Investment Product and Service Launches

Investably announces business valuation service; BM Advisers launches smallcase BM Nifty Top 20; First Trust Dynamic Europe Equity Income Fund organizes into an exchange-traded fund; and more.


Investably LLC Announces Business Valuation Service

Investably LLC announced the launch of a  business valuation service to help entrepreneurs understand the worth of their businesses.

“For many business owners, your business represents your largest asset, so understanding what your business is worth is essential for planning towards your retirement, including other financial needs such as estate planning, succession planning, insurance coverage or partnership agreements,” said Michelle Gordon, Investably’s CEO, in a statement.

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Bethesda, Maryland-based Investably hopes the service will especially help women and minority business owners, who are generally at an economic disadvantage raising capital through lending or venture capital.

Basant Maheshwari Wealth Advisers Launches BM Nifty Top 20 Smallcase

Portfolio management company Basant Maheshwari Wealth Advisers LLP has launched a smallcase BM Nifty Top 20, which mirrors the constituents of India’s Nifty 50.

The smallcase is designed for small investors who have a lower-risk appetite and lower capital but also want to exceed the performance of the Nifty 50 and an average mutual fund over a longer-term time horizon. Kolkata, India-based BM Advisers announced the launch comes in response to client requests.

“This has been initiated after umpteen requests made by our YouTube subscribers to have a portfolio that meets their risk-and-return objectives,” eponymous partner Basant Maheshwari said in a statement. “We have kept the cost in check and ensured that these large cap growth names exhibit better returns with lower volatility.”

Board of First Trust Dynamic Europe Equity Income Fund Approves Conversion to an ETF

First Trust Advisors LP announced that its First Trust Dynamic Europe Equity Income Fund will be organized into an exchange-traded fund.

The ETF will be traded on the NYSE Arca and be actively managed by First Trust Advisors, based in Wheaton, Illinois. The fund will be sub-advised by Janus Henderson Investors, its current sub-adviser.

Under the terms of the proposed transaction, which is expected to be tax‑free, the assets of the FDEU would be transferred to, and its liabilities would be assumed by, the new ETF. Shareholders of the FDEU will receive shares of the new ETF with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value of their FDEU shares.

CapIntel to Equip Advisors with ESG Metrics

CapIntel Inc. announced the launch of CapIntel ESG, which equips advisers with a visual tool that provide comprehensive, ESG-inclusive metrics to clients.

CapIntel ESG utilizes data from MSCI ESG Research, which delivers research of ESG-related business practices to companies worldwide.

“We are excited to collaborate with MSCI, which has a long-standing reputation for transparent, consistent, robust and up-to-date data that provides meaningful insights beyond corporate disclosure,” said James Rockwood, Toronto-based CapIntel’s founder and CEO, in a statement.

AllianceBernstein Introduces Three New Active Equity ETFs on NYSE Arca

AllianceBernstein LP announced the launch of three new active ETFs on the New York Stock Exchange.

The exchange-traded funds are the AB US Low Volatility Equity ETF, the AB US High Dividend ETF and the AB Disruptors ETF. Global liquidity provider Citadel Securities LLC will be the lead market maker.

“Drawing upon the success of our inaugural ETFs launched in 2022, this new suite of Equity ETFs demonstrates our commitment to delivering best-in-class investment strategies in adaptable and accessible vehicles for all investors,” said Noel Archard, New York-based AllianceBernstein’s global head of ETFs and portfolio solutions, in a statement.

Corebridge Financial Partners With Market Synergy Group to Launch Power Select Advisory for Registered Investment Advisers

Corebridge Financial Inc. announced the expansion of its partnership with Market Synergy Group to include the launch of Power Select Advisory.

Power Select Advisory is the newest addition to the Power Series of Index Annuities, Corebridge’s family of fixed-index annuities, and is available exclusively through MSG.

“We are excited to build on our long-standing partnership with Market Synergy Group and help their clients save more for retirement while protecting their portfolios in volatile markets,” said Eric Taylor, senior vice president for independent annuity distribution at Houston, Texas-based Corebridge Financial, in a statement. “Power Select Advisory combines growth, protection and lifetime income benefits in an advisory solution that’s specifically designed to help meet the needs of registered investment advisors and their clients.”

Tickeron Launches Virtual Accounts for Traders, Hedge Funds

Tickeron Inc. announced the launch of Virtual Accounts, an AI system with a risk management system.

Virtual Accounts provide traders and hedge funds with a set of advanced risk management tools, including adjustable trading balance and position size, loss limitation and a hedging system.

“Tickeron’s Virtual Accounts represent a significant milestone in the company’s history and reaffirm its position as a leader in AI-powered trading tools,” said Sergey Savastiouk, founder of Reno, Nevada-based Tickeron, in a statement. “The innovative risk management tools are a game-changer for traders looking to navigate the complexities of the financial markets.”

Powell Says Lowering Inflation to 2% Is ‘Likely to Be Bumpy’

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated the Fed’s commitment to lowering inflation.


The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee on Wednesday announced it would be raising rates by 25 basis points, from 4.75% to 5%. The announcement sent stocks down on the day, with indexes closing off between 1.6% and more than 2.8%.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell strongly emphasized the Fed’s commitment to reducing inflation to 2%. During today’s press conference, Powell said that, “We will do enough to bring inflation down to 2%. Nobody should doubt that.”

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The process of getting inflation back down to 2% has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy,” Powell said.

Powell also acknowledged in a statement that, “in the past two weeks, serious difficulties at a small number of banks have emerged.” In the Fed’s FOMC statement, it announced that “recent developments,” referring to the same banking failures, can tighten access to credit. The Fed said it will be monitoring these developments and their impact on inflation and other metrics when considering future rate increases.

The FOMC statement also reiterated that, “The Committee is strongly committed to returning inflation to its 2% objective.”

At today’s press conference, Powell said government spending is not a large driver of inflation today, as it was during the pandemic. But in any case, Powell said he does not give advice to fiscal policymakers, and fiscal policy is something that he has to take as it comes at him.

John Lowell, a partner at October Three, an actuarial consulting firm, says, “If I were a pension sponsor right now, I don’t think I would be making any changes,” because many other market actors saw this coming and had already accounted for it. Lowell explained that increased rates generally are not good for investment returns, bonds especially, but 25 bps—which most market watchers anticipated—should not change anything drastically. He added that he would be far more concerned about the recent banking failures.

Jan Szilagyi, CEO and co-founder of Toggle, an AI-powered market analytics platform, agrees that the Fed’s move is not a big shock to markets, but it does establish that the Fed is still clearly in “inflation-fighting” mode. By “staying the course,” the Fed is also signaling that “there isn’t something ominous the Fed knows that markets may not be aware of.”

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