Latest: Swiss trade body launches structured products lab

The free Lab has been developed with an interactive approach and provides a ‘simple and playful introduction to the topic of structured products’ - in a matter of seconds, the most common products can be created and tested in various bullish and bearish scenarios, according to the association.

The gaming approach invites experimentation and trial and error - Markus Pfister

The SSPA Lab simulates market scenarios with real-time data supplied by SIX Financial Information and Derivative Partners, and real events such as the financial crisis, the Trump election and the Covid-19 crisis allowing users to simulate the performance of structured products and determine and test suitable products based on their own investment-specific preferences.

‘The gaming approach invites experimentation and trial and error with the aim of helping more investors make balanced and informed decisions about their investments in structured products,’ said SSPA chairman Markus Pfister (pictured).

The SSPA Lab is aimed at helping existing and potential investors to expand their understanding of structured products and to heighten their risk awareness.

Simon adds variable annuities to Insurtech lineup

Simon Annuities and Insurance Services has expanded its annuities platform for wealth managers with the launch of the LiveWell Variable Annuity (VA), an annuity issued by Midland National Life Insurance Company and administered by Sammons Retirement Solutions.

The platform enables advisers to analyse products based on their clients’ risk profiles and investment horizons, as well as explore rider illustrations; leverage allocation analytics; view fund options and their performance statistics; and access historical performance of allocations and funds.

The LiveWell Variable Annuity is the first product of this type to launch on Simon. It offers access to more than 125 investing options from 25+ of the US most popular money managers.

‘Everyone seeks custom solutions today—from news feeds on our cell phones to grocery delivery services, and retirement planning is no different,’ said Melissa Scheuerman, VP of business and sales development at Sammons. ‘Products need to offer flexibility, and professionals need intuitive tools at their fingertips to analyse and manage products that offer that flexibility.’

Additional carriers will join Simon’s variable annuities Marketplace in the coming months, said Scott Beshany, chief distribution officer at Simon. VAs is the latest addition to Simon’s platform and will sit alongside fixed indexed annuities, fixed annuities, and structured annuities.

Euronext to launch MIB ESG Index

Borsa Italiana, part of the Euronext Group, has announced the launch of the first blue-chip index for Italy dedicated to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) best practices in October 2021.

The MIB ESG Index will be powered by Vigeo Eiris, part of Moody’s ESG Solutions, which will provide the ESG assessment for the eligible companies and will engage with them in order to benchmark their ESG performance. The index will include major listed Italian issuers that demonstrate ESG best practices.

The methodology of the index will be designed in collaboration with the financial community, public authorities, and regulators, according to Euronext.

‘The main goal is to facilitate the adoption of mainstream ESG investment approaches, such as the United Nations Global Compact principles, by institutional and private investors and to gain market consensus for sustainable and responsible investment,’ ,’ said Stéphane Boujnah, CEO and chairman of the managing board of Euronext.

‘This launch is an important step in accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy and will allow investors to finance high-impact projects and companies in Italy and in Europe.’

Euronext currently manages more than 40 ESG indices including the Low Carbon 100 Europe, the CAC 40 ESG, and the ESG World 75 Index chosen by the German Government, to its broad index family, and it’s also one of the top providers of ESG custom indices to the structured products market.

Nasdaq, Equileap roll out ESG Data Hub

Gender equality data provider Equileap has partnered with Nasdaq to launch the Nasdaq ESG Data Hub.

The new platform connects investors with expert-led Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data sets, from seven providers across a wide spectrum of areas, including diversity, carbon emissions and green bonds, providing the detailed and tangible intelligence on companies’ ESG profiles.

The platform will include ESG data from Equileap (gender equality), Ecogain (biodiversity), RepRisk (reputational risk), Munich Re (climate risk), Inrate (carbon emissions), Upright Project (net impact) and Clean Tech (renewable technology).

Equileap’s data has served as the foundation for billions worth of ESG investment products globally since its creation including the Equileap Gender Equality Index Family which includes the Equileap US Gender Equality Index, Solactive Equileap Global Gender Equality Index, Solactive Equileap European Gender Equality 75 Index.

The firm uses a cross-sector ranking system to assess and monitor over 4,000 companies across the globe on gender equality - its proprietary Gender Equality Scorecard is based on 19 criteria, including gender balance across the workforce, the gender pay gap, paid parental leave and anti-sexual harassment policies.

US’ ETF Managers offers double exposure to cannabis

ETF Managers Group has launched the ETFMG 2x Daily Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSE Arca: MJXL) on the New York Stock Exchange.

The new ETF is designed to seek daily leveraged investment results, before fees and expenses, of two times (2x) or 200% the performance of the Prime Alternative Harvest Index, providing investors access to the global cannabis ecosystem and capitalise on widespread medicinal and recreational legalization initiatives.

The index uses a proprietary methodology to provide a reference measure for the global cannabis industry as well as the industries likely to be influenced by the medicinal and recreational cannabis legalization initiatives taking place around the world. The Index is designed to measure the performance of companies that will benefit from these initiatives, collectively referred to as companies in the Prime Cannabis Ecosystem.

The new leveraged ETF is the firm’s third cannabis investment offering and adds to the firm’s new suite of 2x Daily Leveraged ETFs, structured to give investors short-term, magnified exposure to high-growth themes.