First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund
First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (NASDAQ: FEM) is an exchange-traded fund listed on NASDAQ, trading at $30.64 (about ₹2,878 a unit) as of 10 Nov 2026, 4:00 PM ET. It has an expense ratio of 0.8% and holds 157 securities. Indian residents can buy FEM through Paasa under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme.
Quote
Today's low
$30.53
Today's high
$30.82
52 week low
$25.93
52 week high
$35.61
FEM opened at $30.64, closed previously at $30.85, and has traded between $25.93 and $35.61 over the past 52 weeks.
About
FEM does not promise broad exposure to emerging markets, trying instead to build a portfolio of stocks positioned to outperform. The fund uses a selection methodology focused on growth and value factors to screen firms by scoring each security twice by both growth and value characteristics, assigning whatever score is highest as the stock's style score. It then takes the 150 top-scoring stocks and breaks them into quintiles, giving higher-scoring quintiles greater weight in the index. The index is rebalanced and reconstituted semi-annually.
Key statistics
Expense ratio
0.8%
Assets (AUM)
$754.5M
Holdings
157
NAV
$30.86
Avg. volume
103.84K
1-year price change
+11.54%
5-year price change
+16.95%
Price change excludes dividends.
Top 10 holdings
FEM holds 157 securities in total. These 10 are 12.9% of the fund.
Where the money is invested
Sectors
Countries
Similar funds
This is not an investment recommendation
How to buy FEM from India
Indian residents can buy FEM units through Paasa in four steps. Funds leave India under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme and the units are held in your own name with Interactive Brokers. Read the full guide: how to invest in FEM from India
Open your Paasa account
KYC takes a few minutes: PAN, Aadhaar and address proof. Your brokerage account is opened in your own name with Interactive Brokers.
Add funds from your Indian bank account
Remit up to $250,000 a year under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Your bank converts the rupees to US dollars at its rate on the day you remit.
Search FEM and buy
Find the fund by its ticker, FEM, on NASDAQ, and place your order. Fractional units are available and there is no minimum trade size, so you can buy by amount.
Track holdings and download tax reports
Follow your FEM position in USD and INR, and use Paasa's capital-gains and dividend statements when you file your Indian return.
Trading and taxes when buying FEM from India
Trading and limits
- Trading hours
- 9:30 am – 4:00 pm ET
- LRS limit
- $250,000Per financial year, under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme.
Tax for Indian residents
- TCS on remittance
- 20%Collected by your bank on LRS remittances above ₹10 lakh in a financial year. The TCS is adjustable against your income-tax liability.Adjusting TCS against your tax
- Capital gains in India
- 12.5% or slab rateGains on foreign ETF units held for more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5% without indexation. Gains on units held for 24 months or less are short-term and taxed at your income-tax slab rate.Capital gains explained
- Dividends
- Slab rateIt pays the dividends from its holdings out to you in cash, and dividends are taxed at your slab rate in India. The US withholds tax on dividends paid to Indian residents at the treaty rate; Paasa files Form W-8BEN for you, and the tax withheld can generally be claimed as a credit in India.Dividend tax explained
- US estate tax
- May applyUS-situs assets such as US-listed shares can be exposed to US estate tax for non-US persons.US estate tax calculator
FAQs
What is the FEM price today?
First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (FEM) last traded at $30.64 on NASDAQ, as of 10 Nov 2026, 4:00 PM ET. That is ₹2,878 a unit at the 9 Nov 2026 USD/INR rate.
When does FEM trade, in Indian time?
NASDAQ trades 8:00 pm – 2:30 am IST, so the close lands after midnight. The window shifts to 7:00 pm – 1:30 am IST when the US is on daylight time. Orders can only execute during that window.
How big is FEM, and what does it cost to hold?
First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund manages about $754.5M. Its expense ratio is 0.8% a year, deducted inside the fund. It launched in 2011.
What are FEM's largest holdings?
The top three are BBB Foods Inc. (Class A) (1.5%), Fibra Uno Administracion, S.A. de C.V. (1.4%) and Kalyan Jewellers India Limited (1.3%). FEM's 10 largest positions make up 12.9% of the fund.
Does FEM pay dividends?
Yes. FEM is a distributing fund and pays the dividends from its holdings out in cash. In India they are taxed at your slab rate. The US withholds 25% tax on dividends before they reach you; Paasa files Form W-8BEN for you, and the tax withheld can generally be claimed as a credit when you file in India.
How are gains on FEM taxed in India?
Units held for more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5% without indexation; units held for 24 months or less are taxed at your income-tax slab rate. The gain is worked out in rupees, so the currency move counts.
Can I buy fractional units of FEM?
Yes. You can buy FEM by amount rather than by whole unit, and there is no minimum trade size.
How has FEM performed?
FEM's price is up 11.5% over the past year and up 16.9% over five years. These figures are price change only and exclude dividends; past performance does not guarantee future returns.