Gold has shed almost $600, or approximately one-third of its value, over the past nine months, including nearly 14% during June alone, after the US Federal Reserve said it could wind down its quantitative easing stimulus programme. The price falls have been accompanied – and indeed precipitated – by heavy selling from gold-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and physical gold exchange-traded commodities (ETCs). While there have been some inflows from traders sniffing a bargain, they have been dwarfed by outflows.

Market Vectors has added to its suite of international equity exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with the launch of the Market Vectors Israel ETF (ISRA) on the NYSE Arca. The fund is designed to provide investors with broad, diversified exposure to Israeli stocks. The fund is linked to the BlueStar Israel Global Index, a rules-based, adjusted market-capitalisation index tracking the performance of Israeli and Israeli-related companies across the large-cap, mid-cap and small-cap segments.

Horizons USA, a member of the Horizons ETFs Group, has launched its first exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States. The launch expands Horizons’ international reach, which now includes operations in Canada, South Korea, Hong Kong and Australia. The firm’s debut US product, the Horizons S&P 500 Covered Call ETF (HSPX), provides exposure to the S&P 500 Index while also generating additional income through the sale of call options.

VelocityShares, a developer of alternative exchange-traded products perhaps best known for its occasionally notorious VIX ETNs, has rolled out two new innovative exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the NYSE Arca. The funds are linked to proprietary in-house indices and provide exposure to a long/short volatility strategy combined with a large-cap US equity allocation.

iShares, the exchange-traded funds (ETF) platform of BlackRock, has announced the launch of two new funds on the London Stock Exchange (LSE): the iShares Global High Yield Corp Bond GBP Hedged UCITS ETF (GHYS) and the iShares Global Corporate Bond EUR Hedged UCITS ETF (CRPH). The two physically-replicated, monthly currency-hedged fixed income funds, the first of their type from iShares, aim to reduce the impact currency fluctuations can have on returns when investing in fixed income assets globally.

Trading in equity exchange-traded funds (ETFs) surged in May, according to new analysis from Barclays Stockbrokers. Data for May 2013 reveals that equity-based ETFs accounted for 90% of entries in the list of the top ten most-traded exchange-traded products (ETPs) by Barclays clients for the month, up from 50% of top ten entries in April. Meanwhile, there was a dramatic slump in investor appetite for commodity ETCs.

Invesco PowerShares, a leading global provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has launched the PowerShares Global Short Term High Yield Bond ETF (PGHY) on the NYSE Arca. Based on the DB Global Short Maturity High Yield Bond Index, the fund provides investors access to short-term, US dollar-denominated, high-yield debt that is issued globally. Constituents include sovereign, quasi-government and corporate bond securities.

Mirae Asset Global Investments, manager of the Horizons exchange-traded funds (ETFs) brand, has launched two low-cost products on the Hong Kong stock exchange: the Horizons MSCI China ETF (3040) and the Horizons Hang Seng High Dividend Yield ETF (3110). The funds provide exposure to the MSCI China and Hang Seng High Dividend Yield indices and are among Hong Kong’s cheapest ETFs, with total expense ratios of 0.25% and 0.38% respectively.

As exchange-traded funds (ETFs) steadily increase in popularity across Asia-Pacific and buck the worldwide trend to see a rise in trading in 2012, the region is ripe with potential for firms willing to innovate. Rex Wong, Managing Director within BNY Mellon’s Asia Asset Servicing business, discusses the outlook for ETFs and why he expects to see accelerated development of ETFs in Hong Kong, giving investors more targeted exposure to industry sectors, asset classes and investment strategies.

Tradeweb has launched a new tool, developed in collaboration with iShares, the ETF platform of BlackRock, that promises to make it easier and faster to source, price and trade the basket of underlying bonds needed to create or redeem shares in fixed income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The recent growth in demand for European fixed income ETFs has created a need for an electronic trading solution that streamlines this process