ETF Database » KLD

AdvisorShares Launches Global Echo ETF (GIVE)

Michael Johnston — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:30:23 +0000

AdvisorShares has made another addition to its lineup of actively-managed ETFs, recently debuting a fund that will focus on the concept of sustainable investing. The new Global Echo ETF (GIVE) will be structured as a core allocation that will seek out sustainable investment-themed opportunities across various asset classes, including fixed income, equities, and alternatives. The GIVE portfolio will include individual securities as well as other ETFs [see also 101 ETF Lessons Every Financial Advisor Should Learn]. Sustainable Investing 101 According to AdvisorShares, sustainable investment opportunities take environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and corporate governance factors (ESG) into account when making allocation decisions. Sustainable investing methodologies have the potential to contribute to superior long-term investing returns if managers are able to identify securities that will benefit from positive ESG factors. In other words, it can be beneficial to own stocks that build strong community relationships, avoid costly lawsuits and investigations, and have [...]

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Understanding Some Misunderstood ETFs

Michael Johnston — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:00:40 +0000

The vast majority of the more than 1,400 ETFs now available are pretty straightforward; most investors can pretty quickly grasp the investment objectives based on a quick glance at the name and holdings. There are, however, some ETFs that investors do not understand well at all–products that are actually quite different from the perceptions that many have about them. Below, we highlight a couple classes of ETF that are commonly misunderstood–and set the record straight [for more ETF insights, sign up for the free ETFdb newsletter]. Hedge Fund ETFs One of the most significant of the countless innovations in the ETF industry over the last several years has been the launch of products that offer exposure to hedge fund strategies, but at a fraction of the price and with significantly better liquidity and transparency. But there is some misunderstanding about what exactly hedge fund ETFs are and what they seek to [...]

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Surprising Holdings In The “Socially Responsible” ETF

Michael Johnston — Mon, 24 May 2010 15:05:36 +0000

Socially responsible investing is by no means a new concept; mutual funds that limit holdings deemed to companies deemed to be good corporate citizens have been around for nearly 40 years. Socially responsible or “sustainable” investing has been slow to make its way into the ETF industry, but there are signs of that changing; last week ESG Shares launched its North America Sustainability Index ETF (NASI). Meanwhile, two funds from iShares, the FTSE KLD Select Social Index Fund (KLD) and FTSE KLD 400 Social Index Fund (DSI), now have more than $200 million in aggregate assets. Look Under The Hood There are some misconceptions about socially responsible investing. This investment strategy generally consists of identifying stocks deemed to have positive environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors. In addition to the moral aspect, there may be some nice perks to this selective process; there is a fair amount of evidence suggesting [...]

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Pax World Launches ETFs Focused On Sustainable Investing

Eric Dutram — Wed, 19 May 2010 19:00:44 +0000

Earlier today, Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based Pax World announced the launch of ESG Shares, the first group of ETFs focused exclusively on sustainable investing. The name “ESG” stands for environmental, social, and governance, which are the three main factors that the line of funds will focus on when determining investment choices. Pax World has been at the forefront of sustainable investing ideas for decades; the company launched the first socially responsible mutual fund in 1971 and currently offers a number of sustainable investing mutual funds for a variety of asset classes and investment strategies. The three ETFs to be launched include: ESG Shares North America Sustainability Index ETF (NASI): This ETF launched today, and seeks to track the performance of the FTSE KLD North America Sustainability Index, a broadly diversified, sector-neutral index of American and Canadian companies with superior ESG performance as rated by KLD Research & Analytics, Inc. ESG Shares [...]

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This Week In ETFs: February 5th Edition

Eric Dutram — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:35:03 +0000

ETFs started February on a down note, with most equities slumping to finish the week. The euro sank to a new eight-month low against the dollar as sovereign debt concerns, specifically from Greece, continue to hang over the economic bloc. Meanwhile in the U.S., the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 9.7% despite losing 20,000 jobs in January. Below, we offer our picks for the week’s most important and interesting ETF stories from around the Web: If Consumption Is King, India ETFs May Reign Supreme at ETF Expert: With over 300 million people in its middle-class, India is fast becoming a consumer powerhouse. In addition to having more than twice as many people in its middle-class than China, Indian businesses are owned by Indians instead of state-run corporations as is usually the case in China. So for investors who are bullish on the growing consumer power of people in the BRICs, [...]

