Global ETF News Older than One Year
Banks' blockchain consortium picks IBM for trade finance platform
June 26, 2017--Tech giant IBM is building a blockchain-based platform for seven big European banks, including HSBC and Deutsche Bank, that is aimed at simplifying trade finance transactions for small- and medium-sized companies.
Source: Reuters
Pension funds pressed to protect portfolios from climate change
June 26, 2017--Only one in 20 schemes has taken steps to mitigate threats to investments, says survey
Source: FT.com
BIS-Building resilient growth requires international cooperation
June 25, 2017--The current economic upswing provides an opportunity to build greater economic resilience, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) writes in its 87th Annual Report, released on Sunday. This involves shoring up the global economy's ability to withstand shocks and adapt to new trends, and preventing the emergence of imbalances.
At a global level, this means reinforcing the multilateral approach to policy, which has supported economic growth over the last six decades. At a domestic level, there is a need to restore policy space, implement reforms that boost long-term growth, and adopt measures to mitigate the adjustment costs to fundamental changes such as those coming from globalisation and technological change.
Source: BIS
Balancing Financial Stability, Innovation, and Economic Growth
June 25, 2017--In an effort to understand better the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution-a technology-led transformation that is fundamentally altering the way people work, live and relate to one another-the World Economic Forum has prioritized a review of the financial system through the launch of a new initiative: Balancing Financial Stability, Innovation, and Economic Growth (FSIEG).
view the white paper-Balancing Financial Stability, Innovation, and Economic Growth
Source: WEF (World Economic Forum)
An Introduction to Algorithms
June 24, 2017--In the modern world, algorithms do much of the digital heavy lifting.
Algorithms control the inner-workings of everything from particle accelerators to stock markets, They determine the news you see, what search results you get, how computers learn, and what gets recommended to you on Netflix or Amazon.
Source: visualcapitalist.com
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
