Direxion, a leading US-based provider of alternative exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has launched two new leveraged equity ETFs on the NYSE Arca, the Direxion Daily Brazil Bull 3x Shares ETF (BRZU) and Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3x Shares ETF (KORU).

Market Vectors, the fifth-largest provider of exchange-traded products in the US and the eighth-largest globally, has added six of its NYSE Arca-traded ETFs to the list of depository receipts based on Market Vectors ETFs currently available to Qualified Investors in Mexico. Deutsche Securities Casa de Bolsa in Mexico will act as local sponsor and filing agent for the depositary receipts.

UBS has expanded its range of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) with the introduction of three new funds. The additional funds, which provide exposure to ‘socially responsible’ companies and Brazil, reflect the Swiss firm’s commitment to the London market and come just three months after it made its ETF debut on the exchange.

Market Vectors ETFs, the fifth largest provider of exchange-traded products in the US and the eighth largest provider globally, has signalled its global ambitions by partnering with Australian Index Investments (Aii) to launch Market Vectors Australia. Meanwhile, in a further demonstration of the firm’s international expansion plans, five NYSE Arca-traded Market Vectors ETFs have been added to the growing list of Market Vectors ETFs currently available to Qualified Investors in Mexico.

US-based ETF provider Direxion has announced plans to remove the leverage capacity built in to its suite of dynamic ‘Risk-Control Volatility Response’ ETFs. During times of low, below-target volatility, the exposure to equities will, as of 14 June, be capped at 100%, compared to the current level of 150%. The funds affected are the Direxion S&P 1500 RC Volatility Response Shares (VSPR), the Direxion S&P 500 RC Volatility Response Shares (VSPY) and the Direxion S&P Latin America 40 RC Volatility Response Shares (VLAT).

JP Morgan has been appointed by Pimco, a leading global investment management firm, to offer two of its US-registered ETFs, the Pimco 0-5 Year High Yield Corporate Bond Index ETF (HYS) and the Pimco 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury Index ETF (ZROZ), on the international segment of the Mexican Stock Exchange, Bolsa Mexicana de Valores. The two ETFs are in addition to the existing five PIMCO ETFs previously sponsored by JP Morgan on the same exchange.

iShares has launched two new funds on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), expanding its range of emerging market products across fixed income and equities. The two new funds, the iShares Barclays Capital EM Asia Local Govt Capped Bond ETF (SGEA) and the iShares MSCI Mexico IMI Capped ETF (SMEX), are designed to meet the needs of investors searching for new sources of income and single-country emerging market exposure, respectively.

Brazil’s rapidly expanding middle class and complex intellectual property framework is creating a host of new opportunities, according to a new report published by Thomson Reuters. “Few emerging market economies boast Brazil’s unique combination of steady growth and a well-established intellectual property system,” said David Brown, president of the IP Solutions business at Thomson Reuters. Investors can access Brazil efficiently via an expanding range of low-cost ETFs.

CBOE Holdings has announced that the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and CBOE Futures Exchange will launch two new ETF-based volatility index products in the coming weeks: the CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility Index security futures (VXEW) and the CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility Index options (VXEWZ). The calculation of the CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility Index is derived from applying CBOE’s VIX methodology to the prices of CBOE listed options on the iShares MSCI Brazil Index ETF.

Edward Bland, Head of Research at Duncan Lawrie Private Bank, believes that, after recent stock market falls, now is the time to consider an investment in Brazil: “A tremendous amount of investment is being undertaken in order to get Brazil’s infrastructure up to date and ready to host the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016. On the corporate side, things are equally healthy. Add to this robust domestic consumption and growing real wages, and you have a recipe for strong economic growth.”