International funds

IndexIQ has launched the IQ Japan Mid Cap ETF, which it says is the first exchange-traded fund focused on Japanese mid-cap equities.

Calamos International is now making its three-year-old Calamos Emerging Markets Fund available as a UCITS.

In response to growing demand for international equity funds, RS Investments has launched two new global equity mutual funds, the RS Global Growth Fund and the RS Greater China Fund. Baillie Gifford Overseas will sub-advise the funds.

Fidelity Investments has launched its first international high-yield fund, the Fidelity Global High Income Fund.

Forward Management has relaunched the Forward International Fixed Income Fund as the Forward EM Corporate Debt Fund. SW Asset Management, an asset management firm that specializes in emerging corporate debt, will sub-advise the fund. David Hinman, chief investment officer of SW Asset Management, will serve as co-portfolio manager of the fund.

There's a new world order coming in mutual funds. And a new form of wholesaler - colloquially called a "schmeek" - will be helping financial advisers understand its new complexity and sell a constantly evolving kaleidoscope of new products to individual investors.

HSBC Global Asset Management has launched two emerging market debt funds. The HSBC Emerging Markets Debt Fund will invest in fixed income issued in emerging markets, and the HSBC Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund will invest in fixed income issued in emerging markets denominated in local currencies.

Wasatch Funds has launched the Wasatch Emerging India Fund, which it says it the first actively managed India mutual fund with a small-cap bias.

Dreyfus has launched the Dreyfus India Fund, rounding out its emerging markets offerings. Dreyfus affiliate Hamon U.S. Investment Advisors, which specializes in Asian investments, will sub-advise the fund. The Dreyfus India Fund will invest in both equities and fixed income, and seek companies with strong growth potential and that are attractively priced.

Van Eck Global has launched the Market Vectors Russia Small-Cap ETF, a fund that seeks to replicate the Market Vectors Russia Small-Cap Index.

Van Eck Global has launched the Market Vectors Germany Small-Cap ETF, which the firm says is the first exchange-traded fund dedicated solely to Germany. Van Eck also notes that Germany is Europe’s largest and the world’s fourth-largest economy. Germany’s GDP grew 3.6% in 2010.

Dreyfus has launched the Dreyfus Global Dynamic Bond Fund, a dynamically managed fund that seeks both capital appreciation and income by investing in bonds, currencies, derivatives and other instruments that provide exposure to these asset classes. The fund has no investment constraints and is not managed to a benchmark index. Rather, it seeks to deliver positive returns regardless of market moves.

Fidelity Investments has increased the size and capabilities of its London fixed income office, enhancing its ability to service institutional clients through Pyramis Global Advisors as well as Fidelity’s mutual fund clients in the U.S.

Lazard Asset Management has launched the Lazard Emerging Markets Multi-Strategy Portfolio, a mutual fund that will employ both emerging markets equity and debt strategies

Investors are looking to invest internationally in 2011 and beyond, a sign that positive sentiment in emerging markets is growing, according to a survey released on Tuesday by Franklin Templeton.The survey of 13,076 respondents in 12 countries found that 62% of U.S. and global respondents plan to invest in international markets, including Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and India, over the next 10 years. Yet just 34% of respondents are currently investing outside of their own markets. At the same time only 33% believe their own country's market will perform better than the rest of the world in 2011, said Franklin Templeton, which shows a willingness to consider opportunities globally.

Vanguard is planning to launch an actively managed emerging markets equity fund that will be managed by four investment advisors.

Dreyfus has launched the Dreyfus Total Emerging Markets Fund, which will invest in equities, bonds and currencies. The fund will be managed by investment boutiques of Dreyfus parent company BNY Mellon Asset Management, with Standish Mellon Asset Management running the fixed income and currencies portion of the portfolio and The Boston Company Asset Management running the equities portion.

Seventy-one percent of financial advisers foresee the greatest investment opportunities in the decade ahead outside of the U.S., a survey of 556 advisers by Franklin Templeton and SourceMedia found.

Van Eck has launched the Market Vectors Colombia ETF in response to investors’ growing interest in emerging markets outside the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

Global X Funds has launched the Global X FTSE Argentina 20 ETF, rounding out its suite of Latin American exchange-traded funds.