After a short engagement, Gus Fleites splits from his CEO spot with an Oregon 401(k) platform provider
April 23, 2012--After a short engagement, Gus Fleites splits from his CEO spot with an Oregon 401(k) platform provider
Invest n Retire is shifting to pouring resources into technology right now after looking at a sales buildup that Fleites was expected to facilitate
ETF PROVIDERS ANNOUNCE CREATION OF THE NATIONAL ETF ASSOCIATION, "NETFA"
New organization will help raise awareness of $1.2 trillion US ETF industry through education and outreach to private and public sector stakeholders
April 23, 2012--Senior executives of leading US-based exchange-traded fund ("ETF") companies have agreed to launch the National Exchange Traded Funds Association ("NETFA"), an independent national trade association that will represent and promote the US ETF industry.
“In the 20 years since the first US ETF launched, the industry has grown to over $1.2 trillion in assets, over 1400 funds, and approximately 2 dozen different issuers. This is an ideal time for the industry to establish its own industry trade group to represent and promote the ETF sector”, stated the new Chairman of NETFA, John Hyland.
NETFA’s new Vice-Chairman, Adam Patti adds “Once an industry sector achieves a certain scale, it can no longer depend on ad-hoc efforts by individual companies, or the efforts of non-ETF industry groups, to represent itself to the public or to the regulators. This is the first step in a long journey to establish a professional and coordinated approach to the topics of investor education and industry representation.”
Increasingly, investors are choosing to use ETFs for their investment needs. Over the last five years, assets in US-listed ETFs have grown an average of 24% annually, from $408 billion in December 29, 2006 to $1,211 billion as of March 30, 2012. There are over 1,400 ETFs listed on US exchanges as of March 30, 2012 (source: 2011 ICI Factbook, Index Universe).
Membership in NETFA will be open to any Exchange Traded Fund issuer or sponsor. There is also a class of membership for firms that are active in the ETF industry, but are not issuers of ETFs.
CONTACTS
Chair: John T. Hyland, CFA
Chief Investment Officer
United States Commodity Funds LLC
jhyland@unitedstatesoilfund.com
Vice-Chair: Adam S. Patti
Chief Executive Officer
IndexIQMbr>
apatti@indexiq.com
Media Contact: Patricia Lobato
SVP & Director of Creative Services
ALPS, A DST Company
(303) 623-2577 or
patricia.lobato@alpsinc.com
Website: www.nationaletf.org
Dow Jones Industrial Average Component Companies Increase Expected Annual Dividend Distribution by 8.40% From a Year Ago
Survey by Dow Jones Indexes Also Indicates Expected Annual Dividend Distribution From DJIA's 30 Stocks to Rise 2.18% From Previous Quarter
DJIA Components' Dividends Represent 37% of Total U.S. Stock Market Payouts
Dividend Data Provides Insight Into Outlook of Bellwether U.S. Corporations, Dow Jones Indexes Says
April 23, 2012--The Dow Jones Industrial Average's 30 component companies are expected to increase their annual dividend payout by 8.40% year-over-year and 2.18% from the previous quarter,
according to a first-quarter 2012 survey by Dow Jones Indexes.
DJIA component companies' $107 billion expected dividend distribution for the 12 months beginning April 1, 2012, represents 37% of all indicated annual dividends (IAD) by U.S. companies as measured by the Dow Jones U.S. Index, a gauge that accounts for roughly 95% of the U.S. equity market. (IAD is a forward-looking measure defined as a company's most recently paid quarterly dividend multiplied by four.)
Exchange Traded Concepts Partners with Horizons Exchange Traded Funds on Covered Call ETF Series
Established Canadian ETF Provider Opts for U.S. Debut with Exchange Traded Concepts
April 23, 2012--Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (ETC), in conjunction with Horizons Exchange Traded Funds Inc. (Horizons ETFs), has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue three covered call exchange traded funds (ETFs) in the United States.
This new series of Horizons’ ETFs represents the latest endeavor by ETC to help a third-party investment manager bring ETFs to market quickly and cost-effectively. The Horizons ETFs group has been an active sponsor of ETFs in Canada, with more than 80 ETFs listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and CAD$3.3 billion in assets under management. ETC, a U.S. private-label ETF advisor, will serve as manager and investment adviser to the ETFs. Mirae Asset Global Investments (USA) LLC, the sub-adviser to the ETFs, and Horizons ETFs are both subsidiaries of Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd.
AdvisorShares Announces Global Echo ETF Launch Date
AdvisorShares and Philippe Cousteau Jr. Partner to Launch the First Multi-Manager Active ETF Focused on Sustainable Investment Themes
April 23, 2012--On April 19, 2012 AdvisorShares, a leading sponsor of actively managed Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), announced today that the Global Echo ETF (NYSE: GIVE) will open for trading on Thursday, May 24, 2012.
GIVE is a broadly diversified multi-manager ETF with a focus on Sustainable Investment themes, that seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation with an emphasis on absolute (positive) returns and low sensitivity to a blend of traditional financial market indices such as the S&P 500 Index, over a full market cycle. GIVE has four portfolio managers allocating to different investment strategies and asset classes:
Alerian MLP ETF Reaches Milestone: Three Billion in Net Assets
April 23, 2012--The Alerian MLP ETF (master limited partnership exchange-traded fund) reached three billion in net assets on April 18, 2012.
The fund began trading on August 25, 2010.
