Three Israeli investment firms have launched a number mutual funds aimed at overseas markets, Globes Online reports. Excellence Investments has rolled out what is being haled as a new concept, regional international mutual funds, focusing on BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and Europe, based on an active index of international stock exchanges.  Excellence has also debuted a mutual fund that will invest in global stock markets, particularly in the U.S. and Japan. Read on.

Leumi Pia Trust has converted its Pia Global Stocks into Pia Small Cap USA, and its PIA S&P100 into the Pia S&P500.

Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings has launched its Batucha Maslul 20, which will invest about one-fifth of it assets in foreign stocks and options and the Batucha Overseas Focus, a foreign offering based on exchange traded funds.

Finally, another large Israeli investment firm, Epsilon Investment House, has launched seven new mutual funds, but none is for international investment.