Global ETF News Older than One Year
Bitcoin sheds $700 in an hour as volatility returns
November 29, 2017--Bitcoin shed more than $700 in an hour on Thursday morning, extending the volatility that saw it whipsaw from a bull market to a bear and back again yesterday evening.
A unit of the cryptocurrency hit a low of $9,482 at 11am GMT, according to Reuters data, having traded at $10,200 at 10am.
Source: FT.com
BetaShares-HACKED! The investment opportunity in the world's fastest growing threat
November 29, 2017--Uber, the ride sharing company, was caught out last week after it was discovered they had paid US$100,000 to cybercriminals in October 2016, following the theft of 57 million customer and driver records worldwide.
This has caused significant reputational damage to the company and clearly shows no company is safe from the ever increasing threat of cyber-attacks. This latest breach reinforces the belief that it is not an 'if' but 'when' in the battle for cybersecurity, and is another example of the frequency with which criminals appear to be winning.
Source: betashares.com.au
FTSE Russell launches two new index series to support ESG integration into passive investment
November 29, 2017--FTSE Russell launches new FTSE Global Climate Index Series and FTSE ESG Index Series
Index series utilize data from FTSE Green Revenues data model and FTSE ESG Ratings and data model
Helps investors incorporate the transition to a global green economy into core benchmarks and passive investments
Combines sustainable investing with innovative approach to factor index construction-Smart Sustainability
FTSE Russell, the global index, analytics and data provider, announces the expansion of its Sustainable Investment index offering with the launch of the FTSE Global Climate Index Series and the FTSE ESG Index Series. The new index series build on the launch of the award-winning FTSE All-World ex CW Climate Balanced Factor Index, the first FTSE Russell index to combine a smart beta factor approach alongside climate change considerations.
Source: ftserussell.com
The Benefits of Trader Augmentation
November 29, 2017--$15-20 billion dollars is spent annually on RegTech by fixed-income trading desks in the US and Europe
While fixed-income dealers are finally coming out from underneath the crush of the financial crisis, budget cuts and regulatory burdens continue to impact their ability to effectively service clients.
Interactions with compliance are increasingly keeping trading desk heads away from clients, which both hurts the profitability of the desk and the level of service clients receive.
Nothing can truly replace personal relationships, but technology on the trading desk can certainly help augment them. MiFID II is proving to be a catalyst for technology upgrades on the desk-some out of necessity, some out of a desire to grow. These will help banks struggling to prepare for the directives quickly approaching implementation.
Source: Greenwich Associates
Cybersecurity: Fighting a Threat That Causes $450B of Damage Each Year
November 28, 2017--With recent high profile hacks of companies such as Uber, Equifax, and HBO, it's safe to say that cybersecurity is already top of mind for many of the world's biggest companies.
However, as billions of more devices get connected to the internet every year-including many that are not properly secured-this cybercrime threat is evolving quickly, and the stakes are rising as well. Experts estimate that cybercrime caused $450 billion of damage to the economy in 2016, and that number is expected to increase to $1 trillion by 2021.
Source: visualcapitalist.com
OECD sees global economy strengthening, but says further policy action needed to catalyse the private sector for stronger and more inclusive growth
November 28, 2017--The world economy has strengthened, with monetary and fiscal stimulus underpinning a broad-based and synchronised improvement in growth rates across most countries, according to the OECD's latest Economic Outlook.
Annual growth of the world economy is projected to improve slightly in 2018, but remains below the pre-crisis period and that of past recoveries. Longer-term challenges inhibit stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient economies.
view the OECD Economic Outlook and Interim Economic Outlook
Source: OECD
Bubble trouble? Bitcoin tops $11,000, but fades after sharp rally
November 28, 2017--Bitcoin zoomed past $11,000 (£8,185.5) to hit a record high for the sixth day in a row on Wednesday after gaining more than $1,000 in just 12 hours, stoking concerns that a rapidly swelling bubble could be set to burst in spectacular fashion.
After soaring more than 1,000 percent since the start of the year, bitcoin rose as much as 15 percent on Wednesday, but by mid-afternoon in New York, the virtual currency was trading at $9,500, down 3.7 percent on the day on Luxembourg-based Bitstamp BTC=BTSP, one of the largest and most liquid cryptocurrency exchanges.
Source: Reuters
Infographic-Visualizing the Journey to $10,000 Bitcoin
November 27, 2017--It has been a breakthrough year for the world's original cryptocurrency. At time of publication, the bitcoin price is at $9,650-about 10X higher than how the cryptocurrency started the year.
Further, bitcoins are now on the brink of passing the important psychological barrier of $10,000, and it could do so at any moment based on current momentum.
Source: visualcapitalist.com
ETF Securities Weekly Flows Analysis-Green means go for industrial metals
November 27, 2017--Industrial metal ETPs recorded the largest weekly inflows since summer 2014.
Robotic ETP continues to record inflows on better-than-expected earnings seasons.
Gold and oil ETPs recorded outflows as price continue to rise.
Inflows into silver ETPs, benefitting from the attractiveness of industrially based metals.
Industrial metal ETPs recorded the largest weekly inflows since summer 2014. Industrial metal ETPs were on the top of the leader board last week with a record inflow of US$112.9mn, the largest weekly inflow since August 2014. Investors increased their exposure to the basket and copper with US$77.3mn and US$34.5mn inflows, respectively. Nickel was the best performer last week with a price rise of 4%, followed by copper (3.3%) as both metal supply deficits were reported higher than last year according to their respective international study groups.
Source: etfsecurities.com
ESG investing and smart beta combination grows in popularity
November 27, 2017--A "niche of a niche" is one description of the combination of socially responsible investment with smart beta factors.
The practice of marrying the two approaches is far from mainstream, but both strategies are growing in popularity, particularly among institutional investors.
Source: FT.com
