The First Trust Vest U.S. Equity Buffer UCITS ETF – January will aim to match the price return of the S&P 500 up to a predetermined upside cap, while providing a 10% downside cushion through a built-in buffer mechanism.

The cap and buffer will be reset after a year in January 2026 to match market conditions. The ETF charges a 0.85% total expense ratio.

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Rupert Haddon, managing director at First Trust Global Portfolios, said: “FJAN represents the first ETF in our quarterly series of scheduled UCITS ETFs for our S&P 500 Target Outcome 10% buffer suite.

“In today’s volatile market environment, we believe FJAN offers a compelling solution for investors seeking exposure to leading S&P 500 companies while managing downside risk.”

The ETF focuses on US large and mid-cap stocks, following the Morningstar US Dividend Enhanced Select Index-NR with 282 US securities. It charges investors 0.12%.

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The company now has a total of 26 index-tracked ETFs, with a global ETF platform encompassing $33bn assets under management.

Caroline Baron, head of ETF distribution for EMEA at Franklin Templeton, said: “As US equities are an important allocation for our clients, we are delighted to offer this differentiated US equity income solution, which provides both a tilted exposure towards dividend-paying stocks and a high US equity market participation.

“The ETF is particularly suited for investors looking to generate income and capitalise on the potential growth of US equities, which are known for offering lower yields, but higher capital appreciation compared to other developed markets.”

Dina Ting, head of global index portfolio management, and Lorenzo Crosato, ETF portfolio manager, will oversee the strategy.

“Enhanced yield can help investors weather potential volatility given uncertainties over major policy changes, such as tariffs and their impact on inflation and balance of trades,” Ting said.

“Our rules-based strategy, featuring a relatively low active risk compared to the broad market, can be an ideal core or satellite allocation for investors seeking diversified US market exposure.”

The range offers exposure to companies that have a track record of long-term positive free cashflow (FCF) generation.

The SPDR S&P 500 Quality Aristocrats UCITS ETF and the SPDR S&P Developed Quality Aristocrats UCITS ETF will track companies that have at least 10 consecutive years of positive FCF, a high FCF margin and FCF return on invested capital.

By focusing quality companies, the tracker funds will aim to outperform their parent indices: the S&P 500 and S&P Developed LargeMidCap, respectively.

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Rupert Watts, head of factors and dividends at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said: “We are pleased that State Street Global Advisors has selected our S&P Quality FCF Aristocrats Indices as the underlying benchmarks for its new exchange-traded funds.

“By focusing on companies that excel in long-term FCF generation, these indices are designed to primarily track high-quality firms and distinguish themselves from other FCF-based indices in the market, which are generally yield-focused and exhibit a strong value tilt.”

The funds are available to investors in most European countries, including the UK.

The range includes the BGF AI Innovation fund, iShares AI Infrastructure UCITS ETF, and the iShares AI Adopters & Applications UCITS ETF.

The BGF AI Innovation fund, managed by Tony Kim and Reid Menge, is BlackRock’s flagship AI thematic equity strategy. The fund is a best ideas portfolio made up of 20-40 stocks.

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“We are at the dawn of an intelligence revolution,” said Kim, who heads the fundamental equities technology group at BlackRock.

“These funds can help investors seize outsized and overlooked investment opportunities across the full stack of AI and advanced technologies. The unprecedented rate of change in this new AI revolution poses unique opportunities for investors to seize.”

The AI adopters ETF specifically targets companies in data-intensive industries such as healthcare, finance, and mobility, which can use AI to improve their operations and services.

iShares AI Infrastructure UCITS ETF primarily focuses on the foundational layers of AI technology, such as investing in companies involved in semiconductors, cloud computing, and big data.

The AI Infrastructure and AI Adopters ETFs both charge a 0.35% total expense ratio.

The iShares € Cash UCITS ETF (YCSH), which currently has a gross annualised yield of 3.12%, aims to offer investors a supplement to cash saving across various interest rate environments, as well as a stream of income, via an ETF wrapper.

The fund, which will be managed by BlackRock’s Cash Management team, will adhere to European MMF regulation (MMFR). The firm said this “should help a broader range of investors actively manage their cash”.

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The ETF has no minimum holding period, and can be accessed by individual investors with a minimum deposit of €1. It will be listed on Xetra with a total expense ratio of 0.1%.

