Americas ETP News
If your looking for specific news, using the search function will narrow down the results
Richard Bernstein Advisors launches "SMRT" ETF Portfolios
May 22, 2012--Richard Bernstein Advisors (RBA) announced today that they are launching a series of ETF model strategies known as "SMRT"(Sector Model RoTation) portfolios that will combine RBA's top-down approach and proprietary earnings and valuation analyses with First Trust Advisors'AlphaDEX methodology.
SMRT portfolios are designed to manage beta through a market cycle. RBA, founded by CEO Richard Bernstein–former chief investment strategist at Merrill Lynch and Institutional Investor All-American Research Team Hall of Fame inductee–uses an array of proprietary macro indicators to assess the market cycle and accordingly focuses on allocating beta effectively among the primary factors of stock returns such as size, style, geography and economic sector. RBA believes that beta is the primary driver of stock returns vs. individual stock selection and thus ETFs are ideal vehicles for the SMRT portfolios. The model's strategies will initially be offered on select UMA platforms as follows:
read more
Source: Richard Bernstein Advisors
CME launches new energy brokerage platform
May 22, 2012--Energy and commodity exchange operator CME Group launched a service Tuesday in a bid to offer side-by-side trading of exchange-listed and over-the-counter energy products on a unified trading platform.
The new service, CME Direct, will allow brokers to handle customer accounts on one platform, rather than having to switch between the exchange's Globex and Clearport systems, said Michel Everaert, managing director, OTC Solutions, at the CME.
read more
Source: Chicago Tribune
Brazil doubts growth forecast, citing euro jitters
May 22, 2012--Brazil has admitted it is unlikely to meet an economic growth forecast of 4.5 percent over concerns about the eurozone and announced a new stimulus package in a bid to reverse a recent slowdown.
"If the crisis worsens or continues to worsen, if they do not resolve the problem of Greece, then it will be difficult to achieve a growth rate of 4.5 percent," Finance Minister Guido Mantega said at a press conference on Monday.
read more
Source: EUbusiness
Minutes Of Federal Reserve Board Discount Rate Meetings-April 2 Through April 23, 2012
May 22, 2012--The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday released the minutes of its discount rate meetings for April 2 and April 23, 2012.
view minutes
Source: FRB
Standard & Poor's Announces Changes In The S&P/TSX Canadian Indices
May 22, 2012--Standard & Poor's will make the following changes in the S&P/TSX Canadian Indices:
S&P Canadian Index Services announces that calculation of five equity-only indices, as listed below, will cease after the quarterly review of the S&P/TSX Composite Index in December, 2012:
S&P/TSX Equity Index
S&P/TSX Capped Equity Index
S&P/TSX Equity 60 Index
S&P/TSX Equity Completion Index
S&P/TSX Equity SmallCap Index
The final date for calculation of these indices will be Friday, December 21, 2012. Until that date, these indices will continue to be maintained and calculated as they are currently.
Company additions to and deletions from an S&P equity index do not in any way reflect an opinion on the investment merits of the company.
Source: Standard & Poor's
Securities Industry Examines Faster Payment for Stock and Bond Trades
DTCC, with the Guidance of SIFMA, Oversees Cost-Benefit Analysis for Shortening the Time Period between Trade Execution and Settlement Date
May 22, 2012--The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), with the guidance of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), has awarded a research contract to The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to undertake a business case study of the impacts of shortening the trade settlement cycle in the U.S. financial markets for equities, corporate and municipal bonds and unit investment trust (UIT) trades.
Currently, the securities industry completes settlement for trades in equities and certain debt securities on the third day after a trade is executed by sending payment for the trade to the seller and the securities to the buyer. In industry parlance, this three-day period to complete the exchange is known as T+3. The business case analysis will examine the costs and benefits of shortening the trade settlement cycle for these instruments in the U.S. financial markets from T+3 to T+2 or T+1. The study will also examine the conditions necessary to settle trades on the trade date itself (T+0).
read more
Source: MarketWatch
AdvisorShares Announces Reorganization of Dent Tactical ETF (DENT) into Meidell Tactical Advantage ETF (MATH)
May 21, 2012--AdvisorShares, a leading sponsor of actively managed Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), announced today that the AdvisorShares Dent Tactical ETF (NYSE: DENT) will be reorganized into the AdvisorShares Meidell Tactical Advantage ETF (NYSE: MATH).
The AdvisorShares Trust Board of Trustees approved the plan of reorganization effective May 21, 2012. DENT's portfolio management team will resign, effective June 2, 2012, and Laif Meidell, President of American Wealth Management, will act as the interim portfolio manager. Pending shareholder approval, it is planned that the reorganization could be effective on or after September 7, 2012, with the Fund retaining the name of the AdvisorShares Meidell Tactical Advantage ETF (NYSE: MATH) and Meidell serving as the portfolio manager.
