Americas ETP News
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JPMorgan's blockchain payments test is literally out of this world
February 24, 2021--Stuck in space with bills to pay? Don't worry, the satellites could take care of it.
JPMorgan Chase & Co has recently tested blockchain payments between satellites orbiting the earth, executives at the bank told Reuters, showing that digital devices could use the technology behind virtual currencies for transactions.
The so-called Internet of Things (IoT), where devices connect to one another, is most associated with consumer electronics, including smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home, and banks want to be ready to process payments when these smart devices start doing transactions autonomously.Umar Farooq, the CEO of JPMorgan's blockchain business Onyx, thought space was a cool place to try it out.
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Source: reuters.com
2 new ESG ETFs bring small-and mid-cap stocks into focus
February 24, 2021--The funds are the first ETFs to track the environmental, social and governance versions of the indexes. The DWS suite of ESG ETFs come with a tracking error of about one percentage point.
Xtrackers S&P MidCap 400 ESG ETF (MIDE), and Xtrackers S&P SmallCap 600 ESG ETF (SMLE) listed Wednesday applying sustainable investing screens to the popular indexes.
These are the first ETFs to track the environmental, social and governance versions of the indexes.
"At DWS, we have made ESG-centric investing integral to our value proposition for our clients and the launch of MIDE and SMLE is a logical follow-on," said Arne Noack, DWS head of systematic investment solutions.
"We seek to provide investors with transparency around relevant ESG-metrics of a potential investment," he added. "Investors can, for example, easily view the reduction in carbon footprint of the underlying companies, compared to a non-ESG benchmark."
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Source: investmentnews.com
Fidelity Merrimack Street Trust files with the SEC-Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF and Fidelity Investment Grade Securitized ETF
February 23, 2021-Fidelity Merrimack Street Trust has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the
Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF
Fidelity Investment Grade Securitized ETF.
view filing
Source: SEC.gov
American Century Investments Adds To Active ETF Lineup With Convertible And Preferred ETFs
February 18, 2021--On the heels of the three-year anniversary of its first exchange traded funds (ETFs), global asset management firm American Century Investments today rolled out the latest additions to its lineup: American Century Quality Convertible Securities ETF (QCON) and American Century American Century Quality Preferreds ETF (QPFF), listed on the CBOE BZX Exchange, Inc. (CBOE).
QCON is designed for investors seeking high-quality convertible securities that offer the potential for attractive risk-adjusted returns, and QPFF is designed for investors seeking high-quality preferred securities that offer the potential for high current income and attractive total return. Both are actively managed with holdings disclosed daily and have a total expense ratio of .32 percent.
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Source: American Century Investments
Bitcoin ETF Roars in Debut With $165 Million of Trading Volume
January 18, 2021--Purpose Bitcoin ETF, ticker BTCC, debuted in Toronto Thursday
Largest cryptocurrency has surged fivefold in the past year
North America's first Bitcoin ETF got off to a stellar start in its debut, with investors exchanging $165 million worth of shares.
After a relentless surge in the world's largest digital currency, the first Bitcoin product that’s officially labeled an exchange-traded fund debuted Thursday in Toronto. It's worth noting, though, that Europe has several crypto-tracking products that function like an ETF. The new fund, called Purpose Bitcoin ETF (ticker BTCC), invests directly in "physical/digital Bitcoin," issuer Purpose Investments Inc. said in a statement.
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Source: bloomberg.com
Putnam Investments to Launch Active ETF Strategies
February 18, 2021--Firm to Create Four Publicly Traded U.S. Equity ETFs,
including Two ESG Strategies
Putnam Investments today announced that the firm will bring four of its key U.S. equity strategies to market this year in the form of semi-transparent active exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with the first of the products expected to be available in the spring, upon completion of the registration process.
These offerings will represent the first ETF products provided by the company, which currently makes available an array of retail mutual funds, separately managed accounts, collective investment trusts, private funds and non-U.S. funds.
The investment strategies for the four initial ETF products will be similar to existing mutual funds with well-established track records, both in the ESG and large-cap equity areas, and will include: Putnam Sustainable Leaders ETF, Putnam Sustainable Future ETF, Putnam Focused Large Cap Growth ETF and Putnam Focused Large Cap Value ETF.
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Source: Putnam Investments
Wilshire Phoenix Launches Innovative Gold ETF on NYSE Arca (WGLD)
February 18, 2021--Wilshire Phoenix, a leader of innovation in the financial services industry, announces the debut of the Wilshire wShares Enhanced Gold Trust (NYSE Arca: WGLD). WGLD tracks the Wilshire Gold Index, which seeks to outperform a stand-alone investment in gold and reduce its volatility without the use of any futures, leverage, or derivatives.
The launch of WGLD marks significant innovation for commodities-based ETFs and the overall fund space.
"The industry constantly touts innovation, but often disappoints by failing to deliver any meaningful new products for investors. In contrast, WGLD offers all investors immediate access to an entirely distinct strategy and structure in a transparent and efficient manner," said Bill Herrmann, managing partner at Wilshire Phoenix.
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Source: Wilshire Phoenix
Call for SEC to regulate index providers as investment advisers
February 17, 2021--Academics say narrower thematic or style approaches should be subject to regulatory scrutiny
Stricter rules should be imposed on providers of financial indices, which underpin trillions of dollars of investment decisions globally, according to a new academic study that calls for action by US regulators.
Index providers, such as S&P Global, MSCI, FTSE Russell and Bloomberg, calculate widely used benchmarks for stocks, bonds and other securities, but these companies are not regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the US investment industry’s main watchdog.
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Source: FT.com
US ETF investors mainly motivated by tax loophole, study shows
February 15, 2021--$1tn has been pulled from US mutual funds in past decade with ETFs attracting a similar amount of inflows
US ETF investors mainly motivated by tax loophole, study shows.
A shift in US investor flows away from mutual funds towards exchange traded funds is being driven primarily by a tax loophole, rather than any inherent advantage of the ETF structure, a team of academics has concluded.
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Source: FT.com
Reddit effect takes cannabis stocks on a wild ride
February 13, 2021--Assets under management by pot-tracking ETFs are at an all-time high.
Cannabis stocks are the latest to experience the often shortlived high provided by Reddit exposure.
Social media has proved a powerful driver of retail sentiment so far this year, leaving investors and analysts to wonder which company might become the next GameStop.
The focus turned to pot stocks this week: three of the top five most discussed companies on the r/WallStreetBets forum on Wednesday were cannabis companies, according to alternative data provider Quiver Quantitative.
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Source: FT.com
