Impact Shares launched the Sustainable Development Goals Global Equity ETF (SDGA) in collaboration with the United Nations Capital Development Fund, the UN agency that makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world's 47 least developed countries.
The new ETF allows investors to invest alongside companies that are deploying capital to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a universal call to action to reduce poverty and support economic development globally.
The fund also reflects the importance of the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) efforts to increase transformative private sector investments in emerging local economies and ensure that no one is left behind.
"As a UN aid agency working in the world's poorest countries, we are often asked by pension funds and socially-conscious investors how they can use their investment dollars to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," UNCDF Executive Secretary Judith Karl said in a statement. "This ETF offers those clients an exciting way to support the UN's work while rewarding companies with accountable business practices and good management policies."
The fund seeks investment results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the Morningstar Societal Development Index, developed through a collaboration between UNCDF, Impact Shares, Morningstar and Sustainalytics. Companies included in the index are screened against a set of rigorous selection criteria reflecting customized environmental, social and corporate governance indicators and alignment with the SDGs.
PGIM Investments Launch a New High Yield Bond Fund
PGIM Investments launched its second actively managed exchange-traded fund, the PGIM Active High Yield Bond ETF (PHYL).
The PGIM Active High Yield Bond ETF (PHYL) is actively managed by sub-adviser PGIM Fixed Income. PHYL has 0.53% expense ratio.
The fund invests primarily in high yield bonds and seeks to generate total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation.
The firm's first high yield bond ETF, the PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF (PULS), was launched in April and has more than doubled in size, growing to $51 million as of August 31, 2018.
BNY Mellon's Lockwood Adds Portfolios on Managed360 Program
BNY Mellon's Lockwood Advisors, Inc. added 54 new model portfolios to its Managed360 program, nearly doubling the number of strategists and underlying model portfolios available to financial professionals.
This addition brings the total number of third-party model portfolios to 123 and strategists available via the program to 13.
Managed360 delivers a streamlined managed accounts experience, leveraging the power of Lockwood affiliate Pershing LLC's NetX360 platform to help financial professionals scale their managed accounts business.
The latest additions are mostly globally diversified portfolios that provide advisors and reps with a wider range of options to help them meet investors' evolving goals while also managing costs. View a list of the new strategists and models now available to clients on the Managed360 program here.
SEIA Launches ESG IMPACT Portfolio for Socially Conscious Investors
Wealth management firm Signature Estate and Investment Advisors (SEIA) launched its ESG IMPACT portfolio, an investment strategy comprised of investment vehicles that meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and socially responsible investment (SRI) criteria.
The ESG IMPACT portfolio aims to provide diversified global equity exposure for socially conscious investors at a low cost.
The portfolio consists of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds with the flexibility to use other investment vehicles as needed.
