Solactive has unveiled a new thematic index family providing exposure to companies that stand to benefit from significant long-term socio-economic megatrends. The Solactive Future Trends Index Series consists of 18 indices that can be divided into four broad thematic categories: Future Technologies, Future of the Environment, Future Way of Life, and Future Health and Well-Being. Axel Haus, Team Head of Qualitative Research at Solactive, said, “Based on today’s research and knowledge, we focus on the beneficiaries of multi-year megatrends. The Solactive Future Trends Index Series provides the means to incorporate the most promising future economic trends into long-term oriented investment strategies.”

BlackRock has rolled out a new bond ETF in Europe that is likely to appeal to investors seeking to allocate capital in line with socially responsible principles. Debuting on Euronext Amsterdam, the iShares $ Development Bank Bonds UCITS ETF (DDBB NA) offers access to a portfolio of bonds issued by development banks financing projects with positive social and economic outcomes in developing countries. It is linked to the FTSE World Broad Investment-Grade USD Multilateral Development Bank Bond Capped Index.

Solactive has launched a new ESG fixed income index – the Solactive CarbonCare Asia Sustainability Bond Index – measuring the performance of green and other sustainable bonds from issuers in the Asia Pacific region. Steffen Scheuble, CEO of Solactive, commented, “We are excited to participate in the growth story of the green, social, and sustainability bonds in the Asia Pacific region. We hope that this index will be a valuable tool for asset owners in managing their ESG mandates and that it will serve as a reference for the wider investment community.”

VanEck has implemented substantial changes to its MLP ETF including the adoption of a new underlying index and investment mandate, a change of fund name and ticker, and a reduction in the expense ratio from 0.84% to 0.45%. Ed Lopez, Head of ETF Product with VanEck, said, “We’re very pleased to be announcing these changes…Given the recent history of industry consolidation and corporate restructurings, the new index provides a current reflection of the high-yielding energy infrastructure universe.”

Amundi has cross-listed an assortment of ETFs on Xetra and Borsa Italiana. The listings consist of an ESG-screened corporate bond ETF, a ‘breakeven inflation’ ETF, and a pair of thematic equity ETFs.

Horizons ETFs has lowered the management fees on three Toronto-listed ETFs providing exposure to Canadian banking stocks, REITs, and preferred shares. Steve Hawkins, President and CEO of Horizons ETFs, said, “Not only will these ETFs be offered at lower fees than most other similar competitor products, but these ETFs also have the added value of offering low potential for tracking error, which can be an issue, particularly with income-generating ETFs like preferred shares.”

Sydney-based ETF issuer BetaShares has launched a new fixed income ETF, the BetaShares Sustainability Leaders Diversified Bond ETF – Currency Hedged (GBND AU), providing exposure to a globally diversified portfolio of ‘green’ and ESG-screened bonds. The ETF has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and is linked to the Solactive Australian and Global Select Sustainability Leaders Bond TR Index. It has been seeded by Future Super, a leading Australian retail superannuation fund.

Frankfurt-based index provider Solactive has launched a new index – the Solactive Euro IG Corporate SD-KPIndex – measuring the performance of the broad euro-denominated corporate bond market with constituents reweighted according to their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores. Timo Pfeiffer, Chief Markets Officer at Solactive, commented, “As capital markets continue to realize the importance of integrating ESG metrics into portfolio construction, we are proud to bring them a new bond index in collaboration with SD-M.”

Horizons ETFs Canada has reduced the management fee on ETFs providing exposure to blockchain technology, industry 4.0, and robotics and automation. Steve Hawkins, President and CEO of Horizons ETFs, commented, “We have implemented significant management fee reductions to align the ETFs in our line-up and to further enhance their appeal for investors seeking to invest in the long-term growth potential of these technologies.”

Global X has expanded its suite of thematic growth products with the launch of three new ETFs on Nasdaq. Two of the funds provide access to the themes of video games/esports and cybersecurity, while a third offers diversified exposure across several themes using an ETF-of-ETFs format. Pedro Palandrani, Research Analyst at Global X ETFs, commented, “As disruption accelerates across the global economy, investors are looking for targeted and efficient solutions to gain access to these trends. Through our extensive thematic growth suite, we now offer investors access to seventeen individual themes as well as a fund-of-funds thematic solution.”