> Index funds, 401k and some stocks exist only in the USA.
I am not sure whether you are European making fun of the financial system of the USA or an American thinking Europe somehow lives in the stone age.
Of course we have those things. Also there are these things called stock exchanges, were even people from poor, underdeveloped nations like Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Germany are allowed to buy stocks. Even fancy American ones.
I am an European who is sad that Vanguard doesn't exist there, and there is no comparable local equivalent.
And no, an European either cannot and/or should not buy American stock.
1) Some stocks are simply not available for trades by your local brokers
2) You cannot use some remote products/brokers because they require you to be an US citizen or resident
3) There are taxations and constraints that makes international stock worthless. For instance, American stocks are taxed by the USA (by USA law) then taxed again by your home EU country (local country law).
P.S. I am sure there are loopholes to get it done if you have more than 10M€ to invest but that's not the case of the majority of people.
Still there are index funds in Europe, 401k equivalents and you can buy international stocks.
What kind of stocks do you need for your personal financial planning, that you cannot get in Europe? I have heard nice things about Vanguard on HN, but so far have not had any troubles with iShares and the like.
I am not sure whether you are European making fun of the financial system of the USA or an American thinking Europe somehow lives in the stone age.
Of course we have those things. Also there are these things called stock exchanges, were even people from poor, underdeveloped nations like Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Germany are allowed to buy stocks. Even fancy American ones.