.29%	Mar 26, 2008	RNEM vs TUR
DVYE	iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF	10.67%	Feb 23, 2012	RNEM vs DVYE
PIE	Invesco DWA Emerging Markets Momentum ETF	10.23%	Dec 28, 2007	RNEM vs PIE
FEM	First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund	9.64%	Apr 18, 2011	RNEM vs FEM
ECOW	Pacer Emerging Markets Cash Cows 100 ETF	9.29%	May 2, 2019	RNEM vs ECOW

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to RNEM

RNEM alternatives from the Emerging Markets Equities category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	Inception
EMDV	ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E...	11.95%	Jan 25, 2016	RNEM vs EMDV
QAT	iShares MSCI Qatar ETF	13.22%	Apr 29, 2014	RNEM vs QAT
EDIV	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF	13.77%	Feb 23, 2011	RNEM vs EDIV
JPEM	J.P. Morgan Diversified Return Emerging Markets Eq...	14.07%	Jan 7, 2015	RNEM vs JPEM
DEM	WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund	15.04%	Jul 13, 2007	RNEM vs DEM

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to RNEM

RNEM alternatives from the Emerging Markets Equities category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	Inception
EMDV	ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E...	-7.48%	Jan 25, 2016	RNEM vs EMDV
SDEM	Global X MSCI SuperDividend Emerging Markets ETF	-9.78%	Mar 17, 2015	RNEM vs SDEM
JPEM	J.P. Morgan Diversified Return Emerging Markets Eq...	-10.32%	Jan 7, 2015	RNEM vs JPEM
EDIV	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF	-10.36%	Feb 23, 2011	RNEM vs EDIV
QEMM	SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets StrategicFactors ETF	-10.40%	Jun 4, 2014	RNEM vs QEMM

Other ETFs from First Trust

Most popular First Trust ETFs on PortfoliosLab, across asset classes.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Technology Equities, Cybersecurity	12	-12.12%	Jul 7, 2015	RNEM vs CIBR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	Asia Pacific Equities	5	-11.19%	Feb 14, 2012	RNEM vs NFTY
GRID	First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart GRID Infrastru...	Alternative Energy Equities	94	6.96%	Nov 17, 2009	RNEM vs GRID
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	79	15.49%	Mar 9, 2006	RNEM vs FDL
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	95	12.74%	Mar 10, 2014	RNEM vs AIRR
IGLD	FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Precious Metals, Gold	84	5.99%	Mar 2, 2021	RNEM vs IGLD
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	77	-2.96%	Aug 14, 2012	RNEM vs TDIV
KNG	FT Cboe Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target I...	Dividend, S&P 500	25	1.24%	Mar 26, 2018	RNEM vs KNG
ROBT	First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robot...	Technology Equities, Robotics	28	-11.00%	Feb 21, 2018	RNEM vs ROBT
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities	87	4.23%	Feb 8, 2007	RNEM vs QCLN

Often Compared With RNEM

What investors most often compare with RNEM, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	Inception
SFENX	Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Large Company ...	Emerging Markets Diversified	84	3.00%	Jan 30, 2008	RNEM vs SFENX
OHI	Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.		77	0.31%	—	RNEM vs OHI
EEM	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	86	3.80%	Apr 11, 2003	RNEM vs EEM
VGTSX	Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Inve...	Foreign Large Cap Equities, Large Cap Blend Equities	80	-1.04%	Apr 29, 1996	RNEM vs VGTSX
SCHD	Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	Dividend	52	12.79%	Oct 20, 2011	RNEM vs SCHD
VFIAX	Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	Large Cap Blend Equities	46	-7.06%	Nov 13, 2000	RNEM vs VFIAX
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	65	-4.42%	Sep 7, 2010	RNEM vs VOO
VBINX	Vanguard Balanced Index Fund	Diversified Portfolio	58	-4.20%	Nov 9, 1992	RNEM vs VBINX
VBIAX	Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares	Diversified Portfolio	59	-4.19%	Nov 13, 2000	RNEM vs VBIAX
GVAL	Cambria Global Value ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	94	5.70%	Mar 11, 2014	RNEM vs GVAL
QQQ	Invesco QQQ ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	69	-5.93%	Mar 10, 1999	RNEM vs QQQ
XCEM	Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	92	6.39%	Sep 2, 2015	RNEM vs XCEM
MFEM	PIMCO RAFI Dynamic Multi-Factor Emerging Markets E...	Emerging Markets Equities, Multi-factor	88	8.20%	Aug 31, 2017	RNEM vs MFEM
SMH	VanEck Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	95	6.46%	Dec 20, 2011	RNEM vs SMH

Compare RNEM with Any Fund or Stock

Compare RNEM with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

Symbol name

First Trust Emerging Markets Equity Select ETF

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