Alternative investments are playing an increasingly important role within investors’ portfolios, according to research by BlackRock, the asset manager behind the iShares brand of ETFs.

UBS Asset Management has announced the upcoming launch of the UBS ETF S&P 500 ESG UCITS ETF in Europe. Created in partnership with S&P Dow Jones Indices and SAM (formerly RobecoSAM), the fund is the first ETF to track an ESG-screened version of the S&P 500. Clemens Reuter, Head of ETF & Passive Investment Specialists, UBS Asset Management, said, “We have pioneered a new generation of sustainability ETFs, offering a core ESG exposure based on the largest and most important equity index globally.”

UBS Asset Management has launched the UBS Bloomberg Barclays TIPS 10+ UCITS (hedged to GBP) A-dis on London Stock Exchange (T10G LN) and SIX Swiss Exchange (TIP10G SW). The ETF provides sterling-hedged exposure to long-duration US Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). Andrew Walsh, Head of Passive and ETF Specialist Sales UK & Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to expand our fixed income offering to include a fund which helps our clients achieve a targeted exposure to long-duration US TIPS coupled with the benefits of GBP-hedging.”

BNP Paribas Asset Management has launched the BNP Paribas Easy € Corp Bond SRI Fossil Free UCITS ETF (SRIC FP) on Euronext Paris, providing low carbon exposure to around 400 euro-denominated corporate bonds selected using environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria.

UniCredit has announced the launch of the UC MSCI European Green Bond EUR UCITS ETF (ECBI GY), a new ETF on Xetra providing exposure to a broadly diversified portfolio of liquid euro-denominated green bonds from European issuers. Linked to the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI European Green Bond Issuer Capped EUR Index, the fund enables sustainability-conscious investors to access bonds that have been issued to finance projects with direct positive environmental outcomes. Antonio Keglevich, Head of Sustainability Bond Origination, UniCredit, commented, “Having the same risk and yield as common bonds, green bonds provide an added value, which exceeds financial aspects.”

UBS has expanded its range of socially responsible ETFs with the launch of the UBS Sustainable Development Bank Bonds UCITS ETF on SIX Swiss Exchange, London Stock Exchange and Xetra. Andrew Walsh, Head of Passive & ETF Specialist Sales UK, UBS, said, “By investing in these bonds, one can provide relatively direct support to a series of projects that generate positive effects for society in general.”

Amundi has launched three ETFs providing ESG-friendly exposure to global, US, and European equity markets. The funds, which have been listed on the Euronext Paris and Xetra exchanges, come with total expense ratios (TERs) of just 0.18%. The ETFs are linked to SRI indices from MSCI which harness data from index provider’s ESG Research team to screen the investment universes of some of its best known broad market benchmarks.

BlackRock has unveiled a new suite of sustainability-focused equity ETFs on London Stock Exchange. The suite comprises six ETFs across a range of single-country and regional exposures and is aimed at the growing number of investors seeking to align their moral values with long-term investment objectives. The funds track MSCI ESG indices and are being marketed as part of the issuer’s ‘Core’ ETF range of low-cost portfolio building blocks. Stephen Cohen, Head of iShares EMEA at BlackRock, said the ETFs would “play a key role in bringing sustainable investing to the heart of investor portfolios.”

Lyxor has added an income accumulating share class of the Lyxor MSCI USA UCITS ETF on SIX Swiss Exchange. The fund tracks the MSCI USA Index, representing the performance of the large and mid-cap segments of the US equity market.

BlackRock has launched a pair of ETFs – unconnected to each other – providing exposure to companies globally that are closely aligned with the themes of workplace inclusion & diversity and digital security. The funds have been listed on the London Stock Exchange and Xetra, and track indices provided by Thomson Reuters and Stoxx. Rob Powell, Lead Strategist, iShares Thematic Investing, commented: “As more and more investors are getting to know ETFs beyond the broad equity market exposures, our focus is on expanding this choice of tools to build future-smart portfolios.”