The Free version of the ETFGI Weekly Newsletter covers a limited amount of news on people, product, industry and event news.
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Q2 hedge fund letters, conference, scoops etc
Featured News
Canadian ETF and ETP asset growth as at end of July 2018
Growth in Smart Beta ETF and ETP assets as of the end of July 2018
Growth in Active ETF and ETP assets as of the end of July 2018
Exclusive – Amazon considering UK insurance comparison site: sources | Reuters
Amazon now accounts for nearly 50% of all U.S. ecommerce sales.
This is more than double the market share of Amazon’s next nine biggest competitors, combined. Amazon entering the asset management industry would have a significant impact.
Visualizing the Social Media Universe in 2018
View the social media universe, where each platform is re-sized into a planet based on the number of active users it has. Monthly active users (MAUs) is a metric commonly used to evaluate how many people are using a service regularly.
| Rank | Network | Monthly Active Users (MAUs) | ||
| #1 | 2.2 billion #2 | YouTube | 1.9 billion | |
| #3 | 1.5 billion #4 | Messenger | 1.3 billion | |
| #5 | 1.0 billion #6 | 1.0 billion |
What Does Google Know About You?
Google tracks pretty much everything you do. That includes: where you’ve been, what you look like, your personal beliefs – and much, much more. See what Google knows about you in today’s piece.
Volatility 101: An Introduction to Market Volatility
Intro to Market Volatility, Why does the stock market experience big swings in price levels? This intro to market volatility is a primer for all investors. It shows what drives price swings in the market, and what that means over the long term.
Industry News
If you are interested in having your “industry news” listed here, please contact info@etfgi.com.
Globally, 1 new ETFs/ETPs were listed and there were 11 new cross-listings during the week of August 20th.
- New ETF filings
New ETF filings are not included in the free version. To access to them please subscribe to the premium one, so you could stay on top of new products in the ETF/ETP space before they launch.
United States
News
- Invesco announced fee reduction on three US ETFs
- Invesco announced that it is reducing fees on three ETFs, effective August 20th. The ETFs involved and their respective changes are the following:
- Invesco Dow Jones Industrial Average Dividend ETF (DJD): management fee will be lowered from 0.30% to 0.07%.
- Invesco S&P 500® Quality ETF (SPHQ): management fee and total expense ratio will be lowered from 0.38% to 0.15%.
- Invesco S&P 500 Value With Momentum ETF (SPVM) management fee will be lowered from 0.30% to 0.15%.
- Link to the news’ source
- Vanguard launched industry’s largest commission-free platform
- Vanguard launched the largest suite of commission-free ETFs available to investors. As announced in early July, Vanguard is offering commission-free online transactions on approximately 90% of all ETFs—nearly 1,800 of the roughly 2,000 ETFs currently trading on the major exchanges. Vanguard has excluded inverse and leveraged ETFs due to their highly speculative nature.
- Vanguard Brokerage clients will be able to access the vast majority of ETFs—from providers including BlackRock, Schwab, and SSgA—without incurring additional costs to purchase or sell.
- Link to the news’ source
- Reality Shares became Blockforce Capital to transform Blockchain and Cryptocurrency investing
- Reality Shares expanded to become Blockforce Capital to reflect its broader focus of delivering unparalleled access to blockchain and cryptocurrency investments.
- Blockforce Capital will be comprised of three core business units: Reality Shares ETFs and Indexes, the Blockforce Capital family of hedge funds and the highly anticipated cryptocurrency investment platform, Onramp.
- Reality Shares, which originally launched in 2012, also offers a family of dividend growth ETFs, and was selected “Most Innovative Index Provider” by the 2017 Fund Action ETF Innovation Awards.
- Link to the news’ source
- Firstrade moved to free online trading
- Firstrade Securities has eliminated its commissions for all stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options and mutual funds. Firstrade customers will now be able to trade for free with no time restrictions, no limits on the number of trades allowed and no minimum account requirements.
- Firstrade offers all stocks, ETFs, options and mutual funds currently available in the United States. Investors can also choose from a wide array of stocks listed on all the major exchanges including NYSE, NASDAQ and over-the-counter markets such as the OTC Bulletin Board or Pink Sheets.
- Link to the news’ source
- JPMorgan to offer free trades
- JPMorgan Chase will be launching a digital investing service with free and discounted trades. The move will make the bank more competitive with discount brokerages, such as Charles Schwab and E*Trade, as well as no-fee trading services, like Robinhood.
- The free and discount trading service will include Roth and traditional retirement accounts, along with taxable brokerage accounts. The first 100 trades are free for investors using Chase’s You Invest service and trades will cost $2.95 for some customers after hitting the 100-trade limit, CNBC reported.
