J.P. Morgan Applies for Three New ETFs

J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. has filed applications with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to create and operate an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) and two index ETFs.

The actively-managed ETF application said the fund will seek to achieve its objective of total return by investing in a broadly diversified portfolio of equity securities of the largest capitalized companies in the United States with varying risk characteristics. The fund’s portfolio will generally include approximately 300 securities of companies across various sectors with an emphasis on securities that J.P. Morgan considers undervalued or fairly valued.

A second application requests creation of an index-based fund and a self-indexing fund. The application said the initial index-based underlying index is a broad-based, total-return index comprised of municipal bonds which are investment-grade, fixed-rate bonds rated BBB or better with 1 to 12 years to maturity. The bonds in the initial index-based underlying index are traded in the U.S. markets and are market capitalization weighted.

The initial self-index underlying index tracks a broad measure of the performance of liquid securities in the floating rate investment grade corporate bond market. The minimum size criteria for bonds included in the initial self-index underlying index is an initial transaction issuance of $300 million. It is rebalanced monthly and includes bonds that are market capitalization weighted.

Strategic Insight Opens London Office

Strategic Insight (SI), an Asset International company, has opened an office in London.

Strategic Insight, a New York-based global provider of data, research, and consulting to investment management and distribution companies, has appointed Andreas Pfunder as Managing Director Europe. In this role, Pfunder is responsible for expanding SI’s business among mutual fund companies, wealth managers, and distribution networks in the UK and Europe, according to a press release.

Pfunder will be joined by Jamie Maak, Strategic Insight’s Global Business Development Manager, who is moving from New York to London to coordinate the group’s worldwide presence and support of clients.     

Previously, Pfunder worked as an independent consultant after years in senior business development roles with Fidelity International and AllianceBernstein. He has an Executive MBA from London Business School.     

The announcement said SI also plans to open a Hong Kong office later this year.

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