BMO Global Asset Management, the fund management division of the Canadian-headquartered bank, has become the latest company to enter the fast growing European ETF space. The firm has launched four global corporate bond ETFs to help investors diversify their exposure to global investment grade corporate bonds and high yield bonds, and five smart beta equity ETFs focused on generating high quality income for investors. “Establishing our ETF offering in Europe is a key strategic milestone for us as we continue to expand across the region,” said Richard Wilson, CEO, BMO Global Asset Management (EMEA).

Invesco PowerShares, a leading global provider of exchange-traded funds, has announced the launch of two new smart beta ETFs centred around low beta equity investing in the US and internationally. The PowerShares Russell 1000 Low Beta Equal Weight Portfolio (USLB) and PowerShares FTSE International Low Beta Equal Weight Portfolio (IDLB) follow a multi-factor strategy, that combines individual factors in an attempt to improve risk-adjusted returns over market capitalisation-weighted benchmarks. Their low correlation with market cap-weighted portfolios means these products can also provide useful diversification benefits.

AlphaClone, the investment advisor behind the AlphaClone Alternative Alpha ETF, has announced the launch of the AlphaClone International Downside Hedged Index, which applies their alpha-seeking investment strategy, culled from the investment ideas of established hedge funds, to equity markets outside the US. “Pursuing the potential for alpha is even more important today for long-term investors, given the anaemic growth forecasted for equities and bonds over the next several years,” says Maz Jadallah, CEO of AlphaClone.

Etho Capital, the US-based sustainable investment manager, has launched the Etho Climate Leadership Index (ECLI), a diversified index that is divested from fossil fuels and focused on climate efficiency in other industries. The company plans to launch an exchange-traded fund based on US equities in the index later in 2015. The inclusion of an ESG screen in the index methodology looks to favour companies who operate sustainably. “Companies with efficient supply chains and management teams that plan for the long run are likely to do better in our changing climate,” said Conor Platt, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Etho Capital.

WisdomTree, the exchange-traded fund provider behind the Boost ETP product range, has released a report tracking the global asset flows into short and leveraged (S&L) products. “September was a strong month for short & leveraged ETPs as investors took advantage of heightened volatility to position opportunistically or hedge their exposures,” said Viktor Nossek, Director of Research for WisdomTree Europe. “Of particular note were the inflows of over $3.7bn into S&L ETPs tracking US, Japanese and European equities last month.”

Stoxx Limited, the European index provider, has introduced the STOXX Select and STOXX Diversification Select index families, a suite of multi-factor smart beta indices which harness the low volatility and dividend yield factors in search of improved risk-adjusted returns. Hartmut Graf, chief executive officer, Stoxx Limited commented: “We have introduced the STOXX Select and STOXX Diversification Select Indices, which meet both structured products issuers and end-investor needs by introducing screens for low volatility, high dividends and low correlation, paired with an inverse volatility weighting scheme.”

Loncar Investments, a specialist exchange-traded fund and index provider, has unveiled the first ETF to track companies engaged in the research and development of therapies that treat cancer through the body’s immune system. “Immunotherapy is changing the way many cancers are being treated,” said Brad Loncar, Chief Executive Officer of Loncar Investments. “This innovative field within biotechnology is expected to become the foundational treatment for cancer over the next ten years. We think it is important to give investors a benchmark to track the progress of this growing biotechnology sector, which over time will likely continue to have a positive impact on society.”

ETF Securities, a London-based issuer of exchange-traded funds, has partnered with US-based index provider ISE ETF Ventures to launch the ETFS ISE Cyber Security GO UCITS ETF, Europe’s first locally listed ETF to offer pure-play exposure to the fast-growing cyber security sector. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, the ETF is based on a UCITS-compliant version of the index behind the hugely successful NYSE Arca-listed PureFunds ISE Cyber Security ETF, known colloquially by its exchange ticker code “HACK”, which attracted in excess of $1.1bn in assets under management in its first 10 months of trading.

There has been a significant increase in interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) exposures this year, according to index provider MSCI, with exchange-traded funds linked to such indices seeing a surge in demand. Baer Pettit, Managing Director and Global Head of Products at MSCI, said: “We’re actively addressing the challenges of integrating ESG factors into benchmarks, whether to meet the needs of investors who believe ESG data can enhance investment decisions or those who simply want to align their portfolios with their values.”

MSCI, a leading provider of indices, has added to their Shariah-compliant index range with the launch of the Islamic M-Series Indices. “We have expanded the existing MSCI Islamic Index Family with the launch of the M-Series that addresses client demand for financial screening criteria based on market capitalisation,” said Rob Ansari, Executive Director and Head of Client Coverage at MSCI in the Middle East. “We are committed to developing relevant tools for Middle East investors.”