ETF Securities, a leading provider of commodities-linked exchange-traded products (ETPs), has cross-listed the Gold Bullion Securities (GBS), the world’s first physically-backed gold ETP, on the Brussels market of the NYSE Euronext. The London-headquartered provider has also passported over 100 ETPs in Belgium, further reinforcing its commitment to the Belgian market. The passported products include a full range of physically-backed precious metals, single commodities and currency ETPs.

Vanguard Asset Management, a leading provider of index mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, has extended its educational website for advisors with the launch of six new modules designed to help advisors understand, plan and monitor the client advice process. Neil Cowell, Head of Retail Sales at Vanguard, said: “The modules released today will help advisers build a world-class investment advice process. Our aim is to equip advisers with the knowledge and tools that will enable them to thrive, not just survive, in a fee-based world.”

Data from Barclays Stockbrokers shows that while UK-focused exchange-traded funds continued to dominate client ETF purchases in September, the month also saw an increase in demand for commodities-based products. During the month, 50% of the top ten ETF purchases made by clients of Barclays Stockbrokers were UK focused. However, there were two new entrants on the list: the ETFS Natural Gas (NGSP) and ETFS Physical Platinum (PHPT), both issued by commodities specialist ETF Securities.

FTSE has expanded its line-up of alternatively weighted indices with the launch of the FTSE GDP Weighted Index Series. The new index series is designed to reflect the performance of constituents of the FTSE All-World Index Series where an aggregate country’s weight in each index is proportionate to its forecast GDP, as defined by the IMF’s five-year purchasing power parity forecast GDP. The indices are suitable both as benchmarks for actively managed funds and as underlyings for index-linked investment products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Brokerage firm Charles Schwab has added 16 new exchange-traded funds to its Schwab ETF OneSource platform. Launched in February, the platform enables investors and advisors to buy and sell 121 ETFs commission-free. The platform includes ETFs from six leading providers: SPDR ETFs, Guggenheim, PowerShares, ETF Securities, United States Commodity Funds, and Charles Schwab.

Bank of China (Hong Kong) (BOCHK) and FTSE Group have announced the official launch of the FTSE-BOCHK Offshore RMB Bond Index Series, a series of indices measuring the performance of RMB-denominated bonds issued and settled outside the Mainland of China. The index series combines BOCHK’s unique positioning in the offshore RMB market with FTSE’s expertise in indexing. As well as offering a gauge of the market, the series provides a unique benchmark to meet the increasing global demand for RMB-linked fixed income products, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

In this column I’d like to introduce what I rather inelegantly call the “linear link challenge”. In the real world of investing, pure ideas and strategies end up becoming horribly messy – we see a trend or a process at work and we try and find some way of ‘playing’ that via basket of shares or a fund. Cue the linear challenge. Is there actually a direct link between that process or change (i.e. investment theme) and an actual, easy-to-buy fund or group of shares? If there isn’t, we’re forced to rely on indirect ‘surrogates’ to make our play.

Barclays has launched European sector versions of the Shiller Barclays CAPE Index Family. The European versions serve as a complement to the US sector versions of the index which were launched in September 2012. The Shiller Barclays CAPE Index Family, developed jointly by Professor Robert Shiller, a Nobel prize-winning economist, and Barclays, uses the cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio as a key driver for the valuation of sectors. The new indices offer European equity market exposure with a value bias, and are intended for buy-and-hold investors with a multiyear time horizon.

WisdomTree Investments, a New York-based sponsor and manager of exchange-traded funds, has reported net earnings of $15.0 million in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $4.5 million in the third quarter of 2012 and $12.2 million in the second quarter of 2013. Jonathan Steinberg, CEO and President of WisdomTree, said: “We continue to position the company for future growth”. As the only pure-play publicly traded ETF sponsor and manager, WisdomTree’s results are seen as something of a bellwether for the ETF industry.

Fidelity Investments, a leading global asset management firm with $1.9 trillion in managed assets, has made a significant and long-awaited play in the exchange-traded funds space with the launch of 10 passively managed US sector ETFs on the NYSE. With total expense ratios of just 0.12 percent, the new ETFs become the industry’s lowest-cost US sector ETFs, undercutting current segment price leaders SSgA SPDR and Vanguard. They are linked to MSCI sub-indices and offer exposure to the 10 equity sectors that make up the MSCI USA IMI.