Products September 13, 2012

Russell Releases GeoExposure Index

The Geographic Exposure Index Series by Russell Investments provides client exposure to emerging markets.
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In response to increasingly integrated global markets, the series includes four new indexes developed from existing Russell Global Indexes, and employs Russell’s first application of its new geographic exposure concept. The series follows a transparent and rules-based methodology to identify companies with exposure to emerging markets, and then adjusts the weight for each company within the index to reflect the level of the exposure.

Initially, the series consists of four Russell global indexes:

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  • Russell 1000 Emerging Markets GeoExposure Index
  • Russell Developed Large Cap Emerging Markets GeoExposure Index
  • Russell Developed Europe Large Cap Emerging Markets GeoExposure Index
  • Russell Developed Ex-North America Large Cap Emerging Markets GeoExposure Index

Russell partnered with data classification firm Revere Data LLC to capture geographic revenue information that aims to reveal subtle differences among companies in similar industries. The indexing methodology considers both percentage and absolute revenue in determining a company’s geographic exposure.

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Products September 13, 2012

Advantus Introduces Strategic Dividend Index Fund

Advantus Capital Management launched the Strategic Dividend Income (SDI) Fund.
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The fund aims to produce higher income than investment-level fixed-income products, and also to manage volatility and inflation risk in a broadly diversified equity portfolio.

The SDI Fund’s primary investment strategy is to invest in dividend-paying equity securities, such as common and preferred stock from utilities, energy, infrastructure-related, real estate-related and other companies.

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Typically, 50% or more of the fund’s total assets will be allocated to real estate securities. It may also invest up to 25% in total assets in the securities of master limited partnerships (MLPs). Furthermore, the fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange-traded notes (ETNs), Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPs) and futures.

Lowell R. Bolken, CFA, vice president, and Craig M. Stapleton, CFA, quantitative strategies portfolio manager, will co-manage the SDI fund with Joseph R. Betlej, CFA, vice president and portfolio manager.

 

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