Following the recent launch of the Navesis-ETF platform, a multilateral trading facility (or MTF) for ETFs, founders Tradition and Nomura have announced the listing of 35 new Emerging Markets ETFs on to the platform. These additions, which include ETFs from iShares, Lyxor, DB X-trackers, HSBC and Source, significantly enhance the depth and range of markets that can be accessed through the platform. Since its launch in February, the platform now lists almost 200 ETFs, covering equities, commodities and fixed income.

US-based Yorkville ETF Advisors has announced the launch of the Yorkville High Income MLP ETF (NYSE: YMLP), the first ETF to focus on high-income, commodity-based master limited partnerships (MLPs). According to Yorkville Capital Management, YMLP was developed to capture the investment opportunity in commodity-sector MLPs, which historically have provided higher yields and faster distribution growth than the more popular infrastructure sector.

As at the end of February 2012, the European ETF market recorded assets of $294.24bn across 1,364 funds listed and domiciled in Europe, up 5.44% from $279.05bn from January, according to Credit Suisse’s latest ETF Market Monitor report. During February, European ETFs recorded net inflows of $1,463m, almost 50% less than in the month before and roughly in-line with the result recorded in February 2011 of $1,335m.

Modern pipelines are generally the most economical way of transporting large quantities of oil and gas overland from its extraction point to refineries, storage and consumption areas. With the rapid development of unconventional energy resources, such as shale gas and oil sands, billions of investment dollars will be spent on pipeline infrastructure to connect these new sources of supply to centres of end demand. The oil and gas pipelines market, therefore, is likely to provide substantial opportunities for investors.

iShares has launched two new funds on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), expanding its range of emerging market products across fixed income and equities. The two new funds, the iShares Barclays Capital EM Asia Local Govt Capped Bond ETF (SGEA) and the iShares MSCI Mexico IMI Capped ETF (SMEX), are designed to meet the needs of investors searching for new sources of income and single-country emerging market exposure, respectively.

WisdomTree, a US-based ETF provider, has announced the launch of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond ETF (EMCB). The fund is designed to provide broad-based exposure to corporate bonds of emerging market issuers across Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Actively managed, EMCB is the first corporate bond ETF that offers access to the debt of a broad array of quality corporate issuers in the emerging markets.

Lyxor ETFs has launched four new commodity ETFs on the London Stock Exchange. The Lyxor ETF Broad Commodities Optimix TR (OPTM) and Lyxor ETF Broad Commodities Momentum (MOMT) are smart enhanced beta strategies, which aim to optimise roll yields across contracts and seasons and to generate absolute returns from a universe of 24 commodities. The Lyxor ETF S&P GSCI Aggregate 3 Month Forward (GSAU) and Lyxor ETF S&P GSCI Aggregate Inverse 1 Month Forward (GSAI) provide directional exposure to a broad basket of 24 commodity futures.

Australia’s economy expanded by less than expected in the fourth quarter of 2011, with GDP rising 0.4%. However, the economy is expected to pick up due to high levels of mining-related investment and is on track for growth of 3-3.5% this year and next. With larger developed markets stuck in a slow-growth regime, defined by excessive debt, structural deficits, high unemployment and deteriorating demographics, Australia’s strong and robust fundamentals represent a highly attractive proposition for international investors.

The Exchange Traded Products (ETP) industry maintained its strong start to the year, attracting $18.4bn in net new assets during February, according to a report from BlackRock. Global assets held in ETPs reached $1,720bn at the end of February 2012, an increase of 12.8% year to date, with combined inflows for January and February standing 111% higher than recorded in the first two months of 2011. Emerging markets equity and corporate bond ETFs were key beneficiaries, while macroeconomic and geopolitical factors stimulated demand for oil and energy ETPs.

February marked a high point for US exchange traded fund net assets, according to data from Morningstar. US-listed ETFs now hold $1.2 trillion in assets, a 5% increase over a month prior. Overall, inflows were strong again in February. US ETFs gathered $14.7 billion and all US broad asset classes saw inflows during the month. International-stock and taxable-bond ETFs registered the most prominent inflows, taking in $5.3 billion and $4.8 billion, respectively.