ETF Express Newsletter

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NEWSLETTER | 4 Dec 2020

Data is the oil of the financial services industry according to the pundits commenting on S&P Global’s offer to buy IHS Markit for USD44 billion, announced this week. This deal is the latest in a trend of institutions buying data, that started with the London Stock Exchange’s USD27 billion purchase last year of Refinitiv.

Data lies behind every trend and theme and this issue of the ETF Express newsletter displays the ETF’s particular strength in representing a theme and, if it’s the right theme, achieving stellar results. Famous for their focus on disruptive innovation, ARK Invest’s client portfolio manager, Ren Leggi, details the returns for ARK Disruptive Innovation, at 101.8 per cent year to date (as of 17/11/2020), while the firm’s assets, totalled at USD4 billion when ETF Express last interviewed them in 2018, are now USD33.3 billion (as of 31/10/2020).

This week Global X announced its launch into Europe, with CEO Luis Berruga telling ETF Express that the firm is the largest thematic ETF provider in the world, with over 24 themed products and it has seen a 50 per cent growth in assets under management in the last 12 months to over USD18 billion.

Another theme has come to our attention this week, where, despite the UK’s FCA’s opinion, we see crypto-based ETPs springing up all over Europe, particularly in Switzerland whose SIX exchange is home to a number of cryptocurrency-based products. We report on ETF industry heavyweight VanEck’s push into the market with the launch of a Bitcoin ETN.

This week also saw the launch of a long/short yield ETF from Leatherback, a launch that comes on the back of the US’s ETF rule which has made it easier for a wider range of active funds to come to market in an ETF format.

Voting is now open for the ETF Express European awards, entering their 11^th year, and now in the august company of Bloomberg, who supplied the data on ETF issuers that lies behind these popular awards. Cast your vote here.

Beverly Chandler,
Managing Editor, ETF Express

Companies in this issue
ARK Invest
Fidelity International
Global X ETFs
iClima Earth
Leatherback Asset Management
Refinitiv
TD Asset Management
TrueMark
VanEck
XTrackers

Global X CEO comments on advance into Europe

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

Commenting on yesterday’s news of Global X’s expansion into Europe, Luis Berruga, CEO at Global X says: “Europe is the second largest ETF market in the world with over USD1 trillion in assets and I think that number will triple over the next four to five years, so as a global player, we wanted to enter the European market.”

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

The Lipper team at Refinitiv reports that the European ETF industry is on course to face the highest annual number of ETF closures since its inception in the year 2000.

Global X to launch in Europe

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

Mirae Asset’s Global X, the New York based provider of ETFs, is to launch in Europe, with the hire of Rob Oliver from JP Morgan as Head of Business Development for Global X ETFs in Europe and Morgane Delledonne (pictured) from BMO Global Asset Management, as Director of Research.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

Former hedge fund manager, Michael Winter, has seized the opportunities created by the arrival of the ETF rule with the launch of Leatherback Asset Management and his first ETF, the Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF (LBAY).

ARK enjoys stellar year as disruptive innovation hits its stride

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

Year to date figures for ARK Invest, the thematic investment firm focused on disruptive innovation, show their flagship fund, available as an ETF, and in a variety of other formats, ARK Disruptive Innovation, has returned 101.8 per cent year to date (as of 17/11/2020), while the firm’s assets, totalled at USD4 billion when ETF Express last interviewed them in 2018, are now USD33.3 billion (as of 31/10/2020).

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

ETF heavyweight VanEck launched a bitcoin ETN this week on Deutsche Börse, the latest launch in series of products focused on cryptocurrencies, and significant because VanEck represents the ETF establishment stepping into this somewhat esoteric world.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

New analysis from ETF provider GraniteShares, which offers a range of 3x short and 3x leveraged ETPs on popular UK and US stocks, has revealed that between 1 January 2020 and 23 November, 493 companies listed on London Stock Exchange (LSE) cancelled, cut, or suspended dividend payments.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

MSCI Inc, a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community, announced today that the assets in equity exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to its indexes crossed the USD1 trillion mark on 16 November, 2020.

Global ETF launches 26.11-03.12.20

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 15:09

Responsible investing takes centre stage this week with the launch of a new ESG corporate bond fund from Xtrackers, three ESG ETFs from TD Asset Management, iClima Earth’s new carbon avoidance solutions fund, and an emerging market sustainability ETF from Fidelity. Eslewhere, Van Eck debuted two corporate bond funds, TrueMark added to its structured outcome ETF suite, and new provider Leatherback entered the ETF space with a long/short yield fund.