ETF assets will surpass $20tn by 2026, PwC predicts
May 11, 2022--The accountancy firm canvassed executives representing more than 80% of global ETF assets
Assets managed by exchange traded funds globally could grow to more than $20tn by 2026, according to a PwC report, which revealed executives expect the ETF market's "phenomenal momentum" of the past five years to continue.
In its new report, entitled ETFs 2026: The next big leap, the accountancy giant predicts that assets will grow to more than $20tn, representing a 17 per cent compound annual growth rate is achievable.
Source: ft.com
ETFGI reports the global ETFs industry gathered US$31.42 billion in net inflows in April 2022
May 11, 2022-ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm covering trends in the global ETFs/ETPs ecosystem, reported today that the global ETFs industry gathered US$31.42 billion in net inflows in April, bringing year-to-date net inflows to US$337.11 billion.
During April 2022, assets invested in the global ETFs industry decreased by 7.4%, going from US$10.09 trillion at the end of March to US$9.34 trillion, according to ETFGI's April 2022 global ETFs and ETPs industry landscape insights report, the monthly report which is part of an annual paid-for research subscription service.
Highlights
Assets of $9.34 Tn invested inglobal ETFs industry at the end of April.
Assets decreased 9.0% YTD in 2022, going from $10.27 Tn at end of 2021 to $9.34 Tn.
Global ETFs industry gathered $31.42 Bn in net inflows in April
YTD net inflows of $337.11 Bn are the second highest on record, after YTD net inflows in 2021 of
$464.60 Bn.
$1.16 Tn in net inflows gathered in the past 12 months.
35th month of consecutive net inflows.
Equity ETFs and ETPs listed globally saw $1.75 Bn net outflows in April 2022.
Source: ETFGI
WEF-Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2022
May 11, 2022--This special edition report on global energy transition builds on the trends from the Energy Transition Index to provide perspective on the current challenges and recommendations on how to navigate the transition through a turbulent macroeconomic and geopolitical environment. A series of compounded shocks pose short-term risks to energy affordability, sustainability, and energy security.
However, the window to prevent the worst consequences of climate change is closing fast, and the transition must be supercharged by ramping up clean energy investments, raising policy ambitions, and transforming consumer and industrial energy consumption. Strengthening energy security is paramount, dual diversification - in import partners in the short-term, and in fuel mix in the long-term-can improve resilience.
Source: World Economic Forum (WEF)
A 'stable' coin lost its peg over the weekend and pledged $1.5 billion in Bitcoin trying to stabilize. Here's how the algorithmic stablecoin was supposed to work-and didn't
May 10, 2022--TerraUSD (UST) was supposed to be the standard-bearer of algorithmic stablecoins, but the turmoil gripping markets is exposing flaws that critics have long charged it with.
After losing its peg over the weekend, the Luna Foundation Guard (LFG), an association meant to support the cryptocurrency, said it would issue $1.5 billion in loans denominated in Bitcoin and UST to stabilize it.
But after days of triage by LFG, the UST stablecoin still hasn't regained its peg. In other words, one UST is still worth less than $1. On Monday, it fell as low as 66 cents before recovering to about 90 cents at the time of publication. view more
Source: fortune.com
ETF investing plummets to lowest level since Covid crisis hit
May 9, 2022--Net inflows slide to $27bn in April from $117bn a month earlier
Purchases of exchange traded funds fell in April to their lowest level since the depths of the Covid crisis as the war in Ukraine and spiralling global inflation sapped demand.
Net inflows to ETFs and exchange traded products globally slipped to $27.4bn in April, according to data from BlackRock, down from $117.4bn in March and the lowest figure since March 2020.
Source: ft.com
BIS-Gaining momentum-Results of the 2021 BIS survey on central bank digital currencies
May 6, 2022--Most central banks are exploring central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and more than a quarter of them are now developing or running concrete pilots. This BIS paper updates earlier surveys that asked central banks about their engagement in this area. The latest responses from 81 central banks show that the Covid-19 pandemic and the emergence of cryptocurrencies have accelerated the work on CBDCs.
In addition, this paper shows that more than two thirds of central banks are likely to issue a retail CBDC in the short or medium term. Many are exploring a CBDC ecosystem that involves private sector collaboration and interoperability with existing payment systems.
Source: BIS
IMF Working Paper-Digital Money and Central Bank Operations
May 6, 2022--Summary:
The rise of new and proposed monetary vehicles, including CBDC, stablecoins, payment service providers etc., are unprecedented. An important question for central banks is the extent to which these innovations upend the role of and implementation of monetary policy. The paper focuses on the interest rate channel and if digital money (especially CBDC) will change monetary policy and central bank operations.
We argue that new policy instruments make sense only to the extent that there is limited substitutability between the various payment sectors. We analyze trends in currency-in-circulation, and how it may impact central bank's seigniorage, monetary base, and transactional velocity of digital money if money demand declines. Liquidity outside the monetary base will also be important to understand.
Source: imf.org
ETF launches cap frenetic fund activity in uranium sector
May 6, 2022--After starting to stockpile uranium, Sprott has expanded into equity, buying URNM, and joining Global X by launching an ETF in Europe
The launch of the first two European-listed uranium exchange traded funds, coming hot on the heels of a $1bn US uranium ETF acquisition, are the latest indicators of what has been a flurry of fund activity in nuclear fuel investment.
But despite the huge speculative interest, especially from investors in an investment trust that is less than a year old, industry observers warn there are no guarantees that last year's strong performance will be repeated - even with a looming European energy crisis sparked by the Ukraine war.
Source: ft.com
This is why we'll probably have to work longer than our parents did
May 5, 2022--China is moving ahead with a plan to raise its retirement age.
Many countries face similar issues and are also raising retirement ages.
The changes are in response to ageing populations and declining birth rates.
China's plan to "gradually delay" the country's legal retirement age has managed to unify a wide variety of people around a single sentiment: they don't like it.
As a country looking for ways to address the fact that it may not have enough workers paying into its pension system to support an ageing population, however, China is far from alone.
In more than half of the 38 OECD member states, some of the most prosperous nations on Earth, normal retirement age is expected to increase by the time young people now entering the workforce depart during their silver years, according to one projection.
Source: weforum.org
Lower Oil Reliance Insulates World From 1970s-Style Crude Shock
May 5, 2022--The war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russia are causing substantial economic spillovers, notably for energy.
Oil prices have climbed, but increases have largely been contained thanks to spare production capacity in some countries and strategic petroleum reserves in others.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose to a seven-year high around $100 before the invasion sent it surging to more than $130. It has since pared gains amid pandemic lockdowns in China, the biggest oil importer, that may weigh on economic growth there.
Source: imf.org