Global ETF News Older than One Year
Beware the bias inherent in smart beta
January 19, 2015--Investors need to be aware that factor-based investing does not contain a magic formula that will
always conjure up better returns than their market capitalisation-based counterparts..
Source: Financial News
Africa: A Fresh Approach to Credit Ratings
January 19, 2015--Over the past few years there have been discussions amongst the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries to open up their own rating agency that will compete with the "big three" credit rating agencies
-that is, Standard and Poor's (S&P), Moody's and the Fitch Group. S&P and Moody's are based in the US.
Source: AllAfrica.com
IMF-World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update Cross Currents
January 19, 2015--Global growth will receive a boost from lower oil prices, which reflect to an important extent higher supply. But this boost is projected to be more than offset by negative factors, including investment weakness as adjustment to diminished expectations about medium-term growth continues in many advanced and emerging market economies.
Global growth in 2015-16 is projected at 3.5 and 3.7 percent, downward revisions of 0.3 percent relative to the October 2014 World Economic Outlook (WEO). The revisions reflect a reassessment of prospects in China, Russia, the euro area, and Japan as well as weaker activity in some major oil exporters because of the sharp drop in oil prices. The United States is the only major economy for which growth projections have been raised.
view the IMF-World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update Cross Currents
Source: IMF
Richest 1% Will Own More Than All The Rest By 2016
January 18, 2015--The combined wealth of the world's richest 1 percent will overtake that of everyone else by next year given the current trend of rising inequality, warned relief and development organization Oxfam America today ahead of the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos.
In a new issue brief published today, Wealth: Having it all and wanting more, Oxfam outlines how the richest 1 percent of the world have seen their share of global wealth increase from 44 percent in 2009 to 48 percent in 2014, and will likely surpass 50 percent in 2016.
view the issue brief-Wealth: Having it all and wanting more
Source: OXFAM
Swiss shock spurs gold bid as ETP assets jump most since 2011
January 16, 2015--The Swiss central bank's surprise move to abandon the franc's cap against the euro sent investors rushing to gold as a haven from swings in currencies.
Assets in the SPDR Gold Trust, the biggest exchange-traded product backed by bullion, rose 1.4 percent to 717.15 metric tons on Jan. 15, the biggest jump since August 2011.
Source: MineWeb
DECPG Global Weekly-Taking Stock
January 16, 2015--Swiss central bank rattled markets. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) surprised financial markets on Thursday by scrapping its three-year policy of capping the Swiss franc against the euro and reducing the interest rate.
The franc appreciated more than 30 percent versus the euro in chaotic early trading, but it pared some of the gains later. The country's benchmark stock index plunged, amid concerns for the export-reliant Swiss economy, heading for its worst single-day loss
since 1989. Eastern European currencies slumped and banking stocks tumbled after the SNB's move fueled fears that individuals may struggle to repay loans denominated in Swiss francs.
Source: World Bank
IMF Commodity Prices-January 2015 Update
January 16, 2015--The Primary Commodity Price data are updated monthly and is now available.
Source: IMF
IEA releases Oil Market Report for January
Economic outlook restrains impact of lower prices on demand, but refinery throughputs hit record high
January 16, 2015--Macroeconomic weakness continues to restrain global oil demand growth, the IEA Oil Market Report (OMR) for January told subscribers, with fourth quarter 2014 deliveries estimated just 0.6 million barrels per day (mb/d) above year-earlier levels.
Despite lower prices, with Brent crude futures near a six-year low, demand growth is forecast to accelerate only 0.9 mb/d in 2015, unchanged from the outlook in the December report. The oil selloff has cut expectations of 2015 non-OPEC supply growth by 350 000 barrels per day (350 kb/d) since last month, to 950 kb/d.
Source: IEA (International Energy Agency)
Exclusive: Deutsche Bank mulls retail float, tie with foreign banks-source
January 15, 2015--Deutsche Bank is considering splitting off its retail division and listing it on the stock exchange should German lawmakers approve measures forcing banks to isolate risky trading activities, a person with knowledge of the discussions said.
Under this scenario, Deutsche would keep investment banking and asset management while floating its retail operations in stages, in the hope of joining forces with a foreign partner willing to do battle in Germany’s' highly competitive market for consumer banking, the source said.
Source: Reuters
Shanghai Gold Exchange and World Gold Council partner to develop the Shanghai Free Trade Zone as a global gold market
January 15, 2015--Today, the Shanghai Gold Exchange and the World Gold Council, the market development organisation for the gold industry, signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding' regarding a 'Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Agreement.'
The Shanghai Gold Exchange is the largest physical gold exchange worldwide and the World Gold Council is the global authority on the gold industry.
Source: World Gold Council
