FinEx, a European provider of exchange-traded funds, has expanded its presence in Russia with the listing of six international equity ETFs in Moscow. Linked to MSCI indices, the funds provide broad equity market exposure to Germany, UK, Australia, Japan and the US, as well as sector-specific exposure to US technology. Simon Luhr, Managing Partner and CEO of FinEx Capital Management, commented: “The launch of these six new ETFs on the Moscow Exchange marks the beginning of the ramp-up phase of our plans in Russia.”

Bloomberg Indexes has unveiled the Bloomberg US Dollar Index, providing investors a new way to assess, trade or invest in the value of the dollar against major global currencies. WisdomTree, a leading exchange-traded fund provider and asset manager, is the first to license the index as a benchmark for ETFs. The Bloomberg US Dollar Index represents developed and emerging market currencies with the most liquidity and the largest US trade flows.

Boost, a London-based provider of short and leveraged exchange-traded products, has entered the Italian market with the launch of eight ETPs on Borsa Italiana’s ETFplus market. Commenting on the launch, Nik Bienkowski, Co-CEO of Boost, said: “Boost is very proud to be listing Italy’s first 3x short and 3x leverage ETPs on the Borsa Italiana. Short and leverage products can be useful tools, allowing investors to hedge portfolios or take short-terms views on the world’s major commodity and equity indices.”

UBS Global Asset Management has partnered with five leading fund platforms – Ascentric, Hargreaves Lansdown, Nucleus Financial, Raymond James and Transact – to make 14 core exchange-traded funds more accessible to UK financial advisers and private investors. Andrew Walsh, Head of ETF Sales UK at UBS Global Asset Management, said: “For IFAs, the RDR has sharpened the focus on costs and margins. Against this backdrop, we expect ETFs to become increasingly attractive in light of their low cost, efficiency and transparency.”

FTSE has enhanced its offering aimed at Islamic investors with the launch of a low-volatility, developed-market equity index incorporating Shariah-based ethical and financial screening. A first in Shariah finance, the newly launched FTSE Shariah Developed Minimum Variance Index combines Shariah investment principles with advanced risk management techniques and is suitable both as a benchmark for actively managed funds and as an underlying for index-linked investment products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

ETF Securities, a leading provider of commodities-linked exchange-traded products (ETPs), has cross-listed the Gold Bullion Securities (GBS), the world’s first physically-backed gold ETP, on the Brussels market of the NYSE Euronext. The London-headquartered provider has also passported over 100 ETPs in Belgium, further reinforcing its commitment to the Belgian market. The passported products include a full range of physically-backed precious metals, single commodities and currency ETPs.

Vanguard Asset Management, a leading provider of index mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, has extended its educational website for advisors with the launch of six new modules designed to help advisors understand, plan and monitor the client advice process. Neil Cowell, Head of Retail Sales at Vanguard, said: “The modules released today will help advisers build a world-class investment advice process. Our aim is to equip advisers with the knowledge and tools that will enable them to thrive, not just survive, in a fee-based world.”

Data from Barclays Stockbrokers shows that while UK-focused exchange-traded funds continued to dominate client ETF purchases in September, the month also saw an increase in demand for commodities-based products. During the month, 50% of the top ten ETF purchases made by clients of Barclays Stockbrokers were UK focused. However, there were two new entrants on the list: the ETFS Natural Gas (NGSP) and ETFS Physical Platinum (PHPT), both issued by commodities specialist ETF Securities.

FTSE has expanded its line-up of alternatively weighted indices with the launch of the FTSE GDP Weighted Index Series. The new index series is designed to reflect the performance of constituents of the FTSE All-World Index Series where an aggregate country’s weight in each index is proportionate to its forecast GDP, as defined by the IMF’s five-year purchasing power parity forecast GDP. The indices are suitable both as benchmarks for actively managed funds and as underlyings for index-linked investment products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Brokerage firm Charles Schwab has added 16 new exchange-traded funds to its Schwab ETF OneSource platform. Launched in February, the platform enables investors and advisors to buy and sell 121 ETFs commission-free. The platform includes ETFs from six leading providers: SPDR ETFs, Guggenheim, PowerShares, ETF Securities, United States Commodity Funds, and Charles Schwab.