A Global Bearish ETF Arises

AdvisorShares is currently prepping a global short selling exchange-traded fund dubbed the International Bear ETF, to launch within the next few months.

According to a filing, the fund will short internationally traded equity securities but will also have exposure to American Depository Receipts and fixed income securities. Not much else can be gleaned from the filing including the portfolio managers and fees for the new offering.

However, the filing did reveal that Foreside Fund Services will act as the fund’s distributor and The Bank of New York Mellon will serve as the administrator, custodian, transfer agent and accounting agent for the fund.

Ryan Graham, a spokesman for the firm, said: “We're now in the SEC "quiet period" and therefore can't discuss the fund.”

AdvisorShares currently manages a similar offering, dubbed the Active Bear ETF (HDGE), which shorts domestically traded equity securities. The $331 million HDGE portfolio is sub-advised by Ranger Alternative Management and is down -17.75% year-to-date through Oct. 23, according to Bloomberg. It has an expense ratio of 168 basis points.