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MARKET VECTORS BRAZIL SMALL-CAP ETF


Ticker: BRF®
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
MAY 1, 2013

BRFSUM

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s prospectus and other information about the Fund online at http:/  /www.vaneck.com/ library/etfs/. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 888.MKT.VCTR, or by sending an email request to info@vaneck.com. The Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated May 1, 2013, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Market Vectors® Brazil Small-Cap Index (the “Brazil Small-Cap Index”).

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund (“Shares”).

 

 

 

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

 

 

 

None

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fee

 

 

 

0.50

%

 

Other Expenses

 

 

 

0.14

%

 

 

 

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)

 

 

 

0.64

%

 

Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement(a)

 

 

 

0.04

%

 

 

 

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement(a)

 

 

 

0.60

%

 

 

(a)

 

 

 

Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) has agreed to waive fees and/or pay Fund expenses to the extent necessary to prevent the operating expenses of the Fund (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 0.59% of the Fund’s average daily net assets per year until at least May 1, 2014. During such time, the expense limitation is expected to continue until the Fund’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such expense limitation.

EXPENSE EXAMPLE

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

 

 

 

YEAR

 

EXPENSES

 

1

 

 

$

 

61

 

3

 

 

$

 

201

 

5

 

 

$

 

353

 

10

 

 

$

 

795

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example,


   

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may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 76% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Brazil Small-Cap Index is comprised of securities of Brazilian small-capitalization companies. A company is considered to be a Brazilian company if it is incorporated in Brazil or generates at least 50% of its revenues (or, in certain circumstances, has at least 50% of its assets) in Brazil. As of December 31, 2012, the Brazil Small-Cap Index included 71 securities of companies with a market capitalization range of between approximately $212 million and $4.4 billion and a weighted average market capitalization of $1.7 billion. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.

The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Brazil Small-Cap Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the Brazil Small-Cap Index. The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance before fees and expenses and that of the Brazil Small-Cap Index will be 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% if its assets in securities that comprise the Brazil Small-Cap Index.

The Fund may also utilize convertible securities and participation notes to seek performance that corresponds to the Brazil Small-Cap Index.

The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Brazil Small-Cap Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of December 31, 2012, the Brazil Small-Cap Index was concentrated in the consumer discretionary sector and each of the financial services and industrials sectors represented a significant portion of the Brazil Small-Cap Index.

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund.

Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Brazilian Issuers. The Brazilian government has exercised, and continues to exercise, significant influence over the Brazilian economy. The Brazilian economy has been characterized by frequent, and occasionally drastic, interventions by the Brazilian government, including the imposition of wage and price controls, exchange controls, limiting imports and other measures. The Brazilian government has often changed monetary, taxation, credit, trade and other policies to influence the core of Brazil’s economy. Actions taken by the Brazilian government concerning the economy may have significant effects on Brazilian companies and on market conditions and prices of Brazilian securities.

The market for Brazilian securities is directly influenced by the flow of international capital, and economic and market conditions of certain countries, especially emerging market countries. As a result, adverse economic conditions or developments in other emerging market countries have at times significantly affected the availability of credit in the Brazilian economy and resulted in considerable outflows of funds and declines in the amount of foreign currency invested in Brazil.

Investments in Brazilian securities may be subject to certain restrictions on foreign investment. Brazilian law provides that whenever a serious imbalance in Brazil’s balance of payments exists or is anticipated, the Brazilian government may impose temporary restrictions on the remittance to foreign investors of the proceeds of their investment in Brazil and on the conversion of the Brazilian Real into foreign currency.

Brazil has historically experienced high rates of inflation and a high level of debt, each of which may constrain economic growth. Despite rapid development in recent years, Brazil still suffers from high levels of corruption, crime and income disparity. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. An increase in prices for commodities, such as petroleum, the depreciation of the Brazilian Real and future governmental measures seeking to maintain the value of the Brazilian Real in relation to the U.S. dollar, may trigger increases in inflation in Brazil and may slow the rate of growth of the Brazilian economy. Conversely, appreciation of the Brazilian Real relative to the U.S. dollar may lead to the deterioration of Brazil’s current account and balance of payments as well as limit the growth of exports.

Because the Fund’s assets will be invested primarily in equity securities of Brazilian issuers and the income received by the Fund will be principally in Brazilian Real. The Fund’s exposure to the Brazilian Real and changes in value of the Brazilian Real versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and Brazilian Real.

Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial


   

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information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because many foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the prices of securities that trade in such markets may be influenced by large traders. Certain foreign markets that have historically been considered relatively stable may become volatile in response to changed conditions or new developments. Increased interconnectivity of world economies and financial markets increases the possibility that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. Foreign issuers are often subject to less stringent requirements regarding accounting, auditing, financial reporting and record keeping than are U.S. issuers, and therefore, not all material information may be available or reliable. Securities exchanges or foreign governments may adopt rules or regulations that may negatively impact the Fund’s ability to invest in foreign securities or may prevent the Fund from repatriating its investments. In addition, the Fund may not receive shareholder communications or be permitted to vote the securities that it holds, as the issuers may be under no legal obligation to distribute shareholder communications.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Market Issuers. Investments in securities of emerging market issuers are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade. Political risks may include unstable governments, nationalization, restrictions on foreign ownership, laws that prevent investors from getting their money out of a country and legal systems that do not protect property rights as well as the laws of the United States. Market risks may include economies that concentrate in only a few industries, securities issues that are held by only a few investors, limited trading capacity in local exchanges and the possibility that markets or issues may be manipulated by foreign nationals who have inside information.

Risk of Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector. The consumer discretionary sector includes, among others, automotive, household durable goods and apparel manufacturers and companies that provide retail, lodging, leisure or food and beverage services. Because as currently constituted the Brazil Small-Cap Index is concentrated in the consumer discretionary sector, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the consumer discretionary sector. Companies engaged in the consumer discretionary sector are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand. These companies may also be adversely affected by changes in consumer spending as a result of world events, political and economic conditions, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations.

Risk of Investing in the Financial Services Sector. The financial services sector includes companies engaged in banking, commercial and consumer finance, investment banking, brokerage, asset management, custody or insurance. Because as currently constituted the financial services sector represents a significant portion of the Brazil Small-Cap Index, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financial services sector. Companies in the financial services sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financial services sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns. In addition, the financial services sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, increased government involvement in the financial services sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions. Recent developments in the credit markets have caused companies operating in the financial services sector to incur large losses, experience declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations.

Risk of Investing in the Industrials Sector. The industrials sector includes companies engaged in the manufacture and distribution of capital goods, such as those used in defense, construction and engineering, companies that manufacture and distribute electrical equipment and industrial machinery and those that provide commercial and transportation services and supplies. Because as currently constituted the industrials sector represents a significant portion of the Brazil Small-Cap Index, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates.

Risk of Investing in Small-Capitalization Companies. Small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and more likely than large- and medium-capitalization companies to have narrower product lines, fewer financial resources, less management depth and experience and less competitive strength. Returns on investments in securities of small- capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of large- and medium-capitalization companies.

Equity Securities Risk. The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the markets in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific issuers in which the Fund invests. Equity securities are subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure with respect to priority in right to a share of corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred securities or debt instruments. In addition, while broad market measures of equity securities have historically


   

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generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, equity securities have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.

Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions and sudden and unpredictable drops in value. An investment in the Fund may lose money.

Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Brazil Small-Cap Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Brazil Small-Cap Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Brazil Small-Cap Index and raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein). Because the Fund bears the costs and risks associated with buying and selling securities while such costs and risks are not factored into the return of the Brazil Small- Cap Index, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Brazil Small-Cap Index. In addition, the Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities included in the Brazil Small-Cap Index, or invest in them in the exact proportions they represent of the Brazil Small-Cap Index, due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the government of Brazil or a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade. The Fund is expected to value certain of its investments based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) based on fair value prices and the value of the Brazil Small-Cap Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of the Brazil Small-Cap Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Brazil Small-Cap Index may be adversely affected.

Replication Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund of equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Brazil Small-Cap Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.

Premium/Discount Risk. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Risk of Cash Transactions. Unlike most exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), the Fund expects to effect creations and redemptions principally for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As such, investments in Shares may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a conventional ETF.

Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single company. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Brazil Small-Cap Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. Based on the current composition of the Brazil Small-Cap Index, the Fund’s assets are concentrated in the consumer discretionary sector; therefore, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on that sector will negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.

PERFORMANCE

The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for one year and since inception compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after income taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.marketvectorsetfs.com.


   

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Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

 

 

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

 

25.09%

 

3Q ’10

Worst Quarter:

 

-29.14%

 

3Q ’11

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2012

The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past
One Year

 

Since Inception
(5/12/2009)

 

Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap Index ETF (return before taxes)

 

 

 

17.86

%

 

 

 

 

22.93

%

 

Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap Index ETF (return after taxes on distributions)

 

 

 

17.25

%

 

 

 

 

21.24

%

 

Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap Index ETF (return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)

 

 

 

11.62

%

 

 

 

 

19.46

%

 

Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

18.82

%

 

 

 

 

23.69

%

 

S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

1.66

%

 

 

 

 

15.64

%

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.

Portfolio Managers. The following individuals are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Title with Adviser

 

Date Began Managing the Fund

 

Hao-Hung (Peter) Liao

 

Portfolio Manager

 

May 2009

George Cao

 

Portfolio Manager

 

May 2009

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in a large specified number of Shares, each called a “Creation Unit,” or multiples thereof. A Creation Unit consists of 50,000 Shares.

Individual Shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Fund are listed on NYSE Arca Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) and because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than or less than NAV.

TAX INFORMATION

The Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.


   

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