RBS has announced the launch of five new commodity exchange-traded notes (ETNs) in its growing suite of exchange-traded products. The RBS Rogers Enhanced ETNs have been listed on the NYSE Arca and are based on indices co-developed by commodities investor Jim Rogers. The products offer exposure to energy, industrial metals, precious metals and agriculture by way of the futures market.

Amundi has announced the launch of the Amundi ETF Topix EUR Hedged Daily (TPXH), a fund designed for euro-based investors seeking exposure to the Japanese equity market, but who are concerned about the impact of currency risk. The fund, which is referenced to the Topix Total Return Euro Daily Hedged Index, offers investors access to Japan’s Topix equity index with a hedge of the euro/yen exchange rate.

Borsa Italiana, Italy’s main stock exchange and part of the London Stock Exchange Group, has celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its first exchange-traded fund (ETF) listing. From just eight ETFs in 2002 with €500 million in assets under management, the Milan-based exchange has grown to over 600 ETFs today with assets of around €18 billion.

Gold equities have rallied 18% in the past three months. Despite this, gold equities remain nearly 10% down year on year. However, according to investment bank Nomura, “increasingly compelling gold demand dynamics” provide “rationale for further outperformance in the gold equities”. For investors looking to access gold equities, gold miner exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide a quick, cheap and efficient method to gain exposure to the sector.

BlackRock has announced the launch of the iShares MSCI Frontier 100 Index ETF (FM), the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) benchmarked to the MSCI Frontier Markets 100 Index. The fund provides exposure to 20 frontier market securities that are specifically screened for liquidity. Representing 30% of the global population, frontier markets are forecast to be among the world’s fastest growing economies, driven by an expanding consumer class and a rich supply of natural resources.

RBS Securities, the Royal Bank of Scotland’s US-based investment bank and broker-dealer, has announced the launch of the RBS US Large Cap Alternator ETN (ALTL), the eighth product in its growing suite of exchange-traded notes (ETNs). The ETN provides constant exposure to US large-cap equities while switching, based on a comparison of relative strength, between variants of the S&P 500 Index.

The LGIM Commodity Composite Source ETF (LGCU), a broad-based commodity exchange-traded fund, has accumulated more than $150 million in assets since its launch in January this year, according to a statement from the fund’s sponsors, Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) and Source. Commenting on the milestone, Stefan Garcia, Head of commodity sales at Source, said: “The success of this product supports both the value of optimised indices, counterparty risk diversification and the role of LGIM as index manager.”

Despite the European debt crisis, slowing growth in China and the coming US elections, investors who are able to look past the latest headlines and focus on the long term will be rewarded over time, according to a report from BNY Mellon Wealth Management. “Investors can’t afford to be paralysed by turbulence and uncertainty in the global markets,” said Leo Grohowski, chief investment officer of BNY Mellon Wealth Management.

Southeast Asia is a rising star of the global market, led by its five fastest-growing countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to a report by PwC. “Economic, political, and market factors, combined with a landscape more focused now than ever on attracting capital and development, have converged to create a mature environment ripe with opportunity”, the report says. We profile over a dozen ETFs offering exposure to the region.

S&P Indices has announced the launch of the S&P Sri Lanka 20, which has been jointly developed with the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The index is designed to be representative of the Sri Lankan equity market, yet also be efficient to replicate, with possible application for ETFs and other index-tracking funds. The index includes the largest 20 stocks, by total market capitalisation, listed on the CSE that meet minimum size, liquidity and financial viability thresholds.