Global ETF News Older than One Year
Rwanda, Côte d'Ivoire, Burundi Lead Sub-Saharan Africa in Improving Business Regulation
Singapore is first on ease of doing business
See how economies have improved over time
Read case studies on implementing business reforms
Coverage expanded to include Libya, Myanmar, San Marino and South Sudan
October 29, 2013--A new World Bank Group report finds that Sub-Saharan Africa continues to record a large number of reforms aimed at easing the regulatory burden on local entrepreneurs, with 66 reforms adopted in the past year.
Rwanda, Côte d'Ivoire, and Burundi were among the 10 economies globally improving business regulation the most.
Released today, Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises finds that of the 20 economies improving business regulation the most since 2009, 9 are in Sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, Togo, Benin, Guinea, Liberia, and CCôte d'Ivoire.
Source: World Bank
SPDR University-Quarterly Forecast-Fourth Quarter 2013
October 29, 2013--Economic Outlook for Developed Markets
CHRISTOPHER PROBYN, PhD, CHIEF ECONOMIST
The recovery from the Great Recession began well enough, withglobal GDP surging 5.2% in 2010, but a combination of factors
slowed growth to 3.9% in 2011, 3.2% last year and 3.0% this year. However, this should prove the nadir, with growth
reaccelerating to 3.6% next year as the emerging markets stabilize and the advanced economies finally gain some traction.
Oil prices have largely driven headline inflation over the last five years. We expect oil prices to trend sideways through the rest of this year but begin to drift higher next year as global growth accelerates and the call on OPEC increases. Consequently, headline inflation decelerates in 2013 and stabilizes in 2014. Meanwhile, core inflation remains benign as output gaps narrow only slowly.
Most of the major central banks are on hold at extremely accommodative levels. That should not change appreciably through the end of next year. While the overall stance of monetary policy will become slightly less accommodative, most noticeably in the US, administered interest rates should not rise before 2015, except possibly in Canada and Australia.
Global growth seems unlikely to surprise on the upside. Rather, the risks seem more skewed to the downside, with the single largest one being a further growth disappointment in the developing economies. Meanwhile, the risks to inflation seem broadly balanced. Any disruption to the flow of OPEC crude could push oil prices to new all-time highs, while a growth disappointment would impart downside risks.
Source: State Street Global Advisors
FTSE launches new Shariah Developed Minimum Variance Index
October 29, 2013--Methodology is a design-first in Shariah finance world; combining Shariah investment principles with advanced risk management techniques
Specifically designed to meet the needs of the Shariah market globally
New index series builds on the success of existing FTSE Shariah equity indices
Index series certified Shariah-compliant by independent consultants, Yassar Limited
Strengthens FTSE's leading position as a developer of innovative, alternatively-weighted indices
FTSE Group ("FTSE"), the global index provider, is pleased to announce the launch of its new FTSE Shariah Developed Minimum Variance Index. The index series aims to deliver reduced index volatility through ethical and financial screening. The methodology for the FTSE Shariah Developed World Index has been designed to target a balanced index risk profile by overweighting stocks that reduce index volatility and underweighting stocks that increase index volatility.
Source: FTSE
ETFS Precious Metals Weekly-Gold Continues to Shine in the Aftermath of the US Government Shutdown
October 28, 2013--Key points
Gold and silver prices rally on the weak US data and dollar.
Gold is shining in the US government shutdown post-mortem.
Platinum and palladium remain attractive as global economic prospects improve.
Source: ETF Securities
SPDR gold ETF sales have no effect on gold price
Sales from the SPDR gold ETF holdings yesterday had no effect on the gold price as it rose slightly to $1,350, reports Julian Phillips.
October 28, 2013--Gold closed stronger at $1,351.50 up $6.10 in New York on Friday.
Asia held it there and London dropped it $4 ahead of the Fix, where it was set at $1,351.00 up $9.25 over Friday's Fix. In the euro it Fixed at €978.28 up €6.25 over Friday's Fixing.
Source: MineWeb
Research costs reform seen squeezing fund firm profits
October 28, 2013--Moves to revolutionise the way global fund managers pay banks for company research could slash the profitability of their equity funds business by up to 50 percent, research has showed.
Most fund firms pass on the cost of equity research, valued in the region of $5 billion a year, to their own clients, who pick up the bill as part of commissions paid to brokers for buying and selling stocks on behalf of the fund.
Source: Reuters
IEA-Key World Energy Statistics 2013
October 26, 2013--The Key World Energy Statistics 2013 report is now available.
Source: IEA
IEA-Highlights of the latest Oil Market Report
October 26, 2013--Highlights of the latest OMR-October 11, 2013
Benchmark Brent and WTI oil futures eased in September and early October following plans for Syria to dispose of its chemical weapons and direct talks between Iran and the US at the UN General Assembly. The US government shutdown added downward pressure on prices. Brent was last trading at $110/bbl and WTI at $101.25/bbl.
Global oil supplies declined by 625 kb/d to 91.12 mb/d in September on steeply lower OPEC output. Non-OPEC supply growth for 2013 is forecast to average 1.1 mb/d, to 54.7 mb/d, rising to a near-record 1.7 mb/d next year.
OPEC crude supplies slipped below 30 mb/d for the first time in almost two years, led by steep drops in Libya and Iraq. Output fell by 645 kb/d to 29.99 mb/d despite Saudi output topping 10 mb/d for a third month running. The ‘call on OPEC crude and stock change’ was raised by 100 kb/d to 29.6 mb/d for 4Q13.
Recent demand strength has raised the 2013 oil demand forecast by 90 kb/d, to 91.0 mb/d. Demand growth is projected at 1.0 mb/d (or 1.1%) for 2013, ramping up to 1.1 mb/d in 2014 as the macroeconomic backdrop improves.
Source: IEA
3Q13 Reporting Monitor, Week Two, Growth Ticks Up
October 25, 2013--HIGHLIGHTS:
Nearly half way through earnings season, it looks like S&P 500 profit growth was 5.1% YoY, a modest acceleration from the pace in Q2. Seven out of nine sectors show growth, led by Technology (XLK), and only Energy (XLE) is a significant drag on overall index earnings growth...
Sales are looking a little better as well, up 2.2% YoY, but +2.9% excluding the drag from Energy. Margins for Tech firms have been strong, while Utilities (XLU) are getting squeezed
Consumer Discretionary (XLY) and Health Care (XLV) have delivered the biggest surprises on the top line, while Industrials (XLI) have fallen short though they still managed to beat on the bottom line. Upside surprises from Financials (XLF) had the biggest impact on the S&P500 overall, but so far Materials (XLB) have enjoyed the largest "beats" on a percentage basis
Source: Alta Vista
EPFR Global News Release-Europe Equity and Bond Funds lead fresh money charge with Spain to the fore
October 25, 2013--With Spain joining the ranks of European markets that have emerged from recession, investors committed record-setting amounts of new money to EPFR Global-tracked Europe and Spain Equity Funds during the third week of October.
It was the same story for Europe High Yield Bond Funds, while flows into Emerging Europe Regional Equity and Europe Bond Funds hit 14 and 25 week highs and year-to-date commitments to Spain Bond Funds crossed the $4 billion mark.
Investors also warmed to Emerging Markets Equity Funds during the week ending October 23 as fears of 'tapering' by the US Federal Reserve faded deeper into the New Year. Flows into these funds jumped to a 37 week high on the back of a strong week for several emerging Asian country fund groups.
Visit www.epfr.com for more info
Source: EPFR
