ETF Securities-Commodity Monthly Monitor -Commodities buck cyclical shakedown
February 26, 2018--While the S&P500, cryptocurrencies and bond prices fell last month, commodities posted gains. The S&P500 volatility index is now back to its normal territory after a protracted period of being subdued. Cyclical commodities like industrial metals however, continue to trade higher on firm fundamentals.
Gains were not homogenous in commodities: the unsustainable rise in oil prices in January faltered in February and palladium has begun to unwind, coming closer to parity with platinum after consistently trading above since October 2017.
As China re-opens after the New Year celebrations, better quality data from the largest consumer of commodities will come due. Year-on-year comparisons of data from China in the months of January and February are very difficult because the timing of lunar New Year is not the same each year on the Georgian calendar
Source: etfsecurities.com
Cybersecurity, cyber-risk and financial sector regulation and supervision
February 24, 2018--The threat and impact of cyberattacks on the financial sector is increasing, and financial sector authorities are increasingly looking to address cyber risk and cybersecurity.
Customers of financial services suffered 65% more cyberattacks in 2016 than customers of any other industry, which represented a 29% increase from the previous year, according to Bank Group estimates.
Improving coordination between financial sector authorities and other agencies dealing with cyber risk and cybersecurity is essential. To help advance this work, the World Bank Group has published two reports:
Financial Sector's Cybersecurity Regulatory Digest, which takes stock of existing regulatory and supervisory practices, including cybersecurity laws, regulations, guidelines and other significant documents on cybersecurity for the financial sector
A paper on Financial Sector's Cybersecurity Regulation and Supervision
Source: World Bank
DECPG Global Weekly
February 23, 2018--TAKING STOCK
U.S. services and manufacturing PMIs increased; existing home sales contracted
Euro Area consumer confidence and composite PMI dropped from multi-year highs; core inflation increased
Japan's trade deficit declined amid stronger exports; inflation rose to a 3-year high
The Russian Federation registered slower retail sales growth; unemployment rose
Thailand's annual GDP growth hit a 5-year high in 2017; trade balance posted a deficit
U.S. services and manufacturing PMIs increased; existing home sales contracted. Preliminary estimates indicate that the U.S. Markit Composite purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to a 27-month high of 55.9 in February (50+ indicates expansion). The uptick in private sector activity reflected improvements in both services and manufacturing production, supported by robust new business growth.
Source: World Bank
ETFGI reports assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs listed globally reach record high of US$696 billion at the end of January 2018
February 23, 2018--According to ETFGI's January 2018 Smart Beta ETF and ETP industry insights report, a monthly report included in an annual paid-for research subscription service, assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs listed globally reached a record high of US$696 billion at the end of January 2018, shattering the previous record of US$658 billion set at the end of 2017.
(All dollar values in USD unless otherwise noted.)
Highlights
Assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs/ETPs listed globally increased by a record $37.8 Bn during January to reach a new high of $696 Bn
In January 2018, Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs listed globally saw net inflows of $9.43 Bn
Multi Factor smart beta products gathered the largest net inflows with $4.55 Bn, followed by Value Factor with $1.34 Bn
During January 2018 assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs/ETPs increased by $37.8 Bn, or 5.74%. According to ETFGI's data this growth represents the greatest absolute monthly increase in assets on record. The previous record was set in March 2016, when assets grew by $31.9 Bn.
Source: ETFGI
ETFGI reports assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs listed globally reach record high of US$696 billion at the end of January 2018
February 23, 2018--According to ETFGI's January 2018 Smart Beta ETF and ETP industry insights report, a monthly report included in an annual paid-for research subscription service, assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs listed globally reached a record high of US$696 billion at the end of January 2018, shattering the previous record of US$658 billion set at the end of 2017. (All dollar values in USD unless otherwise noted.)
