Asia ETF News Older Than 1 year-If your looking for specific news, using the search function will narrow down the results
Shenzhen Securities Information Company and FTSE Group sign MOU to explore possibility of developing new suite of indices
September 4, 2012--Shenzhen Securities Information Co. Ltd ("SZSE Securities Information") and global index provider FTSE Group ("FTSE") have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to facilitate the development and promotion of new indices for the China capital markets.
Under the MOU, Shenzhen Securities Information and FTSE will undertake index-related research and development projects and leverage one another’s strengths promoting indices to Chinese domestic and international investors.
FTSE was the first global index provider to enter the China market. Since 2001, FTSE has created a comprehensive suite of benchmark and tradable A Share indices which are widely used by domestic and international investors. Increasingly, investors are looking to supplement existing benchmark approaches with innovative indices offering unique access to the China A Share market.
view more
Source: FTSE
SSE Environmental Protection Industry Index，CSI Environmental Protection Industry Index To Be Launched
September 3, 2012--Designed to serve as new investable benchmarks for investors, SSE and CSI today announced the upcoming launch of SSE Environmental Protection Industry Index，CSI Environmental Protection Industry Index on September 25th 2012.
Regarding the methodologies and more details of the above indices, please refer to the official website of SSE (www.sse.com.cn) and CSI (www.csindex.com.cn).
Source: Shanghai Stock Exchange
ETF rules seen issued by month's end
September 2, 2012--THE SECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) hopes to release by the end of the month the long-anticipated rules on exchange-traded funds (ETFs), a top official of the regulator said over the weekend.
“Our self-imposed deadline is end of September. Comments still have to be considered,” SEC Chairman Teresita J. Herbosa said in a text message last Saturday, adding that remarks private sector representatives made in past consultations are now being consolidated.
An ETF is similar to a mutual fund which will allow a market player to invest in a basket of stocks through a single security, which then tracks and matches yields of a market index. The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) has been pushing ETFs’ revival to grow and diversify the country’s equities market after their operation for a few months in 2003.
read more
Source: Business World Online
China: Rising unemployment pressures
September 2, 2012--China's PMI in August is 49.2-below market consensus of 50 and July's reading of 50.1. In particular, we would like to highlight the rising unemployment pressures, especially for youth.
We also note that August PMI suggests major risk has shifted to the domestic side, with the slowdown in the economy starting to drag on large enterprises. Monetary policy has already missed the best window for easing as headline inflation will rebound from this point. The clock is ticking, yet sign-off on any stimulus package will have to wait until after the political transition is fully settled.
Unemployment pressures have been rising, especially for youth
The PMI employment index tracks the unemployment pressures better than the official unemployment data, in our view. The survey includes 820 enterprises, and a number above 50 means expansion. The PMI employment index usually rebounds after Chinese New Year (Figure 1), when rural workers return to their work in urban centres, and during summer as graduates enter the job market.
view the China: rising unemployment pressures report
Source: Mirae Asset Securities (HK) - Global Research Center
India posts 5.5% quarterly growth
August 31, 2012-- India logged slightly faster quarterly growth of 5.5% on Friday, and analysts said the nation's economy may have "bottomed out" though any recovery would be modest.
While growth is still stuck around three-year lows, the official figure for the three months to June marked a small improvement on the previous quarter's 5.3% expansion and marginally outpaced market forecasts.
read more
Source: FIN24
Opportunities with the Opening of China's Futures Market
August 30, 2012--On August 20th 2012, SMK, a financial research institute in China, released the latest China's Financial Market Investment Report.
The report stated that: "China will introduce a slew of financial opening policies. Foreign capital will be able to enter China directly, and it will provide a huge opportunity for the U.S. and European financial institutions."
read more
Source: SMK
India's revised growth data, raises fears
August 30, 2012--India has quietly revised a slew of key economic data ahead of new GDP figures due out on Friday, a move economists say raises questions about the reliability of the country's financial records.
India's Central Statistics Office (CSO) has a history of making frequent revisions, but seasoned experts have been startled by the scale of the latest changes, which were released unannounced on the Internet.
read more
Source: FIN24
Asia hits out at US swaps reform plans
August 29, 2012--US proposals to revamp global derivatives markets threaten to create systemic risks and damp trading, Asian financial regulators have warned their US peers.
The comments, which echo concerns in Europe, mark the first time Asian regulators have openly expressed concerns about planned reforms, reflecting worries that banks outside the US could get swept up by the Dodd-Frank rules.
read more
Source: FT.com
7 new ETFs have launched on August 29,2012
August 29, 2012--Korea Exchange has listed 7 new ETFs: 『Arirang Leader, Arirang Defensive, Arirang Dividend, Arirang Auto, Arirang Ship&Trans, Arirang Iron&Metal, Arirang Chem on the KOSPI Market on August 29, 2012.
7 new ETFs are based on FnGuide Indices and provided by HANWHA ASSET MANAGEMENT.
These 7 ETFs aim to run investment trust assets in a way to make sure that the fluctuation rate of the net asset value per unit is similar to that of the FnGuide Index, the underlying index.
Hereafter, the total number of ETFs listed on Korea Exchange rose to 129.
view list
Source: KRX (Korea Exchange)
CSOP Launches First RQFII ETF To Track The FTSE China A50 Index
August 28, 2012--Global index provider FTSE Group has licensed the FTSE China A50 Index to CSOP Asset Management as the basis of its first Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) ETF which listed on the Hong Kong bourse on August 28.
The CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF is the first cash based ETF based on the FTSE China A50 Index and offers investors a direct channel to participate in the China bluechip market. FTSE has over 60% of assets under management in China-themed ETFs listed globally benchmarked to the FTSE China Index Series.
Ding Chen, CEO, CSOP, said, “The FTSE China A50 Index not only enjoys a high awareness in the market, but is also associated with a range of related financial tools for investors to choose from, such as stock index futures and other financial derivatives. With the index, our product is very representative of the A-share market with great tradability, covering a wide range of industries, such as financials, health care, and telecommunications.”
read more
Source: The Asset