Investment Product and Service Launches

MarketVector Announces Partnership with Portfolio-as-a-Service Provider

MarketVector Indexes has announced an integrative partnership with Amsterdam-based DemaTrading.ai, an AI-driven platform seeking to make crypto accessible for everyone via automated crypto portfolios.

MarketVector first developed a suite of single- and multi-token indexes in 2017. These Digital Asset Indexes enable investors to measure, benchmark and capture the performance of targeted coins and categories within the digital asset ecosystem.

In partnership with DemaTrading.ai, MarketVector will be able to leverage the DemaTrading.ai technology to enable crypto exchanges and asset managers to offer its family of digital asset indexes, ultimately facilitating the purchase and holding of digital assets in managed portfolios.

Angel Oak Capital Advisors Launches Income ETF Focused on Residential Mortgage Credit Opportunities

Angel Oak Capital Advisors, an investment management firm that specializes in value-driven structured credit, has announced the launch of the Angel Oak Income ETF. The firm’s second actively managed exchange-traded fund provides investors with the opportunity to invest primarily across U.S. structured credit, with a strong bias toward residential mortgage credit.

The fund’s significant allocation to structured credit combined with Angel Oak’s experience in these fixed-income asset classes should drive significant yield at a moderate duration compared to other similarly rated corporate bond indices, as well as broad fixed-income markets.

The ETF will be managed by Angel Oak’s portfolio management team, which since 2011 has managed mutual funds that allocate to these types of securities. In addition, Ward Bortz joined Angel Oak in June as a portfolio manager of the new ETF and the firm’s recently launched UltraShort Income ETF.

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management Launches Remote Investing Advice Business

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management has officially launched its remote advice business, J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors.

J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors clients will be able to speak with an adviser as frequently as they want by video or phone, receive a personalized financial plan and recommendations and have access to expert-built investment portfolios. Because the service is integrated within the Chase ecosystem, clients can transfer money and manage their banking, investing and borrowing seamlessly, either online or on the Chase Mobile app.

Licensed advisers will help clients build plans based on their short- and long-term goals, such as buying a home, planning for retirement or paying off debt.

J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors currently has more than 200 licensed financial professionals serving clients and plans to add more than 100 in the next year. While clients can meet virtually with advisers anywhere, advisers are located in several cities across the country. This month, Personal Advisors will add a new office in Irvine, California.

Outside of the launch promotion, the annual fee for J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors is 0.6% or less, depending on how much the client chooses to invest.

As an introductory offer, the firm is waiving advisory fees for six months for anyone who signs up and funds an account.

T.Rowe Price Launches Floating Rate ETF

T. Rowe Price, a global investment management and retirement services firm, has announced the addition of a fifth actively managed fixed income ETF, T. Rowe Price Floating Rate ETF, which is now available to the public on the NYSE Arca, Inc. The new ETF follows last month’s launch of T. Rowe Price U.S. High Yield ETF and brings the firm’s total roster of active ETFs to ten.

The Floating Rate strategy is constructed similarly to the mutual fund, T. Rowe Price Floating Rate Fund, investing primarily in floating-rate loans and other floating rate debt securities. The strategy uses a disciplined approach to credit selection, featuring rigorous proprietary research and strict risk control. It is managed by Paul Massaro, head of the global high yield team and portfolio manager of the Floating Rate strategy since its 2008 inception. He has 22 years of investment industry experience, including 19 years at T. Rowe Price.

T. Rowe Price Floating Rate ETF

• Seeks high current income and, secondly, capital appreciation. The portfolio manager aims to achieve these objectives by investing primarily in BB and B rated loans, which he believes is likely to keep volatility at below-market rates over time. 
• Broadly diversified across 200-300 issuers.
• Net expense ratio is 0.61%.

Truist Wealth Enhances Portfolio of Digital Investing Solutions

Truist Wealth has announced the launch of Truist Trade, a self-directed investing solution that allows clients to open select investment accounts and conduct online trading on their own. 

An investor can open an individual brokerage or joint brokerage account, Roth IRA or traditional IRA on Truist.com. These investment accounts require no account minimum, offer commission-free trades for stocks, ETFs and mutual funds, and may be viewed anytime and anywhere alongside other Truist accounts, providing clients a consolidated view of their finances. Clients also have access to a dedicated support team and a suite of research materials and tips to help inform their investment decisions.

ARK Invest and BMO Investments Inc. Launch Three ETF Strategies Available for Canadian Investors

ARK Investment Management LLC has announced a partnership with BMO Investments Inc., the manager of BMO Mutual Funds, to make three of ARK’s existing ETF strategies available to investors in Canada.

The three new BMO ARK mutual funds, with ETF Series listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, are BMO ARK Innovation Fund, BMO ARK Genomic Revolution Fund and BMO ARK Next Generation Internet Fund. The funds are managed by ARK and begin trading today.

BMO ARK Funds

• BMO ARK Innovation Fund (series A, F, I, Adviser Series and ETF Series units). This fund invests primarily in global equity securities of companies across various sectors involved in the development of technologically enabled products or services associated with fintech innovation, genomic innovation, industrial innovation and next-generation internet innovation that have the potential for changing the way the world works.
• BMO ARK Genomic Revolution Fund (series A, F, I, Adviser Series and ETF Series units). This fund invests primarily in global equity securities of companies across various sectors that are focused on and are expected to substantially benefit from extending and enhancing the quality of human and other life by incorporating technological and scientific developments and advancements in genomics into their business, such as CRISPR, targeted therapeutics, bioinformatics, molecular diagnostics, stem cells and agricultural biology, that have the potential for changing the way the world works.
• BMO ARK Next Generation Internet Fund (series A, F, I, Adviser Series and ETF Series units). This Fund invests primarily in global equity securities of companies across various sectors focused on and expected to benefit from shifting the bases of technology infrastructure to the cloud, enabling mobile, new and local services, such as companies that rely on or benefit from the increased use of shared technology, infrastructure and services, internet-based products and services, new payment methods, big data, the internet of things and social distribution and media that have the potential for changing the way the world works.

Prudential Financial Launches Life Insurance Product That Goes Beyond Death Benefits

Prudential Financial, Inc., has launched Prudential FlexGuard Life, an indexed variable universal life product that offers a flexible combination of protection, growth and access to meet consumers’ changing life insurance needs.

FlexGuard Life offers buffered index strategies with potential for strong cash value accumulation, while also providing levels of downside protection during periods of market volatility. It includes death benefit protection with guaranteed duration options, multiple ways to grow cash values and the ability to accelerate death benefits in the event of a chronic or terminal illness if an additional rider has been added.

The solution is customizable and can be adjusted based on changing needs, giving consumers the opportunity to take control over their future. It affords them access to cash values when needed, providing the unique opportunity to leave a legacy while also expanding access to living benefits.