Australian-listed stocks offer exposure to American upswing

Aristocrat Leisure, CSL, Boral and Fastbricks offer good exposure to a climbing US market, analysts say.

Australian-listed, US-focused shares provide exposure to growing stock prices.

The upswing in US ­markets — and the wider US economy — is rapidly capturing the attention of investors as Wall Street continues to move higher at a more dramatic pace than the ASX.

Some local investors are ­moving directly into US stocks — especially the tech titans such as Apple, Facebook and Google (now listed as Alphabet).

But most Australian investors choose instead to buy into the US market through ASX-listed stocks with good American exposure. In concentrating on Australian-listed, US-focused shares investors get exposure to growing stock prices without foreign ­currency complications.

Here’s a handful of such stocks with “buy” recommendations:

Aristocrat Leisure. The gaming tech stock has seen its share price move higher by 50 per cent this year but many analysts believe it can deliver another sterling year in 2017-18. It has a large proportion of earnings from the US and a convincing track record. Building products group Boral took a major strategic bet on the revival of the US building, market with the expertly timed purchase of the Headwaters building group last November. The move ­doubled the size of Boral and opened the door for Australian investors looking to invest in the US construction sector.

CSL. The superstar of the local medical sector, CSL blood products group is a Melbourne-based global operation with strong interests in the US. Brokers believe the solid outlook for blood product collections and flu vaccines in the US in the near future will underpin this stock.

Fastbricks is a small-cap favourite that offers exposure to both construction and robotics — it’s a Perth-based robo-bricklayer company and it has an excellent entry into US and global markets through a recent deal with the giant US construction and earthmoving company Caterpillar.

The flourishing ETF sector on the ASX offers a generic introduction to US funds through funds such as Ishares S&P 500, Vanguard US Total Market Fund or Betashares Nasdaq 100.