Stoxx Limited, a leading European index provider, has launched the V-VSTOXX indices, which are designed to measure the expected volatility of the EURO STOXX 50 volatility. “As markets continue to react to recent geopolitical activity in Europe, it is crucial for investors to be able to accurately gauge the level of uncertainty in the markets and their impact on trading instruments. The V-VSTOXX indices provide deeper insight into the expected near-term volatility of the volatility markets for the Eurozone, which makes them essential tools for investment and trading professionals seeking to manage risks inherent to this asset class,” said Hartmut Graf, chief executive officer of Stoxx Limited.

Guggenheim Investments has announced the launch of the Guggenheim BulletShares 2023 High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (BSJN) and the Guggenheim BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF (BSCP). “Our investment-grade and high yield BulletShares offer investors a creative way to tap into the fixed income market by focusing on securities with a given maturity date,” said William Belden, Managing Director, Head of ETF Business Development at Guggenheim Investments. “The defined-maturity feature continues to be an effective investment strategy for investors looking to save for life events like retirement and college costs amid a volatile economic environment.”

Latest statistics from London-based exchange-traded fund consultancy ETFGI show that the European exchange-traded product market continues to display strong growth, with net new assets, as of 30 September 2015, reaching $61.6bn year-to-date (YTD). This number is just shy of the full year record of $61.8bn recorded in 2014. Despite global volatility levels remaining high during September, $2bn was added in net new assets under management (AUM).

Lyxor, the Paris-based exchange-traded fund provider and subsidiary of Societe Generale, has announced the listing of a multi-factor smart beta ETF built on the Lyxor range of single-factor ETF strategies launched in July of this year. Francois Millet, Head of ETF and Index Product Development at Lyxor Asset Management said: “Factors are increasingly used by investors to enhance their risk-adjusted returns and increase their diversification. These five risk factors help to explain the systematic return patterns of the equity markets, which have been exploited by active fund managers for many years”.

Stoxx Limited, the European index provider, has introduced the STOXX Select and STOXX Diversification Select index families, a suite of multi-factor smart beta indices which harness the low volatility and dividend yield factors in search of improved risk-adjusted returns. Hartmut Graf, chief executive officer, Stoxx Limited commented: “We have introduced the STOXX Select and STOXX Diversification Select Indices, which meet both structured products issuers and end-investor needs by introducing screens for low volatility, high dividends and low correlation, paired with an inverse volatility weighting scheme.”

FTSE Russell, a global index provider, has reunited with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) to update the existing FTSE/JSE Africa Index Series. The collaboration involves the launches of the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Benchmark and a Top 30 Index. These indices, which are FTSE Russell’s next generation environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) model, may be used as a reference for future tracking assets such as exchange-traded funds.

Despite global volatility levels remaining elevated during September, the successful gathering of new assets has kept the industry on course to surpass previous full-year records. During September alone exchange-traded products globally attracted $32bn in new assets. As it stands there has been net inflows of $251bn from the start of the year to 30 September, 25% more than the previous record set last year.

According to BNY Mellon’s ETF Services Group, the number of actively managed ETFs is likely to increase significantly once the US Securities and Exchange Commission rules on proposals designed to discourage high-frequency traders from stepping ahead of active managers. Steve Cook, business executive, structured product services at BNY Mellon, said, “Uncertainty around which proposal will be adopted has slowed the launch of actively managed ETFs this year. However, once we have regulatory clarity, we expect a rebound in launches of actively managed ETFs. It will result in more options for investors, which is what everyone wants.”

Loncar Investments, a specialist exchange-traded fund and index provider, has unveiled the first ETF to track companies engaged in the research and development of therapies that treat cancer through the body’s immune system. “Immunotherapy is changing the way many cancers are being treated,” said Brad Loncar, Chief Executive Officer of Loncar Investments. “This innovative field within biotechnology is expected to become the foundational treatment for cancer over the next ten years. We think it is important to give investors a benchmark to track the progress of this growing biotechnology sector, which over time will likely continue to have a positive impact on society.”

Amundi, a leading European provider of exchange-traded funds, is adding to its suite of Japanese equity ETFs with the launch of hedged and unhedged funds tracking the broad TOPIX Index. According to Amundi, in a market characterised by significant monetary easing – aimed at boosting the local economy – these ETFs will allow investors to access, in a single transaction, a broad exposure to the most liquid Japanese listed stocks with or without currency hedging.