‘ Latin America ’

Thematic investing: Playing the linear link challenge

Oct 27th, 2013 | By
Thematic investing: Playing the linear link challenge

In this column I’d like to introduce what I rather inelegantly call the “linear link challenge”. In the real world of investing, pure ideas and strategies end up becoming horribly messy – we see a trend or a process at work and we try and find some way of ‘playing’ that via basket of shares or a fund. Cue the linear challenge. Is there actually a direct link between that process or change (i.e. investment theme) and an actual, easy-to-buy fund or group of shares? If there isn’t, we’re forced to rely on indirect ‘surrogates’ to make our play.


S&P Dow Jones licenses S&P MILA 40 Index to Horizons for Colombia-listed ETF

Oct 23rd, 2013 | By
S&P Dow Jones licenses S&P MILA 40 Index to Horizons for Colombia-listed ETF

S&P Dow Jones has licensed the S&P MILA 40 Index, an index tracking 40 of the largest stocks on Latin America’s MILA platform, to Horizons ETFs Group to serve as the basis for an exchange-traded fund listed in Colombia. The ETF, known locally as the Fondo Bursátil Horizons MILA 40 de S&P (HMILA40), will be listed on the Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (BVC) and will be the first Andean equity-focused ETF available in Colombia.


Retail investors focus on UK ETFs

Sep 11th, 2013 | By
Amundi launches UK SRI equity ETF

Clients of Barclays Stockbrokers are continuing to favour UK-focused ETFs, according to new analysis from the UK’s largest execution-only retail broker. Data for August 2013 revealed the iShares FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (Inc) (ISF) was the most traded ETF by clients of the broker for the month. The fund has now been the top purchased ETF by Barclays clients for fourteen weeks in a row. The data also revealed the UK was a popular region among investors, with 27% of all client ETF purchases being focused on the UK.


United States Commodity Funds cross-lists ETFs on Mexican Stock Exchange

Sep 11th, 2013 | By
USCF adjusts rolling strategy for world’s largest oil ETF

United States Commodity Funds, a US-based provider of commodity-focused exchange-traded funds, has cross-listed five products on the Mexican Stock Exchange, or Bolsa Mexicana de Valores. They are the United States Oil Fund (USO), the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG), the United States 12 Month Oil Fund (USL), the United States Gasoline Fund (UGA) and the United States Commodity Index Fund (USCI).


S&P Dow Jones unveils Brazilian dividend income indices

Aug 4th, 2013 | By
S&P Dow Jones unveils Brazilian dividend income indices

Index giant S&P Dow Jones Indices has added to its expanding equity income offering with the launch of the S&P Brazil Dividend Indices, a new family of indices tracking the performance of dividend-paying securities focused on the Brazilian market. The index family is composed of three different indices offering a range of exposures from dividend stability to pure high yield to small- and mid-cap stocks.


iShares launches Colombia ETF

Jun 21st, 2013 | By
S&P Dow Jones unveils Colombia index, licensed to Horizons ETFs

iShares, the world’s largest manager of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has launched the iShares MSCI Colombia Capped ETF (ICOL), a new fund providing targeted exposure to Colombian stocks. The fund, listed on the NYSE Arca, tracks the MSCI All Colombia Capped Index, a broad-market index measuring the performance of companies that are headquartered or listed in Colombia and have the majority of their operations based there. The fund complements iShares’ existing LatAm line-up, which includes products linked to Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru and the region.


WisdomTree expands ETF footprint in Mexico

Jun 17th, 2013 | By
First Trust cross-lists three thematic ETFs on Mexico’s Exchange

WisdomTree, a leading provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has listed an additional 12 ETFs on the Mexican stock exchange, the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV). All 12 equity ETFs are listed in the special international section of the BMV, the Sistema Internacional de Cotizaciones (SIC).


Emerging markets local currency bond ETFs get a boost from Brazil

Jun 13th, 2013 | By
S&P Dow Jones unveils Brazilian dividend income indices

Last week, Brazil officially eliminated a tax that affected foreign buyers of Brazilian government bonds. The elimination of the tax represents positive news for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to Brazilian government debt. And while there isn’t yet a pure-play Brazilian government bond ETF on the market, a number of funds are set to benefit, most notably those that provide access to emerging markets local currency debt.


S&P Dow Jones introduces sector indices for Latin America’s MILA exchange

May 20th, 2013 | By
S&P Dow Jones and BSE launch S&P BSE SENSEX 50 Index

S&P Dow Jones has expanded its Latin American product offering with the launch of the S&P MILA Financials and S&P MILA Resources indices. The indices are designed to measure the primary equity sectors represented on the MILA (or Mercado Integrado Latino Americano) market. The MILA is a regional equity trading platform integrating the main stock exchanges of Chile, Colombia and Peru.


Frontier markets ETFs “too significant to ignore”

Apr 25th, 2013 | By
Frontier markets ETFs potentially “too significant to ignore”

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to frontier markets, such as the db X-trackers S&P Select Frontier UCITS ETF, present an enticing proposition for investors. Inherently a long-term investment opportunity, they not only offer potential for strong returns, but also provide an ideal means of portfolio diversification. With 22% of the world’s population, of which almost 60% is under 30 years of age, abundant natural resources and low labour costs, frontier markets are “too significant to ignore”, says Tim Drinkall of Morgan Stanley Investment Management.