US-based exchange-traded fund provider Guggenheim Investments has extended its suite of defined-maturity BulletShares with the launch of the BulletShares 2026 Corporate Bond ETF (NYSE: BSCQ) and BulletShares 2024 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSE: BSJO). Unlike the majority of fixed income ETFs, which trade in and out of bonds to maintain a target duration exposure, defined-maturity ETFs hold underlying bonds until maturity, at which point they liquidate. William Belden, Head of ETF Business Development at Guggenheim Investments, said: “The defined-maturity feature continues to be an effective investment strategy for investors looking to save for life events like retirement and college amid a volatile economic environment.”

Index providers MSCI and S&P Dow Jones Indices have created a new sector for real estate within the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) framework, elevating its position from an Industry Group within the Financials sector. The creation of this new sector will affect investors in Financials sector ETFs linked to MSCI and S&P DJI indices globally, with changes scheduled for 16 September. Different approaches are being taken by ETF issuers in how they deal with the reclassification.

Investment management boutique Summit Water Capital Advisors, a specialist in global water investment strategies for 30 years, has launched a smart beta exchange-traded fund offering investors exposure to globally-listed equities of firms operating in the water utilities or industrials sectors. The Summit Water Infrastructure Multifactor ETF (NYSE: WTRX) tracks the Summit Zacks Global Water Index, created in collaboration with Chicago-based index provider Zacks Index Services, and adopts a dividend-weighted approach thereby increasing the yield of the fund.

US-based exchange-traded fund provider Guggenheim Investments has launched the Guggenheim S&P 100 Equal Weight ETF (NYSE Arca: OEW), the first smart beta ETF to provide investors with equal-weight access to the S&P 100 Index, which is made up of 100 of the largest and most stable companies from the S&P 500. “OEW offers strategic beta exposure to large, blue-chip stocks across multiple industry groups and could serve as a core holding in a diversified portfolio,” said William Belden, Managing Director and Head of ETF Business Development for Guggenheim Investments. “OEW’s portfolio constituents typically are household names with strong brand recognition and global operations.”

Guggenheim Investments, a US-based provider of exchange-traded funds, has launched a new ETF offering an optimized smart beta allocation to the US large cap equity market. The Guggenheim Large Cap Optimized Diversification ETF (NYSE Arca: OPD), will track the Wilshire Large Cap Optimized Diversification Index, which follows an optimized selection of low correlated stocks. William Belden, Guggenheim Managing Director and Head of ETF Business Development, commented: “Ever since Nobel Prize winner Harry Markowitz’s pioneering work in modern portfolio theory, diversification has been recognized as a way to improve performance potential. Combining differentiated return streams from lowly correlated stocks may provide the potential for attractive risk-adjusted returns.”

US-based investment advisory house Amplify Investments has launched an exchange traded fund platform designed to introduce innovative investment strategies into the ETF marketplace. The new platform, Amplify Exchange-Traded Funds (Amplify ETFs), will complement Amplify Development, an affiliate of Amplify Investments providing strategic support to third-party ETFs that do not use the Amplify ETF brand or trust. Amplify ETFs aims to provide a full range of marketing, distribution and operational support to clients as a means of adding value relative to competitors. The first Amplify-branded ETF is anticipated to launch later this month.

While market volatility will continue to fuel the growing popularity of multi-factor smart beta strategies in 2016, there will be greater focus on diversification than trying to predict which factor will dominate, according to asset management research firm Cerulli. “Over the past year as market uncertainty has reigned, multi-factor smart beta strategies have garnered greater interest. We expect total assets under management to continue to increase not only in Europe but in the US and Asia as well,” said Justina Deveikyte, a senior analyst at Cerulli.

Guggenheim Investments, a US-based provider of exchange-traded funds, has introduced the Guggenheim Total Return Bond ETF (NYSE Arca: GTO). The fund is actively managed, investing primarily in investment-grade fixed income securities across multiple sectors. Scott Minerd, Chairman of Investments and Global CIO for Guggenheim Investments, commented: “Our investment team’s rigorous and specialized credit analysis work to uncover attractive duration and yield in otherwise underappreciated asset classes, such as commercial asset-backed securities and collateral loan obligations.”

Guggenheim Investments, a US-based provider of exchange-traded funds, has announced the launch of the smart beta Guggenheim Dow Jones Industrial Average Dividend ETF (DJD). “DJD will track the DJIA Yield Weighted index, which is calculated using a yield-weighted methodology that weights all securities of the DJIA by their 12-month dividend yield,” said William Belden, Guggenheim Investments Managing Director and Head of ETF Business Development. Guggenheim was among the early pioneers of smart beta ETFs with the introduction of the Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) in 2003.

ETFGI, a London-based exchange-traded fund consultancy, has released research showing that growth in net new assets within the global ETF/ETP space is moving at a faster pace than ever before. The report found that $319.4bn in net gatherings have been achieved as of 30 November 2015, 15% above the previous year-to-date (YTD) record of $277.3bn set last year. Global net gatherings of $29.9bn were recorded during November, marking the 22nd consecutive month of positive net flows for the industry.