Sprott Asset Management, a Toronto-headquartered precious-metals specialist, has announced the launch of the Sprott Gold Miners ETF (SGDM). Listed on the NYSE, the ETF tracks a smart beta strategy index which seeks to outperform a purely passive, market-capitalization weighted representation of gold stocks. John Wilson, CEO of Sprott, said: “We are committed to developing innovative new products in areas where we can provide value through our expertise and experience.”

Merk Investments has made its first foray into the exchange-traded products business with the launch the deliverable Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ). Listed on the NYSE Arca, the ETP provides investors with the opportunity to buy and hold gold through an exchange-traded vehicle with the option to take delivery of physical gold. Axel Merk, President and Chief Investment Officer of Merk Investments, said: “Gold investing will never be the same, as investors may now buy gold with the ease of an ETF, but also have the option to take delivery of their gold when they want, where they want, in the form they want.”

Direxion, a provider of short and leveraged exchange-traded funds, has announced the launch of two ETFs offering triple leveraged long and short exposure to gold. Listed on the NYSE Arca, the Direxion Daily Gold Bull 3X Shares (GLDL) and Direxion Daily Gold Bear 3X Shares (GLDS) seek to deliver 300 percent of the daily performance or 300 percent of the inverse of the daily performance, respectively, of Comex Gold Futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

The latest data from Barclays Stockbrokers, a UK-based execution-only broker, reveals ongoing retail client interest in UK focused exchange-traded funds during the 2013/2014 tax year end period, with 70 per cent of the top purchased ETFs in an ISA for Q1 2014 having a UK focus. The iShares FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (Inc) (ISF) was the top purchased ETF by Barclays Stockbrokers’ ISA clients, followed by the iShares FTSE 250 UCITS ETF (MIDD) in second place and the ETFS FTSE 100 Leveraged (Daily 2x) GO UCITS ETF (LUK2) from ETF Securities in third.

Commodities moved back into favour in the first quarter of 2014, according to data from ETF Securities, a leading provider of commodity-focused exchange-traded products (ETPs). Nicholas Brooks, Head of research and investment strategy at ETF Securities, said: “Gold ETPs moved strongly back into favour in February and March as investors revised down their highly bullish US growth assumptions and revised up the global risk outlook. Broad commodity ETPs also saw a turn in sentiment, with asset allocators rotating into the asset class as an alternative to overstretched developed market equities.”

Assets under management (AUM) in short and leveraged exchange-traded products have surpassed $60 billion, according to a report from Boost ETP, a London-based issuer. The report, authored by Viktor Nossek, Boost’s Head of Research, shows that global AUM reached a record $61.3 billion at the end of February, up $2.2 billion from the end of January 2014 and 6% year to date. Short and leveraged ETPs are gaining popularity with investors looking to implement currency, interest rate and exposure hedges, as well as among traders looking to enact short-term tactical positions.

ETF Securities, a leading London-based provider of exchange-traded products (ETPs), has introduced a portfolio simulator aimed at retail investors looking to build ETP portfolios. The simulator is designed to help investors to further familiarise themselves with ETPs and their associated benefits and risks. Commenting, Frank Spiteri, Head of Retail Distribution Strategy at ETF Securities, said: “The tool not only helps users understand the benefits and risks of investing through ETPs but encourages them to include asset classes such as commodities as part of a diversified portfolio.”

Boost, a specialist provider of short and leveraged exchange-traded products (ETP), has listed a further six ETPs on Borsa Italiana. The new listings take the total number of Boost products on the Milan-based exchange to 20. The new products are linked to the Nasdaq 100, Russell 1000, Nasdaq Commodity Silver and Nasdaq Commodity Natural Gas indices, and provide a mix of double and triple long and short exposures.

AdvisorShares, a leading sponsor of actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has unveiled an industry-first suite of ETFs providing gold exposure in different currency terms. Listed on the NYSE Arca and launched in partnership with Dennis Gartman, editor and publisher of The Gartman Letter, and Treesdale Partners, a New York-based registered investment advisor with expertise in managing currency/commodity-based investment products, the ETFs seek to provide positive returns by utilizing liquid, non-US dollar currencies to invest in the gold market.

ETF Securities, a leading provider of exchange-traded commodities, has published a survey concluding that investors will continue to invest in commodities in 2014, with cyclical commodities remaining favourites. Nicholas Brooks, Head of Research and Investment Strategy at ETF Securities, said: “Most investors we surveyed indicated they are positive on the outlook for global growth in 2014, with the US leading the way. This likely explains their general bullishness towards broad commodities after three years of underperformance, with platinum and copper top picks.”