Noah Hamman, CEO of AdvisorShares, said, "It's our mission to excel not only through our innovative actively managed ETF suite but also in how we service and communicate to our shareholders, guiding them to achieve the financial goals they seek. After a thorough review with the portfolio management teams of DENT and MATH, our collective conclusion is reorganization is in the best interest of all parties involved, and that the quantitative tactical methodology provided by American Wealth Management is a more advantageous investment solution to shareholders. We also look forward to continuing a productive working relationship with HS Dent Investment Management by utilizing their exceptional demographic and economic research capabilities for commentary to our advisor base."
read more
Source: AdvisorShares
Morgan Stanley-US ETF Weekly Update
May 21, 2012--US ETF Weekly Update highlights
Weekly Flows: $1.7 Billion Net Inflows
ETF Assets Stand at $1.1 Trillion, up 6% YTD
No ETF Launches Last Week
Direxion Announces Changes to Volatility Suite
US-Listed ETFs: Estimated Flows by Market Segment
Despite turbulent markets, ETFs posted net inflows for the second consecutive week
Last week’s net inflows were primarily driven by Fixed Income and US Small & Micro-Cap ETFs ($2.8 bln combined net inflows)
ETF assets stand at $1.1 tln, up 6% YTD; ETFs have posted net inflows 16 out of 20 weeks YTD ($54.8 bln in net inflows)
13-week flows were mostly positive among asset classes; combined $23.8 bln net inflows
Fixed Income ETFs have consistently generated weekly net inflows (40 straight weeks of net inflows) and account for 63% of ETF net inflows over the past 13 weeks
Emerging Market Equity ETFs exhibited net outflows of $2.2 bln, the most out of any category over the last 13 weeks
US-Listed ETFs: Estimated Largest Flows by Individual ETF
iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (IWM) generated net inflows of $1.1 bln last week, the most of any ETF
Given weakness in financials last week, it does not come as a surprise to us that the Financials Select Sector SPDR (XLF) posted net outflows of $762 mln for the week (XLF has exhibited net outflows 10 of the past 13 weeks)
Over the last 13 weeks, five out of the top 10 ETFs to post the largest net inflows are sponsored by Vanguard; Vanguard has consistently generated quarterly net inflows since we began tracking flows in 2004
US-Listed ETFs: Short Interest Data Unchanged: Based on data as of 4/30/12
iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (IWM) posted the largest increase in USD short interest
Despite a surge in IWM’s USD short interest, the fund’s 197 million shares short are well below its 52-week average of 228 million shares short
SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) exhibited the largest decrease in USD short interest (lowest level of shares short since 1/31/11)
The average shares short/shares outstanding for ETFs is currently 5%
Retail continues to be a heavily shorted industry with the SPDR Retail ETF (XRT) leading the way
Based on multiple borrowings and the ability to continuously create new shares, shares short as a % of shares outstanding can exceed 100%
US-Listed ETFs: Most Successful Recent Launches by Assets
Source: Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Research. Data estimated as of 5/18/12 based on daily change in share counts and daily NAVs.
$6.6 billion in total market cap of ETFs less than 1-year old
Over the past 13 weeks, newly launched Fixed Income ETFs generated the most net inflows at $911 mln
97 new ETF listings and 17 closures YTD; coinciding with flows, ETF sponsors have launched more Fixed Income ETFs (25 ETFs) than any other market segment YTD
Over the past year, many of the successful launches have an income/dividend orientation
Five different ETF sponsors and three asset classes represented in top 10 most successful launches
Over the past year, iShares has launched 54 ETFs that collectively have $1.7 bln in assets, the most of any ETF sponsor by both measures (five largest iShares launches represent 61% of the $1.7 bln)
Top 10 most successful launches account for 54% of market cap of ETFs launched over the past year
request report
Source: Morgan Stanley
Talking ETFs with the Investment Company Institute
May 21, 2012--It had been years since I last attended the general membership meeting of the Investment Company Institute, the mutual fund trade organization.
In 2004, funds and fund companies were just emerging from the market-timing scandals that sullied several firms. They were also girding for a wave of regulatory grenades. That year, ICI even sacrificed its chairman and president to a closed-door media firing squad. Never again, I’m told.
rad more
Source: Forbes
PowerShares files with the SEC
May 21, 2012--PowerShares has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the Powershares Actively Managed Exchange-Traded Fund Trust.
read more
Source: SEC.gov
