State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) has announced that it has acquired an exclusive licence from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) to list and trade SPDR exchange traded funds (ETFs) based upon the S&P/ASX 200.
The licence with S&P means SSgA has the right to offer an ETF product replicating Australia’s benchmark index of the country’s top 200 listed companies.
The SPDR S&P/ASX 200 had more than $2.17 billion in funds under management (FUM) at May 31, accounting for more than 65 per cent of total ETF assets offered in Australia.
Total FUM of all ETFs listed on the ASX soared by more than 97 per cent to $3.27 billion by the end of May, compared with $1.66 billion in May 2009, according to the ASX’s latest monthly update on listed managed investments.
The two funds have announced the signing of a non-binding MOU to explore a potential merger.
The board must shift its focus from managing inflation to stimulating the economy with the trimmed mean inflation figure edging closer to the 2.5 per cent target, economists have said.
ASIC chair Joe Longo says superannuation trustees must do more to protect members from misconduct and high-risk schemes.
Super fund mergers are rising, but poor planning during successor fund transfers has left members and employers exposed to serious risks.