Thematic Investing

Technological advancements are at the core of many disruptive economic trends harnessed by the STOXX Thematic indices. We look at seven of the strategies — from automation to electric vehicles and smart city infrastructure — designed to track the companies shaping our digital future.

The STOXX® Global 1800 index rebounded from a two-year low last month on investors’ expectations that the Federal Reserve may soon slow down the pace of interest-rate hikes.

In September, stocks suffered the worst monthly selloff since March 2020, with the STOXX® Global 1800 index erasing all of its gains from the northern hemisphere’s summer, as central banks around the world pushed ahead with more interest-rate hikes.

We caught up with Zubin Ramdarshan, Head of Equity & Index Product Design at Eurex, and Yang Wang, Head of Thematic Index R&D at Qontigo, to learn more about the first-ever listing of thematics derivatives at the Frankfurt-based exchange.

The new fund was listed on Sept. 7 and replicates the iSTOXX® Access Metaverse, an index tailored around a custom methodology aimed at tracking the key beneficiaries of a nascent theme in our modern world.

Stocks resumed losses in August after central bankers said they are not done raising interest rates as they combat record-high inflation.

The Australia-listed iShares Future Tech Innovators ETF seeks exposure to companies driving the technological innovation that’s disrupting our modern world, by investing in six thematic ETFs. Target investments include the themes of automation & robotics, breakthrough healthcare and digitalization.

Stocks jumped by the most in 20 months in July as investors focused on better-than-forecast earnings reports and on expectations that the Federal Reserve may slow down the pace of interest-rate increases.

Qontigo has won the Triple A ‘Best Index Provider for ETFs, Asia: Thematic’ Award 2022 for its STOXX indices.

This year’s market volatility and macro shocks have raised a challenge to the thematic investing boom, but also offer a chance to reappraise the benefits of the investment approach. Overall, the funds continue to attract net inflows as investors seek alternatives to traditional sector-based portfolios in their search for long-term outperformance.

Stocks tumbled in June, with the STOXX® Global 1800 index sliding into a bear market, on concern the world’s major economies may be headed for a recession while central banks are fighting runaway inflation.

We examine the composition and profile of the STOXX Global Digital Entertainment and Education Index, a thematic index that underlies a new iShares ETF, for investors interested in understanding the portfolio’s composition and drivers of returns.