ETFs

Global X Funds has launched the Global X Social Media Index ETF (SOCL), which it says is the first ETF that will globally focus on social media companies. The fund will cover companies that provide social networking, file sharing and other web-based media applications.

Investors may be fleeing from mutual funds that invest in U.S. stocks for the long haul. But that does not mean they’re fleeing U.S. stock funds.

Eileen Rominger, director of the SEC's division of investment management, testified last month before the U.S. Senate that the commission is reviewing whether the widespread use of exchange-traded funds is contributing to market volatility.

Russell Investments has launched three international equity “factor” exchange-traded funds designed to provide investors with focused exposure to fundamental risk factors -- namely low beta, low volatility and high momentum. The funds complement Russell’s existing 10 domestic factor ETFs.

IndexIQ has expanded its IQ series of 16 funds with the IQ Global Alternatives ETF Model Portfolio. The investment vehicle uses liquid, transparent, low-cost alternative exchange-traded funds to achieve diversification, growth of capital and low volatility.

Highland Funds Asset Management has launched the Highland Alpha Trend Strategies Fund, a global fund that will invest in country- and region-specific exchange-traded funds as well as take long and short positions in equity indexes. The fund aims to invest in areas with low correlation and volatility.

In September, more money flowed into mutual funds than flowed out, breaking a three-month pattern of fund outflows, according to Cerulli Associates’ October report on product trends. Despite the reversal into positive territory, however, mutual fund assets remain at a yearly low of $7.4 trillion.

BNY Mellon Asset Servicing will allow authorized participants in exchange-traded fund transactions to place orders one day ahead of the actual trade date.

State Street Global Advisors, the asset management business of State Street Corporation, has announced changes to the indices and names of five financial industry SPDR ETFs.

Following periods of market turbulence, investors always look for transparency and liquidity, which will inevitably attract more assets to the $1.2 trillion exchange-traded fund industry, speakers at the Money Management Institute Fall Solutions 2011 conference said Wednesday.

The SEC said it will review the ETF market to ensure it is “transparent” and not generating market volatility. The decision, announced at a Senate Banking subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, marks the second time the regulator has investigated investment companies.

Van Eck Global has launched the Market Vectors Renminbi Bond ETF, a exchange-traded fund that offers exposure to Chinese renminbi-denominated bonds through the Market Vectors Renminbi Bond Index.

ProShares has launched the ProShares Ultra DJ-UBS Natural Gas and ProShares UltraShort DJ-UBS Natural Gas exchange-traded funds. The two funds are tied to the Dow Jones-UBS Natural Gas Subindex.

Russell Investments has launched four additional investment discipline exchange traded funds, the new offerings focused on small-cap indexes. Russell’s investment discipline indexes take indexing to the next level by aiming to mirror the way equity managers invest.

ProShares has launched the first ETFs in the United States to provide magnified or inverse exposure to VIX futures.

As increasingly complex ETFs stake a deeper claim to investor assets, has the closing bell really tolled for large-cap stocks?

State Street Global Advisors has launched three new exchange-traded funds, the SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF, SPDR S&P Health Care Services and SPDR A&P Software & Services funds.

The combined assets of the nation’s mutual funds decreased by $398 billion, or 3.3 percent, to $11.621 trillion in August, according to the Investment Company Institute.

Northern Trust named Marie Dzanis senior vice president and head of ETF sales and servicing where she’ll oversee the firm’s FlexShares exchange-traded funds unit.

Northern Trust has launched a new family of exchange-traded funds called FlexShares. The four funds, which are trading on the New York Stock Exchange, are based on indexes created and maintained by Morningstar and Markit.