Global ETF News Older than One Year
Global fund industry manages record $74tn
July 7, 2015--The global asset management industry grew to a record size last year as equity and bond values rose sharply, helped by hopes of economic recovery and central bank interventions in the markets.
Assets under management increased to $74tn, the highest figure recorded by the Boston Consulting Group's annual survey.
Source: FT.com
Gilts boosted by exchange traded fund flows
July 6, 2015--Exchange traded funds tracking UK government bonds have experienced their largest weekly inflows for the year, with increased appetite for Gilts reflecting concerns over Greece and improving government finances.
Along with German Bunds and US Treasuries, Gilts are perceived as one of the safest places to put money at times of heightened financial market risk.
Source: FT.com
Brics bank to launch at summit this week
July 6, 2015-The Brics emerging economies will launch a development bank at a summit this week which President Vladimir Putin hopes will help reduce Western dominance of world financial institutions and show Moscow is not isolated.
At a meeting in the remote Russian city of Ufa, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa also aim to put the last touches to a $100bn contingency currency reserves pool.
Source: FIN24
Global Commission Finds Economic Growth Can Close the Emissions Gap
July 6, 2015--A new report released by the Global Commission on the Economy and the Climate identifies ten key economic opportunities that could close up to 96 percent of the gap between business-as-usual emissions and the level needed to limit dangerous climate change.
The report calls for stronger cooperation between governments, businesses, investors, cities and communities to drive economic growth in the emerging low-carbon economy.
Source: Global Commission on the Economy and the Climate
FTSE Ratings Licensed for First Malaysian ESG Fund
July 6, 2015--Malaysian ESG Opportunity Fund launched by VCAP Asset Managers
Builds on existing FTSE Russell relationship with Bursa Malaysia
Reflects growing momentum around ESG globally
FTSE Russell, the global index provider, has announced that the FTSE Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Ratings have been licensed by Malaysia's first ESG fund. The regional ESG Ratings were developed last year in partnership with Bursa Malaysia. The Malaysian ESG Opportunity Fund has been launched by VCAP Asset Managers Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of ValueCap Sdn Bhd.
Source: FTSE
US, global regulators taking different shadow-banking tacks, BlackRock exec complains
July 6, 2015--US and global authorities are following their own paths in collecting shadow-banking data, potentially fragmenting information to be used to detect
financial-stability risks, a BlackRock executive said.
Source: mlexfs-core.com
Get Ready to Weather the Price of El Niño
Forecasters in the U.S., Australia and Japan have confirmed El Niño is back
July 5, 2015--Fears that the El Niño weather phenomenon will wreak havoc this summer have sent prices of wheat, corn and soybeans higher in recent weeks, as commodity investors, farmers and traders prepare for low crop yields.
Government forecasters in the U.S., Australia and Japan have in recent weeks confirmed El Niño is back for the first time since the 2009-10 farming season, thanks to a 4% temperature rise in...
Source: Wall Street Journal
Four-fifths of fund executives fear asset management iTunes
July 5, 2015--Four-fifths of senior asset management staff expect the fund market to be disrupted by an outside participant in the same way Apple upended the music industry with the introduction of iTunes.
According to a poll of 400 senior executives by State Street, the custodian bank, 79 per cent fear they will face direct competition from a non-traditional entrant to asset management.
Source: FT.com
Exclusive: Europeans tried to block IMF debt report on Greece: sources
July 3, 2015--Euro zone countries tried in vain to stop the IMF publishing a gloomy analysis of Greece's debt burden which the leftist government says vindicates its call to voters to reject bailout terms, sources familiar with the situation said on Friday.
The document released in Washington on Thursday said Greece's public finances will not be sustainable without substantial debt relief, possibly including write-offs by European partners of loans guaranteed by taxpayers.
Source: Reuters
DGCX-Middle-Earth: FRIDAY SPECIAL: IMF PPP: INR most undervalued by -67.9%, CHF most overvalued by +43.7%
July 3, 2015--ECONOMY SPECIAL
IMF PPP data: CHF is also most overvalued currency in the world, at +43.7% relative to USD
INR, at -67.9% relative to USD is most undervalued
2015 India GDP growth forecast at 7.35% vs 6.9% for China
2016, the growth forecast at 7.6% for India vs 6.7% for China
Next fastest growing economies are Philippines (6.2%), Indonesia (5%) and Malaysia (4.8%), Russia and Brazil are only 2 major economies in world on target for recession in 2015
Consensus GDP forecast for Russia is -3.5% and for Brazil, -1.3%
Switzerland is slowest growing major economy with 2015 GDP forecast of 0.8%
MARKET PULSE
US added 223,000 jobs in June; jobless rate fell to a 7-year low of 5.3 %
Data showed the U.S. labor-force participation fell to a 1977 low
US hourly earnings at private cos.held at $24.95,up just 2 % in 12 mo. to June
