International funds

Goldman Sachs Asset Management has launched the Goldman Sachs N-11 Equity Fund, a long-only U.S. fund that will invest in the “next eleven” countries including Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam.

State Street Global Advisors on Thursday launched the SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF and the SPDR Barclays Capital Emerging Markets Local Bond ETF.

In a survey of affluent U.S. investors, HSBC Securities reported a growing interest in overseas investing, and an opportunity for advisers to provide more information.

Global X Funds has launched the Global X FTSE ASEAN 40 ETF, which targets the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, comprised of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The fund tracks the FTSE/ASEAN 40 Index.

Global X Funds has launched the Global X FTSE Andean 40 ETF.

Global X Funds on Tuesday launched two new emerging markets exchange-traded funds, the Global X Russell Emerging Markets Growth ETF and the Global X Russell Emerging Markets Value ETF.

A majority of institutional investor, 55%, expect global growth over the next six months, up considerably from the 33% who felt this way in the third quarter, a survey of 97 institutional managers by Northern Trust found.

Chinese regulators have approved the first mutual fund to invest in gold, as inflation fears stemming from loose monetary policies in the U.S. are driving interest in the commodity.

AllianceBernstein has launched the AllianceBernstein International Discovery Equity portfolio, a bottom-up fund that will look for small- and mid-cap companies outside the U.S. with strong prospective earnings growth, valuation and management.

Modest growth is predicted for 2011 approaches, with equities showing promise and emerging markets looking particularly attractive for investors, according ING’s head of asset allocation.

BlackRock has launched the iShares MSCI Russia Capped Index Fund, completing its suite of BRIC single-country funds.

NEW YORK- Growth in emerging markets has the potential to outpace the U.S. Baby Boomer explosion by 25 times, and as consumption and infrastructure in these nations builds, specialized emerging market exchange-traded funds will become increasingly viable, said Robert Lutts, president and chief investment officer of Cabot Money Management. That even means sector- and style-specific ETFs, Lutts said, as well as diversified emerging markets blend funds, added Paul Weisbruch, vice president of ETF and options sales and trading at Street One Financial.

Strategic Insight, FUSE Research

NEW YORK—Growth in emerging markets has the potential to outpace the U.S. Baby Boomer explosion by 25 times, and as consumption and infrastructure in these nations builds, specialized emerging market exchange-traded funds will become increasingly viable, said Robert Lutts, president and chief investment officer of Cabot Money Management.

Expert investors and analysts have been saying it for years: economies in the emerging markets have become so sophisticated that the so-called frontier markets are becoming the place to find richer yields.

Van Eck Global has launched the Market Vectors China ETF, a U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund that tacks the performance of the CSI 300 Index from China Securities Index Co. to give investors exposure to the A-shares traded on China’s two main exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen. These shares account for 72% of China’s equities, whereas H-shares, or shares traded on lesser exchanges in Hong Kong and elsewhere, account for 13% of China’s total equity market.

Global bond and equity investors are not just relying on the U.S. to power economic growth in the world anymore, said presenters at a Natixis Global Asset Management press luncheon in New York Sept. 29.

Vanguard Group plans to simplify its Target Retirement Funds and certain other funds-of-funds in an effort to improve the products’ international diversification.The Valley Forge, Pa., company plans to replace the funds' three underlying international portfolios with a single broad international stock index fund. Vanguard will also increase the overall international equity exposure of these funds.

A wealth management firm has identified a growing niche serving clients in the United States and north of the border.

PIMCO co-Chief Investment Officer Bill Gross is said to be planning to one-up himself on touting Canadian companies as good fixed income opportunities; he is planning a big expansion into Canada.