<p>With the Dow gyrating wildly and the dollar sinking to record lows, is it time to step up your overseas investments?<strong> </strong>Well, yes—but not quite the way most gurus are advising.</p>
<p> With a few notable exceptions, foreign stock markets, especially the "emerging" bourses, have skyrocketed in recent years, particularly in dollar terms. For a U.S.-based investor, bargains are getting harder to find.</p>
<p>However, there's a nifty back-door entry into the arena of global growth—and the seats are cheap, too. Many of America's largest and best managed companies earn a hefty chunk of their sales and profits outside our borders. By plugging these stocks into your portfolio, you can ride the global economic boom more safely and efficiently than if you dabbled in stock markets from Paris to Shanghai.</p>
<p>Let me introduce you to some of these multinational gems, all poised to deliver a total return (dividends plus capital appreciation) that could stretch as high as 25%–35% in the coming year.</p>