BNP Paribas Asset Management has cross-listed four ETFs on SIX Swiss Exchange. Three provide smart beta exposure to European and US-listed equities, and the other to a diversified portfolio of real estate companies and real estate investment trusts (REITs) listed in eurozone countries.

US-based ETF provider GraniteShares has acquired the Master Income ETF (HIPS US) and rebranded it as the HIPS US High Income ETF. The fund invests in pass-through securities offering high levels of income.

Harvest Portfolios Group has launched the Global REIT Leaders Income ETF (Toronto: HGR), an actively managed ETF investing in real estate investment trusts (REITs) listed globally.

Infrastructure Capital Advisors has licensed the recently launched Indxx REIT Preferred Stock Index to underlie the new InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF (NYSE: PFFR). The ETF provides exposure to high yielding, liquid preferred securities issued by real estate investment trusts (REITs) listed in the US, including a diversified combination of mortgage, office, hotel, healthcare, and retail REITs.

Nuveen, an operating division of TIAA Global Asset Management, has launched the NuShares Short-Term REIT ETF (Bats: NURE), offering exposure to US-listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) whose operations typically involve shorter lease durations. Short-term REITS, including those managing apartment buildings, hotels, self-storage facilities, and manufactured home properties, have historically outperformed the broad US listed REIT universe in times of rising interest rates.

European ETF provider Source has launched the Source GPR Real Estate Europe UCITS ETF (REES) on Deutsche Börse’s Xetra and Frankfurt exchanges. Tracking the Global Property Research 75 Liquid Developed Europe Real Estate Index, the ETF gives investors access to the performance of 75 leading real estate companies or REITs listed in Europe, including those operating in the office, residential, retail, industrial, healthcare and diversified property segments.

US-based Hartford Funds has launched the industry’s first exchange-traded fund to apply a multi-factor smart beta weighting strategy to real estate investment trusts. The NYSE-listed Lattice Real Estate Strategy ETF (NYSE: RORE) selects and weights US REITs with the strongest quality, momentum and value characteristics. “The launch of RORE is a natural extension of Hartford Funds’ strategic beta ETF platform,” said Darek Wojnar, Head of Exchange-Traded Funds at Hartford Funds. “The strategy focuses exclusively on REITs and may be a compelling solution for investors interested in taking advantage of the growing opportunities in the real estate sector.”

First Trust has launched two new actively managed ETFs – the First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF (Nasdaq: FCEF), and the First Trust Municipal CEF Income Opportunity ETF (Nasdaq: MCEF) – which seek to provide income by investing in closed-end funds (CEFs). CEFs may trade at a premium or a discount to their net asset value, offering potential investment opportunities. Ken Fincher, Senior Vice President at First Trust, commented: “We believe through our rigorous proprietary model and years of experience in the CEF space that we can provide advisors and their investors with a better overall experience.”

According to a recent statement from the Bank of England, the UK may still face a “challenging period of uncertainty and adjustment” in the wake of the Brexit referendum. The Bank’s Financial Policy Committee said that although immediate capital market volatility has calmed down since June, there remain elevated risks, such as the threat of a “sharp adjustment” in the commercial property market and the danger that foreign investors could divest from the UK. UK property ETFs such as the iShares UK Property UCITS ETF (LON: IUKP) are down roughly 10% year-to-date.

Singapore Exchange (SGX) has unveiled a new smart beta index – the SGX APAC ex Japan Dividend Leaders REIT Index – composed of 30 real estate investment trusts (REITs) across the Asia Pacific ex Japan region. The index, which weights constituents according to dividends, has been licensed to Phillip Capital Management for the creation of an exchange-traded fund to be listed on SGX. Loh Boon Chye, CEO of SGX, commented: “I am delighted with the launch of our first Pan-Asian index and that it will be used as a benchmark for an ETF.”