“We have been tremendously pleased with the growth of the Alerian MLP ETF, the first ever ETF product focused on MLPs and after-tax yield.” said Kenny Feng,
President and CEO of Alerian. “We have enjoyed partnering with ALPS, a firm which possesses a strength in alternative investments as well as a specialized sales team knowledgeable in MLPs. We look forward to a continued partnership with ALPS and bringing more information and product access to the MLP asset class.”
SSGA files with the SEC
April 23, 2012--SSGA has filed a pre-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the
SPDR SSgA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF
SPDR SSgA Income Allocation ETF
SPDR SSgA Conservative Global Allocation ETF
SPDR SSgA Global Allocation ETF (
SPDR SSgA Aggressive Global Allocation ETF
SPDR Blackstone/GSO Senior Loan ETF
view filimg
Cambria files with the SEC
April 23, 2012--Cambria has filed a registration statement with the SEC for the Cambria Currency Strategies ETF
Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF
Cambria Foreign Shareholder Yield ETF
Cambria Emerging Shareholder Yield ETF.
view filing FlexShares files with the SEC Morgan Stalney-US ETF Weekly Update After posting $6.3 bln in net outflows two weeks ago, ETFs generated net inflows of $669 mln last week
13-week flows were mostly positive among asset classes; combined $25.2 bln net inflows
US-Listed ETFs: Estimated Largest Flows by Individual ETF
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) generated net inflows of $394 mln last week, the most of any ETF
US-Listed ETFs: Short Interest
Data Unchanged: Based on data as of 3/30/12
SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) posted the largest increase in USD short interest
The average shares short/shares outstanding for ETFs is currently 5%
US-Listed ETFs: Most Successful Recent Launches by Assets $7.2 billion in total market cap of ETFs less than 1-year old
Over the past year, many of the successful launches have an income/dividend orientation
The highly anticipated PIMCO Total Return ETF (BOND) has eclipsed $500 mln in market cap in less than two months
US regulators look to ease swaps rules Some volatility ETFs are 'disaster' Merk Investments, LLC files with the SEC Exchange Traded Concepts files with the SEC Global X files with the SEC
April 23, 2012--FlexShares has filed a fourth and restated application for exemptive relief with the SEC.
view filing
April 23, 2012--US ETF Weekly Update
Weekly Flows: $669 Million Net Inflows
ETF Assets Stand at $1.2 Trillion, up 12% YTD
Two ETF Launches Last Week
ALPS Announces Closure of Commodity Equity ETF
US-Listed ETFs: Estimated Flows by Market Segment
Last week’s net inflows, while small, were led by Fixed Income ETFs ($1.9 bln in net inflows)
ETF assets stand at $1.2 tln, up 12% YTD; ETFs have posted net inflows 13 out of 16 weeks YTD ($47.1 bln in net inflows)
Fixed Income ETFs have consistently generated weekly net inflows (36 straight weeks of net inflows)
Over the past 13 weeks US Large-Cap ETFs have exhibited notable net outflows of $4.6 bln; however, in the category, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in particular accounted for $6.7 bln in net outflows over the 13-week period
US Equity and Fixed Income ETFs occupied the top 10 spots for largest net inflows last week
The technology-heavy PowerShares QQQ (QQQ) has posted net outflows for three consecutive weeks ($1.9 bln in net
outflows); notably, Apple Inc. is QQQ’s top holding (≈18%) and has pulled back meaningfully over the past two weeks
DIA’s shares short are at their highest levels since 12/15/11
For the second consecutive period, SPY had the largest decline in USD short interest
CurrencyShares Euro Trust (FXE) has seen its short interest ratio jump recently despite its shares short declining; the reason is
FXE’s shares outstanding dropped more than 50% from the prior period
Based on multiple borrowings and the ability to continuously create new shares, short interest as a % of market cap can exceed 100%
Source: Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Research. Data estimated as of 4/20/12 based on daily change in share counts and daily NAVs.
Over the past 13 weeks, newly launched Fixed Income ETFs generated most net inflows at $706 mln
85 new ETF listings and 16 closures YTD; 40 of the ETFs launched YTD were issued by iShares
Five different ETF sponsors and two asset classes represented in top 10 most successful launches
Top 10 most successful launches account for 57% of market cap of ETFs launched over the past year
April 23, 2012--US regulators are exploring ways to give large foreign banks and overseas subsidiaries of US lenders a reprieve from stringent new derivatives rules, potentially alleviating one of the biggest concerns facing global financial institutions.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is looking to grant a temporary exemption to swap dealers that may fall under the jurisdiction of foreign financial authorities from complying with a host of post-financial crisis regulations governing derivatives transactions, people familiar with the matter said.
April 22, 2012--Some exchange-traded products linked to volatility are "a disaster", according to the co-creator of the Vix index, the principal measure of US stock market volatility.
Sandy Rattray, chief investment officer of Man Systematic Strategies, part of Man Group, the world’s second-largest hedge fund manager, said exchange-traded products that invest in volatility futures could be “catastrophically expensive” for investors.
April 20, 2012--Merk Gold Trust
has filed a FORM S-1, registration statement with the SEC for the Merk Gold Trust.
view filing
April 20, 2012--Exchange Traded Concepts has filed a post-effective amedment, registration statement with the SEC for the Yorkville High Income Composite MLP ETF | Ticker Symbol: YMLC
Yorkville High Income Infrastructure MLP ETF | Ticker Symbol: YMLI
view filing
April 20, 2012--Global X has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the Global X Risk Parity ETF.
view filing