Global ETF News Older than One Year
Source ETFs-The Big Picture-Quarterly Update June 2017
June 22, 2017--Less debt more equity
Equities have led the way up in recent months but we now think they look even better relative to bonds (on the back of an improving global economy and rising dividends).
We raise our equity exposure to Neutral by adding to laggards and reduce sovereign debt and corporate high-yield.
Source Multi-Asset Portfolio
In our view:
Equities offer a good total return but are volatile and correlated. Increase to Neutral.
Real estate offers the best returns. Stay at Maximum.
Corporate HY no longer compensates for risk. Reduce to Zero.
Source: Source ETFs
Rise of passive investments creates pitfalls
June 22, 2017--Advisers look beyond management cost savings to defend active strategies
Source: FT.com
Countries are progressing too slowly on green growth
June 20, 2017--Many countries have become more efficient in using natural resources and the services provided by the environment, generating more economic output per unit of carbon emitted and of energy or raw materials consumed.
Yet progress is too slow, and if emissions embodied in international trade are included, advances in environmental productivity are more modest, a new OECD report shows.
Green Growth Indicators 2017 uses a range of indicators covering everything from land use to CO2 productivity and innovation to show where 46 countries rank on balancing economic growth with environmental pressures over 1990 to 2015. It finds that Denmark, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Italy and the Slovak Republic have made the most progress on green growth since 2000.
view the Green Growth Indicators 2017 report
Source: OECD
RESULTS OF MSCI 2017 MARKET CLASSIFICATION REVIEW
June 20, 2017--MSCI will include China A shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index
MSCI to consult on potential inclusion of Saudi Arabia in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index
MSCI delays decision on the reclassification of the MSCI Argentina and Nigeria Indexes
MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of global equity indexes, announced today that beginning in June 2018, it will include China A shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index and the MSCI ACWI Index. This decision has broad support from international institutional investors with whom MSCI consulted, primarily as a result of the positive impact on the accessibility of the China A market of both the Stock Connect program and the loosening by the local Chinese stock exchanges of pre-approval requirements that can restrict the creation of index-linked investment vehicles globally.
Source: msci.com
Fintech: Capturing the Benefits, Avoiding the Risks
June 20, 2017--When you send an email, it takes one click of the mouse to deliver a message next door or across the planet. Gone are the days of special airmail stationery and colorful stamps to send letters abroad.
International payments are different. Destination still matters. You might use cash to pay for a cup of tea at a local shop, but not to order tea leaves from distant Sri Lanka. Depending on the carrier, the tea leaves might arrive before the seller can access the payment.
view the Fintech and Financial Services: Initial Considerations white paper
Source: IMF
IOSCO issues report on order routing incentives as part of effort to protect investors
June 19, 2017--The Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) today published its Final Report on Order Routing Incentives, which provides an overview of the practices used by market regulators regarding incentives for order routing that may influence how intermediaries treat their clients.
The report examines the regulatory conduct requirements for brokers or firms to manage conflicts of interest associated with routing orders and obtaining best execution.
Source: IOSCO
Ayondo launches Bitcoin trading
June 19, 2017--Financial technology group ayondo has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of Bitcoin trading, allowing its clients easy access to the price movement of Bitcoin without the need to open up an e-wallet to purchase bitcoin in the internet.
Source: finextra.com
The Coming Productivity Boom: Transforming the Physical Economy with Information
June 14, 2017--Executive Summary
The Information Age is not over. It has barely begun.
The diffusion of information technology into the physical industries is poised to revive the economy, create jobs, and boost incomes.
Far from nearing its end, the Information Age may give us its most powerful and widespread economic benefits in the years ahead. Aided by improved public policy focused on innovation, we project a significant acceleration of productivity across a wide array of industries, leading to more broad-based economic growth.
view the The Coming Productivity Boom-Transforming the Physical Economy with Information report
Source: entropyeconomics.com
Smart beta products facing transparency problems, investors say
June 14, 2017--Investors are struggling to get important information about smart beta strategies, according to a survey by EDHEC-Risk Institute.
Source: IP&E
BetaShares-Active v Passive: is passive investment outperformance merely cyclical?
June 13, 2017--A claim currently receiving renewed attention in the long-contested active versus passive investment debate is that the apparent outperformance of passive investment strategies is largely cyclical, and usually only takes place in the late stages of a bull market.
This note, however, argues that while there may well be an element of cyclicality in passive versus active fund manager performance, this is minor in degree.
Source: BetaShares
