News & Research

In the current environment of rising inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical uncertainty iShares relaunched two ETFs in its factor suite (LRGF and INTF), using a multifactor strategy from index provider Qontigo.

In the race to net-zero and the era of sustainable investing, indices can have a bigger role than just channeling capital to specific goals. At Qontigo we believe we must engage with index constituents to encourage best practices in climate alignment and explain the impact that climate-related metrics can have on index composition.

The customized index is an optimized solution that balances multiple investment objectives and uses various inputs, including LGIM’s proprietary ESG data.

Dutch pension fund manager APG, which co-designed the responsible-investment indices with Qontigo, has received an award from Pensioen Pro for its pioneering work following the introduction of the indices.

ESG funds can target very different objectives and their names mean very different things. So, what, in reality, are their overall achievements when it comes to broad sustainability metrics? What active risk are investors taking on to accomplish them? And can optimization help balance sustainability and risk? A new whitepaper from Qontigo examines these matters.

This article aims to provide an update on the responsible-investing characteristics of the iSTOXX APG World Responsible Indices, and reaffirm that the process continues to create indices with substantial improvement in sustainability criteria without straying too much from the parent benchmark.

While ETF strategies focusing on the environment and general ESG have captured 39 billion euros this year, little to no money has gone to funds targeting principally social and governance issues, according to data from Qontigo’s Market Intelligence Team.

About 85% of respondents in the Index Industry Association (IIA)’s second annual ESG survey indicated ESG has become more of a priority for their firms in the past year, even as equity prices fell and energy markets were roiled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

This year has seen a steep slowdown in net purchases of global ESG funds, but inflows remain positive. Broader funds, meanwhile, registered USD 139 billion in net outflows in the first six months of 2022, according to Morningstar data.

Direct Indexing has exploded in popularity and more financial advisors are incorporating it into client portfolios than ever before. Increased adoption, advances in technology and appreciation for the tax benefits of Direct Indexing will likely continue to accelerate its rapid growth. How will this impact the advisors’ perception and use of ETFs going forward? Qontigo’s Rob Reina, and other expert panelists addressed the pros and cons of each when constructing portfolios for your clients and offer in-depth analysis on their most appropriate applications.

The Qontigo Investment Intelligence Summit held on May 5 was the stage for a discussion around index-based thematic investing. Two industry experts — from BlackRock and Qontigo — explained why assets are flowing into thematics and why the strategies can best target the upside of a world undergoing structural change.

The Index Industry Association (IIA) provides education and advocacy on behalf of independent index providers worldwide, CEO Rick Redding explains to Qontigo’s blog. With the transformation of the role and shape of indices in full swing, he sees huge possibilities for the industry and for investors ahead – as well as key challenges.