Solactive has launched two new indices in the infrastructure space, offering exposure to investable baskets of infrastructure companies from developed markets while screening for high dividend yield and low volatility. The Solactive Global Infrastructure High Income Index and the Solactive Global Infrastructure Income Index may serve as the basis for future investment products including ETFs.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management firm, has launched four new iShares ETFs on London Stock Exchange, building out their range of US equity sector funds. The new ETFs will target S&P 500 constituents in the consumer staples, industrials, materials and utility sectors. The launches bring the total number of iShares US sector funds to nine, following the launch of ETFs tracking the consumer discretionary, energy, financials, healthcare and information technology sectors in November 2015.

Following the Dutch election results and the Fed rate hike, Antoine Lesné, Head of SPDR ETF Strategy & Research, EMEA, comments on the options for investors. In summary, he says: Given the current investment backdrop, investors will likely seek defensive investment options within each asset class; Within sectors, European Financials, US Materials and Global Technology are tipped to outperform; and within fixed income, the Fed’s current rate outlook appears positive for local currency bonds.

Hong Kong-based E Fund HK has launched the E Fund Yuanta Hang Seng Index Daily (-1x) Inverse ETF (HK: 7302). Launched in conjunction with Yuanta, Asia’s largest inverse ETF issuer, the ETF provides the inverse daily return of the Hang Seng Index, a reference for the 50 largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

BlackRock has cross-listed four iShares US equity sector ETFs on Deutsche Börse’s Xetra and Frankfurt Exchanges. The funds, launched earlier this week on London Stock Exchange, provide access to the consumer staples, industrials, materials and utilities sectors.

India Index Services & Products Limited (IISL), a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India, has launched a series of six AAA-rated corporate bond indices tracking the local Indian market. The indices may be used by asset managers seeking a benchmark that measures the risk-return dynamics of the Indian corporate bond market, as well as serving as reference indices to be tracked by future investment products such as ETFs.

Hartford Funds has launched two new actively managed exchange-traded funds, the Hartford Quality Bond ETF (NYSE: HQBD) and Hartford Corporate Bond ETF (NYSE: HCOR). Sub-advised by Wellington Management, the funds offer core US fixed income strategies within ETF wrappers. Vernon Meyer, Chief Investment Officer of Hartford Funds, commented: “By fusing our ETF capabilities with the investment skill of Wellington Management, we are looking to maximize the value Hartford Funds can offer to investors.”

Active Alts has launched the Active Alts Contrarian ETF (Nasdaq: SQZZ), an actively managed ETF that pursues a contrarian ‘short squeeze’ strategy by investing in companies with solid fundamentals that have very large short positions. Brad Lamensdorf, Founder of Active Alts, commented: “Because of changing market conditions or smart management moves, highly shorted securities may have promising fundamentals, creating the potential for a profitable short squeeze.”

ETFGI, a London-based ETF industry consultant, has reported that assets invested in smart beta ETFs/ETPs listed globally reached a new record high of $560 billion at the end of February 2017, up from $534bn at the end of the previous month. Record levels of assets were also reached for smart beta equity ETFs/ETPs listed in the US ($499bn), Europe ($39bn), Canada, (13bn) and Asia Pacific ex-Japan ($5bn).

The iShares Edge MSCI USA Value Factor UCITS ETF (LON: IUVL) was Europe’s top selling ETF during February, suggesting investors are seeking to capitalise on the continuing US bull-run while avoiding companies with stretched valuations. The fund, which selects stocks that are relatively undervalued compared to their fundamentals, gathered over $600m during the month.