Jane Sloan, EMEA head of global product solutions at BlackRock, said: “YCSH combines the flexibility and access of the ETF wrapper, including continuous pricing and the ability to trade seamlessly throughout the day, with the security of money market fund regulation, delivering a first-to-market solution to investors who want to do more with their money.

“Europeans have shown demand for income investments this year and YCSH expands the choice available to them without a fixed term of investment.”

Beccy Milchem, global head of cash distribution and head of international cash management, added that cash “plays a critical role in a well-rounded investment strategy”.

“We are delighted to bring the breadth and depth of BlackRock’s active cash expertise to a broader range of investors utilizing the convenience of ETFs,” she said. “The demand for money market funds has surged in the higher rate environment and investors have sought to more actively manage their cash holdings.”

The WisdomTree Global Efficient Core UCITS ETF index aims to provide a 90% exposure to large-cap global developed equities and 60% to global government bond futures, providing a leveraged alternative to other multi-asset funds.

The futures portfolio consists of US, German, UK and Japanese government bond futures contracts with maturities ranging from two to 30 years.

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“The Efficient Core concept aims to provide another powerful tool for investors to push the boundaries of what is possible to improve their portfolios,” Pierre Debru, head of quantitative research & multi asset solutions at WisdomTree, said.

“By combining the two main tools from the modern portfolio theory, diversification and leverage, it is possible to unlock even more efficient portfolios.

“The result is intended to be a portfolio that maintains a high correlation to the market for possible equity upside, with potentially lower volatility and drawdowns through greater fixed income exposure, while also allowing for allocations to other diversifiers or alternative strategies, like broad commodities, gold or crypto assets.”

The strategy charges a 0.25% total expense ratio. It listed today on the Börse Xetra and Borsa Italiana, and will trade on the London Stock Exchange tomorrow (13 November).

It a “strategic market” that the firm was keen to get exposure to given its fast-growing equirty market, which is currently valued at $2.8trn, according to global advisory service EVP Adam Spector.

Saudia Arbia also has the largest and fastest-growing bond market among Golf Cooperation Countries, hence its launch of the the Franklin Saudi Arabia Bond fund, which will invest in debt securities and obligations issued by government and corporate entities in the region.

It will be managed by the firm’s chief investment officer for fixed income, Mohieddine Kronfol, who said: “Despite this growth, and increasing share of emerging market issuance, debt metrics remain robust and sustainable, on a relative and absolute basis, so that investing in Saudi bonds can potentially deliver attractive returns with valuable diversification benefits.”

Its second product, the Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia UCITS ETF, will track the FTSE Saudi Arabia 30/18 Capped index, which consists of 64 large and mid-cap Saudi Arabian equities. Dina Ting and Lorenzo Crosato will managed the fund.

Saudi stocks were only available to local investors until it was opened to foreign capital in 2015. Since then it has become over 4% of the FTSE Emerging Market index.

Spector anticipates further growth potential ahead for the market beyond the oil exports that have increased its wealth, accounting for 25% of the world’s conventional reserves.

“Through its Vision 2030 plan, the country continues to take steps to improve the business environment and diversify its economy away from oil and attract foreign investments,” he said.

“As one of the fastest growing economies globally, this is a strategic market for us, and we are excited to offer international investors the opportunity to participate in Saudi Arabia’s growth story.”

The strategy will hold 50 stocks, comprised of companies with over $1bn in cash, a return of over 15% on equity, and a debt-to-market cap ratio of under 30%. Holdings will be chosen through a combination ranking of their three-year revenue growth and three-year cash flow growth. It will cap each industry at a maximum of 15 stocks, in order to maintain diversity in the portfolio.

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First Trust now has a total of 34 UCITS ETF offerings, across thematic, factor, and smart beta ETFs. It launched its first ETF in 2005.

Rupert Haddon, managing director at First Trust Global Portfolios, said: “FTGS buys companies with strong balance sheets, very little debt, growing cash flows and earnings with high ROEs. In today’s dynamic market environment, we believe investors are seeking exposure to companies that can demonstrate resilience and consistent growth.

“This expansion of our UCITS range offers European investors a transparent and liquid way to access a portfolio of companies with solid fundamentals and strong growth potential, aiming to provide greater stability and long-term performance across various market conditions.”

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The four ETFs are sub-funds of the BNPP AM ICAV, which began in early 2023. BNPP AM said the listing on the LSE will create access to a “broader range of international clients” as well as benefit from the UK’s ETF market space. 

