The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed a package of reforms designed to enhance effective liquidity risk management by open-end funds, such as exchange-traded funds and mutual funds. “Promoting stronger liquidity risk management is essential to protecting the interests of the millions of Americans who invest in mutual funds and ETFs,” said SEC Chair Mary Jo White. “These significant reforms would require funds to better manage their liquidity risks, give them new tools to meet that requirement, and enhance the Commission’s oversight.”

John Hancock Investments, the Boston-based mutual fund business, has listed six smart beta exchange-traded funds designed to generate attractive relative performance through a multi-factor investment strategy. “Investors are facing a proliferation of ETF strategies today, and many investors are looking for more than just low-cost access to markets. For those reasons, it was important to us to develop an ETF product that seeks to address investor needs for performance potential, backed by an investment approach rooted in decades of academic research,” said Andrew G. Arnott, president and CEO of John Hancock Investments.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management, the investment bank’s exchange-traded fund issuing arm, has announced its fourth smart beta ETF, providing US equity exposure with the potential for better risk-adjusted returns. “Investors have been able to participate in the upside of a market recovery over the past several years, but they are still concerned about continued market volatility,” said Robert Deutsch, Global Head of ETFs for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. “JPUS provides a solution for US equities that helps keep clients invested across market cycles by attempting to capture most of the upside with a goal of providing less volatility in down markets.”

Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), the asset management arm of US investment bank Goldman Sachs, has expanded their smart beta “ActiveBeta” exchange-traded fund range with the launch of an emerging markets ETF. “We see growth opportunities across various sectors in emerging markets, and the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF is designed to capture returns from these pockets of growth,” said Michael Crinieri, GSAM’s Global Head of ETF Strategies.

Deka Investments, a German provider of exchange-traded funds, has launched the Deka EURO iSTOXX ex Fin Dividend+ UCITS ETF which provides exposure to a portfolio of high-yielding eurozone equities from all sectors apart from financials. “The EURO STOXX Index is one of Europe’s most well-respected benchmarks for companies in the eurozone.” said Gordon Rose, Head of ETF Management and Development at Deka Investment. ”Adding ex-Financials and high dividend yield filters to this makes a very appealing index for market participants.”

FTSE Russell, a leading global index provider, has released the results of a survey of US based investment advisors highlighting current perceptions and adoption levels of smart beta strategies in the community. “Factor-based and alternatively-weighted indices have transformed the investment landscape,” said Rolf Agather, Managing Director of North America Research for FTSE Russell. “It is clear that retail advisors are embracing investment products based on these indices as a way of incorporating new ideas into their clients’ portfolios.”

BMO Global Asset Management, the Canadian exchange-traded fund provider, has issued a report outlining the trends in the Canadian ETF market and expectations for the future of the industry. “The domestic ETF industry has seen strong momentum in 2015. Its user base has expanded as investors grow more comfortable with these funds,” said Rajiv Silgardo, Co-CEO, BMO Global Asset Management. “ETFs have been able to maintain their popularity and continue to prove to be useful through changing market conditions because of their flexibility and diversification benefits.”

The growing smart beta industry has received its latest entrant in the form of Connecticut-headquartered ETF issuer Rex Shares. The company plans to sponsor a range of smart beta-focused exchange-traded funds. “The ETF industry has seen tremendous growth, and we believe REX can provide significant value to investors who are looking for efficient portfolio and trading solutions,” said Greg King, Founder and CEO. “We like to think of ourselves as ‘ETF architects’, and are laser-focused on solving specific problems by building better tools for investors.”

The Shanghai Stock Exchange and China Securities Index have announced the launch of the first China index targeting carbon-efficient companies: the SSE 180 Carbon Efficient Index. The new index enables investors to track the performance of low carbon-emitting Chinese companies and can also be used as the basis for index-linked products such as exchange-traded funds. There has been a surge in demand for environmental, social and governance (ESG) indices this year, with MSCI recently reporting a 30% rise in ETF assets tracking ESG indices to $1.8bn. Considering China’s economic development strategy, which increasingly emphasises the need for green and low-carbon growth, the index is well placed to benefit from this structural shift in the economy.

FlexShares, the exchange-traded funds arm of Northern Trust, has introduced the FlexShares Credit-Scored US Long Corporate Bond Index Fund (LKOR) offering exposure to long-maturity US corporate bonds complemented by a credit evaluation process. The strategy is designed to provide investors with the yield benefits of longer maturity (10+ years) investment grade corporate bonds, while offering a method of capital protection through credit evaluation and improved liquidity. “The FlexShares Credit-Scored US Long Corporate Bond Index Fund provides investors with a contemporary approach to optimising credit risk, with improved transparency and liquidity relative to legacy corporate bond benchmarks,” said Shundrawn Thomas, head of Northern Trust’s Funds and Managed Accounts Group.