GLOBAL STOCKS POPULAR WITH SOME INVESTORS

Burger King, 7-Eleven, Nestle's, Lipton, Ragu -- all are money-making brands readily recognized by U.S. investors.

And all are American brands.

But, if you restrict yourself to U.S. stocks, you won't be investing in these; they're all owned by foreign companies.

A week ago we discussed foreign-owned companies with investments in the U.S. This week we're looking at U.S. investments with foreign companies.

Today's international markets offer investors some important opportunities to diversify their portfolios and dabble in foreign markets without sending money to companies with unproven track records.

Some Cape Girardeau stock brokers say foreign investments could do well in 1994.

"More and more investors are investing globally," said Steve Schneider, vice president of investments at the Cape Girardeau branch of A.G. Edwards & Sons, 97 N. Kingshighway.

"We have seen a lot of money go into global mutual funds and a few individual stocks," said Schneider. "The Mexican market has been good. So has the Chinese market."

Schneider said a great deal of interest has been expressed about Cifra, a Mexican retail operation that joined with Walmart and Cemex, a Mexican cement company.

A couple of stocks from China may not be so familiar to stock investors, but have produced good results. They include China Light and Power and an electronics company, said Schneider.

Other foreign stocks that have attracted investor interest include EuroDisney, Sandos Drug of Europe, Telefonica of Argentina and TelMex, a telephone company from Mexico.

"We really feel the best way to play the foreign market is through the mutual funds, simply because it is tough to buy stocks on foreign exchanges," said Schneider.

However, due to increased demands for global investments, A.G. Edwards and some other American investment firms have agreements with foreign investment companies to provide local residents with information on foreign companies.

In 1992, U.S. investors, including both individuals and institutions, bought a record $35 billion of foreign stocks. That's about three times the record set in 1989, according to Fortune Magazine's Investors Guide.

A lot of small investors shy away from international investing, in part because of the psychological and philosophical leap involved in sending money abroad, and in part because of the volatility of these markets.

Schneider says investors should probably keep the majority of their equity holdings in the U.S., which has traditionally proven to be a good place to invest.

"But the international market can produce a good return," he said. "And, if you're comfortable with the tradeoff of risk and return in global investing, history has shown you can enhance your portfolio's overall return."

The 10.7 percent return on U.S. stocks over the past two decades ranks below that of stocks in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hong Kong and France during the same period. Total returns in those five countries, which comprise the top five international markets, ranged from 13.2 to 16.1 percent.

Some Chinese markets had a great year in 1993, with returns ranging from 50 to 125 percent.

But, as with any other investment, past performance is no guarantee of success, point out stock brokers. "You must thoroughly study the risks and be selective with your investments," emphasized Schneider.

By not investing globally, here are some things you miss:

-- All of the world's 10 largest banking companies

-- Eight of the world's 10 largest electrical and electronics companies.

-- Eight of the world's 10 largest appliance and household durable companies.

-- Eight of the world's 10 largest electrical and gas utility companies.

-- Seven of the world's 10 largest insurance companies.

-- Seven of the world's 10 largest financial services companies.

-- Seven of the world's 10 largest automobile companies.

-- Eight of the world's 10 largest chemical companies

-- Eight of the world's 10 largest machinery and engineering companies

Two of the possible risks are that global investments could be adversely affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates or changes in political, social and economic climates of foreign countries.

Other complicating factors include keeping up with information about foreign countries, knowing how to avoid double taxation with U.S. tax credits and foreign tax deductions, and understanding the accounting and regulatory differences of various countries.

The potential for higher returns isn't the only benefit that offsets the risks of global investing. Since most markets don't rise and fall together, by allocating a part of a portfolio to foreign investments, investors are better positioned to participate in upswings of some countries while minimizing the effects of downturns in other markets.

"Diversifying means more than buying stocks in different industries and finding a proper balance of growth and income stocks," said Schneider. "It could also include making sure all of your investments are not in one country.

"In today's global world, you can invest in just about any country through a variety of investment vehicles."

If you're dead set against investing overseas, you can always invest in U.S. companies that do a lot of business in other countries. Coca Cola, General Electric, Motorola, Procter & Gamble, and many other companies are active abroad, and Southwestern Bell has substantial holdings in TelMex.

The old building that housed Kraft Bakery from 1873 to 1915 has been sold.

"The building and adjacent land at the northwest corner of Independence and Spanish streets in downtown Cape Girardeau was owned by the Kraft family for 125 years," said Donald B. Kraft, whose father and grandfather operated a bakery in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The property, which includes the two-story, brick building that was constructed during the 1870s, was owned by Donald and Fred. R. Kraft before being sold recently.

"The buyers of the building live in Fairbanks, Alaska," said Donald Kraft. "Plans for the building were not revealed. It is our understanding that the buyers will move to Cape Girardeau within the next year."

An antiques and collectibles shop, a barber shop, beauty shop and a physician's office are on the first floor of the building.

Kraft Bakery was founded by Adam Kraft, who came to Cape Girardeau from Germany.

Kraft, who learned his baking skills as an apprentice in Germany, worked for a Cape Girardeau bakery after arriving here in 1855. In 1862, he founded a bakery on Water Street between Themis and Independence.

The Kraft Bakery expanded to three locations, with the main bakery at Spanish and Independence.

The bakery continued to operate until 1915, when it closed after more than a half-century in existence.

Cape Central Publishing Co., a victim of the planned Mississippi River bridge, will move to a new site this spring.

"We were in the way of the new bridge right of way," said Jerry Reppert of Anna, Ill., president of the publishing company.

The firm, which prints a number of weekly newspapers and also offers commercial printing, will move to a Highway 74 location in Six-Thirty Industrial Park.

"We'll be next door to Federal Express, on the north side of Highway 74," said Reppert.

"In fact, the same contractor -- Mac-Con -- that is building the Fed Ex building has the contract for our building."

Construction will start soon, with a completion target date of early spring.

The Six-Thirty Industrial Park is on both sides of Highway 74, from the Florsheim Shoe factory at the intersection with West End Boulevard west to Mid America Distribution.

The new facility has 12,500 square feet. The current building at 706 Commercial has 7,000.

ELSEWHERE:

DEXTER -- Hundreds of people were at the Dexter Armory Tuesday seeking jobs from Hudson Foods Inc.

Hudson recently announced it was expanding its poultry processing facility at Dexter to include an additional 150 jobs.

Hudson officials were on hand to conduct interviews.

A Missouri Division of Employment official said more than 400 people were on hand for applications and interviews.

PIEDMONT -- A new leather and vinyl business accessories plant, which will hire about 30 people, will open here in March.

Corlair, a company that currenty employs seven in its die operaton, is adding the accessories operation and expects to employ as many as 100 people within a year.

This is good news for a town that received some bad news recently when Brown Shoe announced it would close its Piedmont operation this summer.