The new listings include the BNP Paribas Easy S&P 500 ESG UCITS ETF, BNP Paribas Easy MSCI ACWI SRI S-Series PAB 5% Capped UCITS ETF, BNP Paribas Easy MSCI World ESG Filtered Min TE UCITS ETF, and BNP Paribas EASY ECPI Global ESG Infrastructure UCITS ETF.

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Along with the launches, BNPP AM has appointed Miriam Breen to lead the business development for ETF and index solutions in the UK and Ireland. She previously spent over 10 years at LGIM, looking after top clients for the UK wholesale and retail markets.  

Lorraine Sereyjol-Garros, global head of business development ETF & index solutions, said: “These landmark listings mark the realisation of a journey two years in the making, which began when we decided to set up the ICAV, and are the result of an important collective effort across BNPP AM. 

“The UK is an integrally important market for us and listing on the LSE will allow us to have a much broader reach. I am very excited to welcome Miriam, who will help support business expansion on the ground. Her wealth of experience will help to harness this momentum and drive our ETF journey into even greater territory in the coming months and years.”

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The offerings include the Amundi MSCI USA UCITS ETF and the Amundi MSCI World EX USA UCITS ETF. The US strategy will be exposed to near 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalisation in the US with a management fee of 0.03%.

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The global ex-US strategy offers exposure across 22 developed countries with a management fee of 0.15%. Amundi said the strategy is geared towards those looking for a single solution to “complement global exposure”.

Benoit Sorel, head of ETF, Indexing and Smart Beta at Amundi, said: “These two ETFs offer investors the opportunity to manage their exposure to US and global markets more precisely, adding an already comprehensive toolkit for increasingly granular allocation. These new offerings demonstrate our commitment to developing valuable solutions tailored to our clients’ needs.”

The ETF will aim to follow the performance of the US Momentum iNDEX index, which is reviewed on a quarterly basis. iNDEX Research was founded in 2015 and has over $9bn in linked assets through its ETF and index funds.

Yaniv Kunis, founder and CEO of iNDEX Research, said: “We are excited to collaborate with an innovative ETF industry leader such as First Trust and expand our activities in the European market.

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“The US Momentum iNDEX was designed to fully implement the Momentum Factor while maintaining extensive diversification and risk management constraints. These constraints, for instance, can prevent highly volatile and significantly overvalued shares from entering the index. Given the current state of the US stock market, this conservative approach is more important than ever.”

In April, First Trust launched the Smid Rising Dividend Achievers Ucits ETF, for US small and mid-cap stocks. Across Europe, the company offers 32 UCITS ETFs.

Gregg Guerin, senior product specialist at First Trust Global Portfolios, said: “We are delighted to partner with iNDEX Research to offer investors a sophisticated tool to potentially benefit from market trends.

“By combining strong price momentum with valuation considerations, we’re proud to introduce a product that aims to capture upside potential while managing the risks typically associated with pure momentum strategies.”

The launches include the iShares World Equity Enhanced Active UCITS ETF, iShares US Equity Enhanced Active UCITS ETF, iShares Europe Equity Enhanced Active UCITS ETF, iShares Emerging Markets Equity Enhanced Active UCITS ETF, and iShares Asia ex Japan Equity Enhanced Active UCITS ETF. They will be overseen by the systematic equity investment team, which holds over 37 years of experience.

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Raffaele Savi, global head of BlackRock Systematic, said: “These exciting new launches build on over 10 years of experience in using cutting-edge technologies like AI, alternative data and machine learning to uncover the insights that drive future returns.”

The funds aim to meet a more “dynamic approach” by investors amid market and macroeconomic volatility, according to BlackRock, which calls for a broader range of investment strategies. The new funds aim to outperform their respective MSCI indices with a low tracking error. The world, emerging markets, and Asia ex Japan ETFs each have a total expense ratio of 0.3%, while the Europe ETF sits at 0.25% and the US 0.2%. Currently, iShares manages more than 14,000 funds for over 43 million investors.

Jane Sloan, EMEA head of iShares and global product solutions at BlackRock, said: “The active ETF industry is expected to reach $4trn by 2030 as investors seek efficient risk taking through ETFs in a way that is scalable and repeatable. We continue to innovate to deliver our clients unique strategies that can enhance their portfolios,.”

She added: “This ETF range can bring alpha seeking strategies to the core of client portfolios.”