Toronto-based BlackRock Asset Management Canada Ltd. announced on Monday that it’s launching iShares FactorSelect exchange-traded funds (ETF), a new suite of ETF portfolios for the firm.
The new offering will see five new ETFs added to the firm’s smart beta product family. iShares FactorSelect MSCI EAFE Index ETF (XFI), iShares FactorSelect MSCI USA Index ETF (XFS) and iShares FactorSelect MSCI Canada Index ETF (XFC) will be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on Monday. iShares FactorSelect MSCI USA Index ETF (XFA) and iShares FactorSelect MSCI EAFE Index ETF (XFF), both of which are Canadian dollar-hedged versions, are expected to be available on the TSX when the markets open on Oct. 2.
The newly launched ETF portfolios are constructed based on the following four drivers of return: value, quality, momentum and low size. The strategy aims to provide targeted exposure to those factors while maintaining a risk level similar to their respective market benchmark indices, according to BlackRock’s announcement.
“In the evolving investment landscape, investors are increasingly looking for ETF strategies to help them achieve performance in a low-cost, transparent way,” says Pat Chiefalo, managing director and head of product for BlackRock Canada’s iShares business, in a statement. “The iShares FactorSelect suite provides investors with access to strategies commonly reached through traditional mutual funds, but in a more cost-effective way.”