ProShares has launched the ProShares Decline of the Retail Store ETF (EMTY) on NYSE Arca, the first ETF specifically designed to benefit from the decline of US-listed bricks-and-mortar retail firms. Investors looking for an alternative play on this theme – simultaneously capturing the increasing popularity of online retailing – may wish to consider the ProShares Long Online/Short Stores ETF (CLIX US) which also launched today.

Amundi has launched the Amundi European Equity Multi Factor Market Neutral ETF (MKTN FP) on Euronext Paris, providing a means for investors to gain access to the long-term potential of factor risk premia without being exposed to the direction of European equity markets. Fannie Wurtz, managing director at Amundi ETF, commented: “In today’s low yield environment, investors are on the lookout for new ways to generate return and diversify their portfolios. This new ETF shows our ongoing determination to give investors transparent and effective investment solutions.”

Barclays and data analytics platform Novus have launched the Novus Barclays Public Ownership HF Conviction Index family, a new addition to the Barclays range of Quantitative Investment Strategies. The smart beta indices track equities which, according to regulatory filings, are commonly being held in high conviction positions across some of the largest funds in the hedge fund industry.

New york-based asset manager IndexIQ has changed the expense ratios on ten of its ETFs, lowering the fees charged on four of its funds but surprisingly nudging up the costs of six ETFs.

More than nine out of ten (92%) of senior hedge fund professionals expect to see an increased value of ETFs being used within their industry this year, according to research commissioned by European ETF provider Source. Chris Mellor, executive director, equity product management at Source, said: “Hedge fund managers are sophisticated investors and it is clear they are increasingly seeing the benefits that ETFs provide them, such as a cost-effective means to execute their strategies.”

Barclays has launched the Barclays Merger Arbitrage US Index, a new addition to the Barclays range of Quantitative Investment Strategies. The index, which is suitable to underlie future investment products such as ETFs, will allow investors to access potential returns from the successful completion of announced merger deals in the US.

Actively-managed exchange-traded fund provider AdvisorShares has announced that the AdvisorShares Board of Trustees has approved the closing and liquidation of the AdvisorShares QAM Equity Hedge ETF (QEH) and the AdvisorShares Market Adaptive Unconstrained Income ETF (MAUI).

MV Index Solutions has launched the MVIS All World Long/Short Equity Index which aims to capture the systematic returns (beta) of long/short equity hedge funds that invest both regionally and globally. After identifying the factors driving these hedge funds returns, the index mimics the exposure by constructing a low volatility portfolio of ETFs corresponding to the factors with the most positive momentum.

The hedge fund industry experienced its fastest rate of fund closures last year since 2008, according to a report from Hedge Fund Research, leading many investors to explore similar strategies through alternate vehicles, including ETFs. While hedge fund performance was mixed in 2016, Kenneth Heinz, President of Hedge Fund Research, believes performance in 2017 will be strong across a range of strategies, driven by the continuation of macroeconomic normalization.

The global ETF/ETP industry grew faster than the global hedge fund industry in 2016, according to research by London-based ETF industry consultant, ETFGI. During 2016, ETFs/ETPs listed globally gathered a record $389.4 billion of net inflows, while hedge fund investors redeemed $70.1bn, the largest annual outflow since 2009. The growing preference for ETFs over hedge funds may be attributed to several benefits of the vehicle including smaller minimum investment sizes, greater liquidity, and lower costs.