Highlights
Assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs/ETPs listed globally increased by a record $37.8 Bn during January to reach a new high of $696 Bn
In January 2018, Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs listed globally saw net inflows of $9.43 Bn
Multi Factor smart beta products gathered the largest net inflows with $4.55 Bn, followed by Value Factor with $1.34 Bn
Source: ETFGI
Blockchain could save asset managers $2.7bn a year
February 22, 2018-- Blockchain could save asset managers $2.7bn a year if the investment industry shunned the laborious manual practices involved in buying and selling funds in favour of using online ledger technology, according to research published on Thursday.
Technology company Calastone said blockchain, which is...view more
Source: FT.com
DECPG Global Monthly- February 2018
February 22, 2018--Monthly Highlights
The cyclical recovery in global manufacturing continued at the start of 2018, providing ongoing support to global trade growth.
Financial markets experienced a period of turbulence in the first half of February, amid rising U.S. inflation expectations and bond yields.
Equity prices fell across advanced economies and emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), but have recovered somewhat since then.
Oil prices dropped in February as U.S. production hit record highs.
Special Focus: Potential Growth and Underlying Drivers
Potential output growth is defined as the rate of expansion that an economy can sustain at full capacity.
Based on various measures, global potential growth slowed in the post-crisis period, and it is below long-term averages in a majority of EMDEs.
Demographic trends suggest a further slowdown over the next decade in both advanced economies and EMDEs.
Source: World Bank
ETFGI reports assets invested in actively managed ETFs and ETPs listed globally reach record high of US$79.3 billion at the end of January 2018
February 22, 2018--According to ETFGI's January 2018 Active ETF and ETP industry insights report, a monthly report included in an annual paid-for research subscription service, assets invested in actively-managed ETFs and ETPs listed globally reached a record high of US$79.3 billion at the end of January 2018, shattering the previous record of US$75.2 billion set at the end of 2017. (All dollar values in USD unless otherwise noted.)
Highlights
Assets invested in actively-managed ETFs/ETPs listed globally increased by a record $4.11 Bn during January to reach a new record high of $79.3 Bn
In January 2018, actively-managed ETFs/ETPs listed globally saw net inflows of $3.08 Bn
Fixed income ETFs/ETPs gathered the largest net inflows with US$1.47 Bn, followed by equity ETFs/ETPs with US$1.22 Bn
Source: ETFGI
World Gold Council-Investment Update: Market selloff bolsters case for gold
February 21, 2018--On February 5th, stock markets suffered one of their more precipitous falls in recent years. The gold price rose but, as stocks partly retraced their losses, gold trended lower.
Gold has often acted as a portfolio hedge in market downturns and the recent pullback was no exception. But gold's effectiveness improves when market corrections are wider or sustained for longer. In our view, the recent selloff is a good reGminder that gold can deliver returns and reduce risk in portfolios.
Source: World Gold Council (WGC)
First Bridge Data-'ETF 20/20': Exchange Traded Fund Monthly Report-February 2018
February 21, 2017--Our monthly 'ETF 20/20' report briefly summarizes recent Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) trends globally. It uses data from the First Bridge ETF database that includes all global ETPs.
Global ETF assets grew to $5.188T as of January 31, 2018.
The spikes in spot VIX and VIX futures in February resulted in dramatic declines in the value of two ETPs that provide inverse exposure to VIX futures. Credit Suisse announced the closure of its Exchange Traded Note "XIV".
The ProShares ETF "SVYX" also declined by 96% on Feb 6 2018, but did not close.
There were 4 blockchain themed ETFs launched in the US in January 2018, emphasizing the growing importance of this technology in the fintech space. In total there were 40 new ETF listings in the US in January 2018, and 116 listings outside the US including cross-listings and share class variants.
Mirae Asset Management announced that it was acquiring Global X, the 17th largest ETF sponsor in the US by assets.
Gold ('SPY') was the best performing of 6 ETFs representing the major asset classes in the trailing 1 month through February 16, 2018.
Source: First Bridge Data