international brokers / geographic diversification

[murphy_p_t]

anyone have any thoughts or comments (from direct experience or otherwise) on using international brokers such as Thales Securities (Panama) or OCBC (Singapore)? Both of these indicate they will accept US persons as customers.

[craigr]

I have none with these firms. But in general as a US resident you may be restricted as to what securities they may allow you to purchase due to SEC controls. Plus unless the investments you are buying really are outside the US, then the geographic diversification is somewhat compromised. What you may just end up with are the same products you could buy here, just with a higher broker fee attached.