GlobalShares, a division of London based Old Mutual, launched the FTSE Developed Countries Ex-U.S. Fund (GSD) on Thursday, doubling the size of its ETF product line. GSD will track the FTSE Developed ex-U.S. Index, a benchmark already covered by the Schwab International Equity ETF (SCHF). The new GlobalShares ETF will also compete with the iShares MSCI EAFE Index ETF (EFA) and the Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA), both of which track the MSCI EAFE Index and hold a combined $41 billion in assets. [click to continue…]
The reasons for the rise of the ETF industry are numerous: intraday liquidity, (potentially) superior tax efficiency, and enhanced transparency relative to traditional actively-managed mutual funds have all contributed to the billions of dollars of inflows that these funds have seen in recent years. But the real attraction for most ETF investors is the reduced expenses these products offer, often only a fraction of the fees charged by mutual funds. [click to continue…]
Old Mutual has filed a registration statement for five new ETFs, each of which tracks an index maintained by the FTSE group. Old Mutual, founded in 1845 in South Africa, provides long-term savings solutions, asset management services, and general insurance services in 38 countries worldwide. The new ETFs include:
