International funds

Claymore Securities Inc., an exchange-traded fund provider, has launched the Claymore/BNY Mellon Frontier Markets Exchange Traded Fund.

In pursuit of new investments, developed countries are turning their focus towards the booming economies of frontier nations, The Wall Street Journal reports. Fast-developing countries throughout Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East are averaging annual growth rates five times that of developed nations.

Julius Baer Americas, a subsidiary of the Swiss wealth manager Julius Baer Holding Ltd., has changed its name to Artio Global Investors Inc.

Japan’s domestic asset management reports are not disclosing the way they vote on various resolutions brought up at annual shareholders meetings, according to the Nikkei Report. That disclosure could significantly improve corporate governance.

The Securities and Exchange Commission just released its full summer agenda and according to SEC Chairman Christopher Cox, the commission’s only firm plans are that it will be extremely busy in the coming months.

NEW YORK – Timothy Geithner, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, called for substantial reforms to the structure of the regulatory system of the U.S.

While Morningstar certainly has carved out its niche and made a name for itself arming individual investors with mutual fund data and insight, the company plans to increase its focus on financial advisers and institutions, or the “pros” eager to pay for quality research. That’s according to an interview with Morningstar CEO Joe Mansueto in this week’s issue of BusinessWeek.

With the dollar beaten down - 7% against the euro and 6% against the yen so far this year - fund companies are offering investors the opportunity to invest in exchange-traded funds that invest in foreign currencies, The Wall Street Journal reports.

NEW YORK - Days before the European Union celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Euro last week, Dechert LLP held a widely popular seminar here on the how-to's of Undertakings for Collective Investment Trusts, or UCITS, which have been growing at a rapid pace not only on the Continent, but also in Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.

NEW YORK - As the turbulent economy begins to calm down, investors will likely gravitate toward index-based, middle-of-the-road mutual funds, opening the door for opportunists to sweep up bargains, industry experts say. And the safer, the better.

NEW YORK—The European Union’s UCITS, or “Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities,” have been gaining tremendous traction throughout the EU, and even Latin America and Asia. Middle Eastern countries are even beginning to warm up to the instruments, as they are tightly regulated by their host countries and designed to protect the end investor.

Harry Lange, a manager of Fidelity Investment’s popular $40.5 billion Magellan fund, believes that once the effects of the central bank’s rate cuts and the government’s economic stimulus packages kick in, U.S. stocks could be near an “important bottom.”

Investors seem to be moving more money to U.S.-based stock mutual funds.

Rumors are floating around that investment-giant Morgan Stanley will enter into its first fund venture in China as early as next month, Reuters reports.

Pax World Management Corp. has formed the Pax World Women’s Advisory Council, comprised of nationally known leaders and experts on women’s issues.

Anthony Bolton, manager of Fidelity Investments’ Special Situations Fund in the U.K. for nearly 30 years—and who has turned out an average annual return of 19.5% in that time—is bearish on financials and mining stocks, The Wall Street Journal’s “Letter From the City” column reports this morning.

A study by the Genocide Intervention Network, conducted with Bloomberg, has found that companies that invest in countries with poor human rights practices make bad investments, both financially as well as ethically.

Despite strict guidelines and barriers within China, which tend to turn off global fund houses from conducting business, Fidelity International recently announced that it is ready and willing to pursue joint ventures there sometime in the near future.

In an already crowded field, Northern Trust Corp. is the latest financial-services company to try and make its mark in the exchange-traded fund business.

Including lift-outs and partial deals, investment firms have shelled out more than $50 billion so far this year to acquire mutual fund companies and other asset management firms, in a record 241 deals this year, according to Jefferies Putnam Lovell, a division of Jefferies.