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iShares Planning “Genocide-Free ETF”

Michael Johnston — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:31:24 +0000

Barclays Global Investors is planning to develop and introduce an iShares Genocide-Free ETF, offering an alternative to investors who are uneasy about holding securities of companies associated with genocide. According to a press release, the company plans to partner with an index provider to identify and screen out companies around the world that they believe are strongly connected to genocide. “We believe there is investor interest in genocide-free investing and that belief was reinforced through recent conversations with Investors Against Genocide, among others,” said Noel Archard, head of iShares product research and development. “As a result, we intend to develop an extension of our iShares socially responsible ETF offering with an iShares genocide-free ETF.” While the details of the Genocide-Free ETF are yet to be determined, it seems likely a central component would be avoiding companies that are either directly or indirectly linked to the human rights abuses in Darfur. [...]

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…Including U.S. Carbon Efficient ETF

Michael Johnston — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:16:08 +0000

Among the 30 new exchange-traded products Deutsche Bank plans to launch through its db x-trackers unit in 2009 is a proposed fund that would track the S&P Carbon Efficient Index, a benchmark based on the performance of large-cap U.S. companies with relatively low carbon emissions while seeking to replicate the return of the S&P 500. “This is the first time that investors have had the opportunity to track the S&P 500 with a 50% lower Carbon Footprint and 60% lower greenhouse gas emissions,” said Db x-trackers UK head Manooj Mistry. The index weightings for the new ETF will be based on a methodology that determines the carbon footprint of each company. The index is being developed and maintained by S&P and Deutsche Bank in connection with TruCost, a provider of carbon footprint analysis. As environmentally-friendly corporate policies and actions have become increasingly important to consumers and investors, ETF issuers have flooded the markets [...]

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Islamic Market ETF Hits Market: More to Come?

Michael Johnston — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:37:43 +0000

In April, FaithShares Advisors filed with the SEC to launch a line of ETFs targeted at religions investors. While “socially responsible ETFs” (such as KLD) and clean energy ETFs (such as PBW) are nothing new, FaithShares proposed to narrow the scope of socially responsible investing significantly by offering funds focusing on specific denominations, including: Baptist Values Fund Catholic Values Fund Christian Values Fund Lutheran Values Fund Methodist Values Fund Although many were skeptical at the time that religious ETFs would be a viable opportunity, it appears that they are now becoming a reality, as Javelin Exchange Traded Shares (JETS), a new ETF company, launched its first fund. The Dow Jones Islamic Market International Index Fund (JVS) seeks performance that corresponds to a benchmark index that measures investment return on “Shari’ah compliant securities.” Shari’ah (also written “Sharia”) is the body of Islamic religious laws that covers many aspects of day-to-day life, including [...]

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The Socially Responsible ETF Guide (Five Minute Edition)

Michael Johnston — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:00:58 +0000

As the ETF industry has exploded and investors have poured cash from traditional mutual funds into these investments, a number of interesting ETFs have popped up attempting to establish market share. One interesting sector consists of socially responsible ETFs, which generally invest in companies with positive and ethical environmental and social policies. These funds will often avoid companies engaged in alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and gambling. A number of socially responsible ETFs have been launched and have attracted significant investment dollars, indicating there is a market for investors looking to gain exposure to environmental and other socially responsible securities. Here’s a quick summary of a few of the socially responsible ETFs on the market. iShares KLD Select Social Index Fund (KLD): KLD seeks to mimic the performance of the KLD Select Social Index, which maximizes exposure to positive environmental, social, and governance factors while exhibiting risk and return characteristics similar to the S&P 500. [...]

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ETF Database » KLD

AdvisorShares Launches Global Echo ETF (GIVE)

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Understanding Some Misunderstood ETFs

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Surprising Holdings In The “Socially Responsible” ETF

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Pax World Launches ETFs Focused On Sustainable Investing

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This Week In ETFs: February 5th Edition

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iShares Planning “Genocide-Free ETF”

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…Including U.S. Carbon Efficient ETF

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Islamic Market ETF Hits Market: More to Come?

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The Socially Responsible ETF Guide (Five Minute Edition)

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