First Trust Advisors, a global provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has rolled out its fourth actively managed ETF. Listed on the Nasdaq exchange, the First Trust Senior Loan ETF (FTSL) seeks to generate high current income and preserve capital by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of first-lien senior floating-rate bank loans. The fund attempts to outperform both the S&P/LSTA US Leveraged Loan 100 Index and the Markit iBoxx USD Leveraged Loan Index.

Bank of China (HK) and FTSE Group have announced a partnership to develop a new suite of indices designed to measure the performance of Renminbi (RMB)-denominated bonds issued in offshore jurisdictions. The indices will be structured to help global investors to better capture the opportunities in the so-called ‘dim sum’ market and to provide an industry standard benchmark to meet increasing international demand for access to RMB-linked fixed income products, particularly exchange-traded funds.

Nasdaq OMX, a major global exchange operator, has outlined plans to re-launch the PSX exchange in an effort to create a leading marketplace for exchange-traded products (ETPs). The re-launch is expected sometime this month, pending approval by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Upon re-launch, the price-time exchange will offer unique market-making programmes and features designed to provide robust liquidity to institutional and retail investors.

FTSE Group, a leading global index provider, has launched the FTSE ET100 Index, an index measuring the performance of companies whose core business is in the development and operation of environmental technologies. There are now 21 indices in the wider FTSE Environmental Markets Series, a number of which are linked to by investment products, such as the Euronext Paris-listed EasyETF FTSE Environmental Opportunities 100.