AGF Investments, a Canadian asset manager, has launched two new actively managed ETFs – the AGFiQ Enhanced Global ESG Factors ETF (QEF CN) and the AGFiQ Enhanced Global Infrastructure ETF (QIF CN) – on the Toronto-based NEO Exchange. Florence Narine, senior vice-president, head of product at AGF Investments, commented, “We are excited to partner with NEO as we grow our suite of factor-based ETFs leveraging the expertise of our in-house AGFiQ team to provide investors with differentiated access to growing segments of the market as they build their global equity portfolios.”

Deutsche Asset Management has expanded its fixed income ETF range with the listing of the db x-trackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (XUHY LN) on London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Börse. Blanca Koenig, Deutsche AM fixed income ETF strategist, said, “The new USD high-yield ETF expands the toolkit available to investors to address today’s market challenges.”

Ossiam has launched the Ossiam Solactive Moody’s Analytics IG EUR Select Credit ETF (MOOC FP) on Euronext Paris. This new smart beta fixed income ETF invests in a portfolio of euro-denominated investment grade corporate bonds, seeking to maximise total return while maintaining a low credit risk profile. Bruno Poulin, CEO of Ossiam, said, “The Ossiam investment-grade credit strategy is aimed at long-term investors prioritising stable returns from high quality bonds issued by companies with strong business models in debt capital markets.”

Horizons ETFs Management US has launched the Horizons Cadence Hedged US Dividend Yield ETF (USDY US) on Cboe ETF Marketplace. Co-managed with Cadence Capital Management, USDY is an actively managed multi-factor ETF that invests in US large-cap dividend payers while offering downside protection through the use of an option overlay strategy.

S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) has launched the S&P 500 Bond Mega 30 Index family, tracking the performance of the largest bonds issued by constituents of the S&P 500. The family currently has two subsets of indices, those tracking bonds rated investment grade and those following the high yield segment. Alex Matturri, CEO, S&P Dow Jones Indices, commented, “These new indices track bonds with larger issue sizes which typically trade with greater frequency and enhanced transparency and therefore tend to have higher liquidity.”

Lyxor is planning a cross-listing of the Lyxor Gender Equality ETF, Europe’s first ETF to focus on companies leading the field in gender equality, on London Stock Exchange. The fund, which tracks 150 of the highest-ranked stocks based on work-related gender equality characteristics, will trade in pounds sterling under the ticker HERS LN.

Horizons ETF Management has launched the Horizons Emerging Marijuana Growers Index ETF (HMJR CN) on the NEO Exchange, tracking small-cap stocks primarily from North America which are involved in the cultivation, production and/or distribution of marijuana. “HMJR will exclusively invest in marijuana growers that, in our view, are well-positioned to take part in the global growth of the marijuana sector,” said Steve Hawkins, President and Co-CEO of Horizons ETFs.

BlackRock has transitioned its iShares Edge US Fixed Income Balanced Risk ETF (FIBR US) from an actively managed fund to an index-based fund, adopting the Bloomberg Barclays US Fixed Income Balanced Risk Index as its underlying reference. The move brings FIBR into alignment with the other iShares Edge ETFs, which are all index-based, smart-beta funds.

Assets invested in ETFs/ETPs listed in Europe increased by a record $54.0 billion during January 2018 to reach a new high of $856bn, according to ETF industry consultant ETFGI. At the current growth rate, AUM within the European ETF/ETP industry is expected to pass the $1 trillion milestone in April 2018.

ETF Securities’ range of industrial metals ETPs saw net outflows of $99 million for the week starting 5 February 2017 amid the global equity market sell-off, according to the firm’s weekly flows analysis. Nitesh Shah, director of research at ETF Securities, said that industrial metals are “arguably the most cyclically exposed of all commodities”, noting these were the highest outflows in ten weeks for this asset class.