ETFs – Page 4
-
Special ReportThe European bond market is modernising
The European bond market is modernising at a rapid pace, and fixed income exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are playing a crucial role in driving this progress. ETF liquidity, price transparency and versatility are propelling many of the developments we see in the market today and are supporting a more robust and structured bond ecosystem.
-
Special ReportThe ETFs that could gain from the Biden presidency
US President Joe Biden has set out ambitious spending plans since taking office in January. Investors are looking closely at what this means for markets and monetary policy.
-
Special ReportEnhanced index strategies offer the best of both worlds
Passive investing strategies have been some of the biggest beneficiaries of above-average equity market performance over the past decade: they produced strong returns for investors without needing to take any active risk to generate performance.
-
Special ReportSemi-transparent ETFs: balance and confidence
For now, active semi-transparent or non-transparent exchange-traded funds are likely to remain unique to the North American and Australian investment markets; their European counterparts appear reluctant to take the plunge, although some industry experts believe this will change in time.
-
Special ReportTheme regime: thematic investing and asset allocation
Portfolio construction has come a long way from the early work of Markowitz back in the 1950s. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, investors found more sophisticated quantitative methods to assess risk, expected return and the associated investment opportunities through mathematical machinery such as factor modelling.
-
Special ReportESG outperformance: not about one factor
The recent outperformance of many ESG indices relative to broad market indices is well documented. The resilience of ESG strategies during the COVID-19 crisis has broadened the appreciation and appeal of ESG.
-
Special ReportBonds, boutiques and Bitcoin: ETF trends in 2021
The extreme events of 2020 sent ripples through the exchange-traded fund (ETF) market. Highly volatile markets in the first quarter gave way to a huge rally later in the year, with thematic products in particular reaping the benefits of significant inflows.
-
Special ReportETFs Guide 2021: A story of scale, scope and sophistication
In tandem with continued strong inflows, which you will see illustrated in granular detail in the data supplied by research and consultancy firm ETFGI at the back of this year’s ETF Guide, the scope of ETFs’ role is broadening with the adoption of what one asset manager describes as a ‘whole portfolio’ approach.
-
Special ReportFrom fixed weights to all-weather: rethinking the 60/30/10 portfolio
In the current environment of low interest rates, policy uncertainty, large dispersion of global growth outlooks and gyrating equity markets, asset allocation is one of the foremost considerations for investors. Fixed weight portfolios such as the 60/40 portfolio (ie, 60% equities and 40% fixed income) have been widely used – the main benefits being their conceptual simplicity, ease of implementation and, historically, the diversification benefits across equity and fixed income returns.
-
News
Varma invests €200m in BlackRock US ‘transition readiness’ ETF
Finnish pension insurer was only European anchor investor in the €1bn-plus NYSE launch
-
News
Major asset managers announce leadership changes
Amundi, BlackRock appointments ‘reflect ETF, meritocracy’ trend
-
NewsAsset management roundup: SLA China venture gets pensions licence
Plus: Debut Paris-aligned fixed income ETF; Invesco’s RI framework; Franklin Templeton starts investment institute
-
Special ReportVersatile and resilient on the path to maturity
The ETF market continues its penetration across asset classes beyond equities, its traditional area of activity: According to data from ETFGI, fixed income ETFs account for the largest proportion of net new assets for the second year running and now represent 20% of the market, while commodities ETFs grew 30% in value in the year to July.
-
Special ReportGetting what you pay for
Price wars are nothing new for passive asset managers, but the contest has been particularly intense in the exchange-traded funds (ETF) space as new and existing players jostle for position. While low cost is always a draw it is clearly not the only factor in the investment decision process.
-
Special ReportFixed income ETFs: a turning point for European pension funds
Over the past decades, European pension funds have experienced many changes and challenges. Through it all, the European DB market has continued to de-risk, while DC systems have become the new normal.
-
Special Report
ESG: remarkable progress, evolving indices and futures growth
The unprecedented economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 virus has led for calls to reshape the global economy to make it fairer and more environmentally sustainable. Campaigners are challenging governments to direct their record stimulus funds towards projects and investments that benefit broader society.
-
Special ReportESG integration demands definitions and data
The first ETF in Europe that focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors was launched by iShares in 2006.
-
Special ReportFive reasons pension funds are considering indexing for sustainable investing
Sustainable indexing gives pensions the clarity they need to build more sustainable portfolios, for the following reasons:
-
Special ReportClassification: not for everyone
In May 2020, BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors, Invesco, Charles Schwab Investment Management and Fidelity Investments set out a new idea that would, they said, re-classify certain types of exchange-traded products and benefit investor transparency.
-
Special ReportEmerging market equities – a changing landscape worth revisiting
Emerging market (EM) equities form an important part of many European pension fund growth portfolios today. Investors are keen to capture excess returns on offer thanks to EMs’ risk premium over developed markets, as well as the diversification benefits they can bring to portfolios; these characteristics have been helpful for many of Europe’s DB and DC schemes.
