Kenanga Investors, the asset management arm of financial services giant Kenanga Investment Bank, has introduced its first ETFs with the launch of two inverse & leveraged funds on Bursa Malaysia. The Kenanga KLCI Daily 2X Leveraged ETF (KLCI2XL MK) and Kenanga KLCI Daily (-1X) Inverse ETF (KLCI1XI MK) are linked to the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index, Malaysia’s most prominent stock market benchmark.

MSCI has introduced its first sole-branded fixed income indices with the launch of two suites providing factor-based and ESG-screened exposures. The MSCI Fixed Income Factor and MSCI Fixed Income ESG indices are built around a universe of investment-grade, US dollar-denominated corporate bonds and derived from the parent MSCI USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index – also a newly created index. Peter Zangari, Global Head of Research and Product Development at MSCI, said, “Building on our four decades of experience, this next generation of indices brings increased clarity to the traditionally opaque fixed income asset class to support ESG and factor-based fixed income strategies.”

By the ETF research team at Direxion Investments.

Negative-yielding debt has declined from its all-time peak, but it still represents close to 24% of all global bonds. Until recently, the idea of negative-yielding debt was unfeasible to many and now it is nearly a quarter of all debt issued around the world. Even $900 billion of corporate bonds trade at negative yields highlighting the pervasiveness of this phenomenon.

Kuala Lumpur-based Affin Hwang Asset Management has launched four new ETFs on Bursa Malaysia, the first inverse & leveraged products to list on the exchange.

AgioFunds and its listing partner Beta Securities Poland have announced the launch of the Beta ETF WIG20short on GPW. The ETF allows investors to take a short position on the WIG20 Index, the foremost gauge of the Warsaw stock market. Robert Sochacki, Board Member of Beta Securities Poland, said, “The fund tracks the WIG20short index and provides returns when WIG20 is going down…We want to deliver investment solutions that offer all participants of the capital market a good fit for their perspective on the market outlook. This is why we are launching the WIG20short ETF.”

Direxion has added two pairs of funds, linked to the S&P 500 High Beta Index and Dow Jones Internet Composite, to its line-up of triple leveraged and inverse ETFs. Dave Mazza, Managing Director at Direxion, commented, “We’re very excited to offer traders leveraged exposure to these two indexes to express bullish or bearish positions.”

DWS has expanded its range of responsible investment ETFs with the launch of the Xtrackers ESG MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF. The fund, which has listed on LSE and Xetra, has been designed to provide exposure to emerging market companies that are considered ethical and sustainable. Manooj Mistry, DWS Head of Index Investing, said, “The expansion of our ESG Xtrackers range to cover emerging market equities will provide investors with an efficient new tool for taking exposure to this important area of the market.”

By the ETF Research Team at Direxion. With an increase in chatter about the next recession lurking right around the corner, it is notable that the Manufacturing PMI slipped into contraction territory to 49.1 in August after expanding for 35 months. However, the Non-Manufacturing PMI stands at 56.4 and has now expanded for 115 months and firmly beat survey expectations. Just as commuters around the globe are reminded to mind the gap when entering and exiting trains, investors should stay attuned to the gap between Manufacturing and Non-Manufacturing PMIs.

China Asset Management Company has launched a new exchange-traded product in Hong Kong, providing leveraged inverse exposure to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index. “The Nasdaq 100 is a powerful tool for investors to gain exposure to the world’s most innovative companies,” said Rob Hughes, Vice President and Head of Advisory Services for Nasdaq Global Indexes.

By the ETF Research Team at Direxion.

August is supposed to be the quietest month of the year – the summer doldrums. And yet, this August has proven to be anything but quiet, thanks to corporate earnings and the most highly anticipated FOMC meetings in years.