- Link to the news’ source
- SEC rejected Bitcoin ETF applications from three issuers
- SEC released three statements where it rejects the application to issue nine Bitcoin ETFs. The commission rejected the filings originally applied by GraniteShares, Direxion and Proshares.
- ProShares had filed for the ProShares Bitcoin ETF and the ProShares Short Bitcoin ETF, while Direxion filed for the Direxion Daily Bitcoin Bear 1X Shares, Direxion Daily Bitcoin 1.25X Bull Shares, Direxion Daily Bitcoin 1.5X Bull Shares, Direxion Daily Bitcoin 2X Bull Shares, and Direxion Daily Bitcoin 2X Bear Shares. Both companies intended their products to list on NYSE Arca.
- The GraniteShares Bitcoin ETF and the GraniteShares Short Bitcoin ETF, proposed by GraniteShares, were rejected to trade on the Cboe BZX.
- SEC announced agenda for Sept. 13 Investor Advisory Committee Meeting
- The Securities and Exchange Commission announced the agenda for the Sept. 13 meeting of its Investor Advisory Committee (IAC). The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room at SEC headquarters at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C., and is open to the public. The meeting will be webcast live and archived on the committee’s website for later viewing.
- The committee will hold panel discussions with outside speakers on two topics: a morning discussion on the U.S. proxy voting infrastructure (which may include two separate panels) and an afternoon session on the implications of passive investing.
- Link to the news’ source
Canada
News
- Manulife Securities Masters ETF Portfolios opened the market
- Rick Annaert, Senior Vice President, Head of Advisory Services and President & CEO, Manulife Securities Incorporated, joined TMX Group to open the market. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial, Manulife Securities is a Canadian-based financial services company with principal operations in Asia, Canada, and the United States.
- Manulife Securities has a network of over 1,300 investment professionals providing a suite of financial products and services to investors.
- Link to the news’ source
Europe
News
- HANetf expanded Authorised Participant network with addition of Virtu
- HANetf, Europe’s first independent, full service ‘white-label’ UCITS ETF platform, has confirmed the addition of Virtu to its growing network of Authorised Participants (APs). A financial technology firm, Virtu is one of the world’s largest and most experienced ETF market makers and has an extensive track record supporting the needs of ETF issuers and investors.
- Virtu joins a growing network of HANetf APs, including Goldenberg Hehmeyer, IMC, Old Mission Capital and RBC Europe, operating in an open and competitive market making model, promoting liquidity and tighter trading spreads for all HANetf ETFs.
- HANetf will continue to identify and add to its range of liquidity partners to create one of the most extensive AP and market making networks globally.
- Link to the news’ source
- Reclassification of Danish investment funds to ETFs
- As previously communicated in IT notice 42/18, Nasdaq Copenhagen will reclassify the Danish Investment Funds (UCITS Funds) traded on XCSE to follow the transparency rules set for Exchange Traded Funds (ETF). This change is regulatory driven as MiFID II regulation classifies Investment funds having a market maker as ETFs from the transparency perspective.
- In order to comply with the new classification, the Investment Funds having a market maker falls under MiFIR identification “ETFS” instead of “OTHR”, which is applied currently for the affected instruments. Furthermore, part of the Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) will be classified as shares and hence falls under MiFIR identification “SHRS”.
- Investment Funds and AIFs which do not have a market maker will continue to have MiFIR identification “OTHR”.
- Link to the news’ source
Asia
News
- Shenwan Hongyuan Securities chose Itiviti’s Technology for ETF options market making
- Itiviti, the global provider of multi-asset trading technology and financial infrastructure, announced that Shenwan Hongyuan Securities Co., Limited (Shenwan Hongyuan), one of China’s leading securities firms has selected Itiviti’s market making solution to support its ETF options market making business.
- Itiviti currently services 25 buy-side and sell-side clients in mainland China, including large asset managers, securities houses, trading firms and brokerages.
- Link to the news’ source
Australia
News
- BetaShares announced plans to expand range of technology exposures
- BetaShares has announced plans to expand its global shares product suite via the launch a range of new international ETFs. The roll out of the new series of Funds will commence by initially launching three new ETFs that will provide exposure to some of the fastest growing technology investment themes globally.
- Three new products are expected to launch soon on the ASX:
- BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASIA): Access to the 50 largest technology companies in Asia (excluding Japan) including innovative powerhouses Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu.
- BetaShares Global Blockchain Innovators ETF (BLOK): Access to a portfolio of global companies leading the way in the development, research or utilisation of blockchain technologies
- BetaShares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (RBTZ): Access to the global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) sector through exposure to companies involved in the production or use of robotics and automation products and services.
- Link to the news’ source
Article by ETFGI
