iShares, the exchange-traded funds business of BlackRock, has expanded its short duration product suite with the launch of the actively managed iShares Liquidity Income ETF (ICSH) on BATS Exchange. Matthew Tucker, Head of iShares Fixed Income Investment Strategy, commented: “As we look towards a period where interest rates are likely to rise, investors will be best served by having access to a variety of short duration tools. Short duration bond ETFs can provide exposure to bonds with minimal interest rate exposure.”

iShares, the exchange-traded funds platform of BlackRock, has announced the launch of the iShares Euro Stoxx 50 ex-Financials UCITS ETF (EXFN). The fund, listed on the London Stock Exchange, offers investors access to large-cap Eurozone equities whilst stripping out financial exposures such as banks and insurance companies. The fund will be Europe’s first ETF to come to market with an international security structure.

Boost, a provider of short and leveraged exchange-traded products, has celebrated its first year of trading on the London Stock Exchange. Since making its debut on 6 December 2012 with the listing of the world’s first triple-leveraged long and short ETPs tracking the FTSE 100 index, the London-based firm has rolled out a total of 44 products on the exchange and expanded on to Milan’s Borsa Italiana. The anniversary of the launch coincides with assets under management (AUM) hitting an all-time high, pushing above the $50 million mark for the first time.

The European investment strategy team at iShares has released its 2014 outlook, in which it outlines three possible scenarios for the global economy in 2014 and pinpoints ETF strategies for investors to consider in these instances. Stephen Cohen, Chief Investment Strategist for iShares EMEA, said: “The outlook we think is most likely in 2014 is one where monetary policy remains accommodative. Growth will improve yet remain below trend, with consumers bound by subdued wages.”

Boost, a provider of short and leveraged exchange-traded products (ETPs), has teamed up with Interactive Investor, an online retail stockbroker and personal finance site, to facilitate commission-free trading of the firm’s ETP line-up. Interactive Investor customers normally pay up to £10 per trade, but as of 12 December 2013 through to 31 March 2014 will be able to trade Boost’s products for free.

Institutional investors report they are increasingly using smart beta exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according to a new study conducted by Cogent Research, a division of Market Strategies International. The study reveals that more than half (53%) of institutional decision makers will increase their use of smart beta ETFs over the next three years – higher than any other ETF category, including market-cap weighted ETFs (48%).

Market Vectors has announced the launch of the Market Vectors Emerging Markets Aggregate Bond ETF (EMAG). Listed on the NYSE Arca, the fund tracks the Market Vectors EM Aggregate Bond Index, an index incorporating the four major categories of emerging markets bonds: US dollar and euro-denominated sovereigns; local currency sovereigns; US dollar and euro-denominated corporates; and local currency corporates. Ed Lopez, Marketing Director at Market Vectors, said: “We’re very excited to launch EMAG, which offers the most comprehensive exposure to emerging markets bonds currently available in the ETF space”.

Stoxx, a leading European index provider and a major supplier of equity indices to exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has expanded its line-up of emerging markets exposure indices with the launch of the Stoxx Europe 600 EM Exposed Index. The new index represents those companies within the Stoxx Europe 600 Index that derive a substantial part of their revenues from emerging market countries, thus providing exposure to these growing markets through potentially less risky liquid developed market securities.

State Street Global Advisors (SSgA), sponsor of the SPDR ETF range, has launched a suite of ETF sub-funds in its Managed Pension Fund in a bid to make its ETF products more accessible to UK pension schemes. Mark McNulty, Head of UK Institutional at SSgA, said: “We see this development as an important and necessary step for small and medium UK pension funds. They can now make long-term investment allocations to a broader range of investment markets, including specialty assets such as emerging market debt and quality income tilted equities.”

Institutional investors are increasingly using exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for a variety of purposes, according to research conducted by iShares, the ETF business of BlackRock. Daniel Gamba, Head of iShares Americas Institutional Business at BlackRock, said, “As more and more institutions become more familiar and comfortable with ETFs, their usage typically evolves from tactical to core allocations and then expands to more uses such as risk management and portfolio rebalancing. We believe the momentum of ETFs usage will continue as institutional investors take full advantage of the product’s flexibility.”