Toronto-based BlackRock Asset Management Canada Ltd. has expanded its exchange-traded fund family with the launch of iShares DEX HYBrid Bond Index Fund. The fund will provide investors with regular monthly income by investing in both BBB-rated corporate bonds and the high-yield bond market, as well as investing exclusively in Canadian-dollar-denominated securities. The fund will track the DEX HYBrid index, a new index from PC-Bond, which is a business unit of TMX Group Inc. of Toronto. The DEX HYBrid Index will combine the full market capitalization of eligible Canadian high-yield bonds with 30% of the market capitalization of the eligible BBB-rated corporate bond market. Although the Canadian high-yield market is still nascent and relatively small, this methodology allows the index to maintain a significant, yet investible weighting in high-yield bonds, says BlackRock. iShares DEX HYBrid Bond Index Fund will carry a management fee of 0.45%.

Portfolio mergers at HSBC

Vancouver-based HSBC Investment Funds (Canada) Inc. has announced proposals to merge each of the four LifeMap MM portfolios into its equivalent LifeMap portfolio. HSBC LifeMap MM Moderate Conservative Portfolio will convert to HSBC LifeMap Moderate Conservative Portfolio; HSBC LifeMap MM Balanced Portfolio will convert to HSBC LifeMap Balanced Portfolio; HSBC LifeMap MM Growth Portfolio will convert to HSBC LifeMap Growth Portfolio; and HSBC LifeMap MM Aggressive Growth Portfolio will convert to HSBC LifeMap Aggressive Growth Portfolio. The purpose of the proposed mergers is to provide unitholders of the LifeMap MM portfolios the opportunity to hold units of the LifeMap portfolios. Units of the LifeMap MM portfolios will no longer be available for purchase, except for those investors who have existing arrangements in place to purchase units under regular pre-authorized investment plans, including group RRSP payroll contributions. The proposed mergers are expected to be effective on or about Dec. 10, subject to regulatory approval and the approval of the unitholders of each of the LifeMap MM portfolios.

Mackenzie unveils fund mergers

Toronto-based Mackenzie Financial Corp. has proposed changes to Mackenzie Saxon World Fund and Mackenzie Saxon International Equity Fund. Mackenzie Saxon World Fund will change its name to Mackenzie Cundill World Fund. Mackenzie Saxon International Equity Fund will change its name to Mackenzie Cundill International Equity Fund; Mackenzie Cundill International Equity Fund will then be merged into Mackenzie Cundill International Class on Nov. 26., with Mackenzie Cundill International Class being the continuing fund. The merger will consolidate two funds that have similar investment objectives, says Mackenzie Financial. The independent review committee for the funds has approved the merger. The Mackenzie Cundill team has been appointed as portfolio manager of the continuing funds.

Tax-efficient funds at Franklin Templeton

Toronto-based Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. has launched two new funds to meet the growing demand from Canadians for tax-efficient returns: Templeton Global Bond Hedged Yield Class Fund and Bissett Canadian Short Term Bond Yield Class Fund both use a derivatives strategy to provide returns in the form of capital gains instead of interest income for tax purposes. Templeton Global Bond Hedged Yield Class Fund reduces the potential impact of exchange-rate fluctuations between Canadian and U.S. dollars by adding a US$/C$ currency overlay to the forward contracts used as part of its derivatives strategy. The fund will invest in a portfolio of Canadian equities and enter into forward contracts under which it will forward-sell the equities at a future date. Bissett Canadian Short Term Bond Yield Class Fund also will invest in a portfolio of Canadian equities and enter into forward contracts, under which it will forward-sell the equities at a future date. In addition, Bissett Canadian Dividend Fund, which invests primarily in dividend-paying or income-producing Canadian securities, is now available in a tax-deferred, corporate-class structure and will be managed by Juliette John. Advisor commissions are 0%-6% for front-end sales, 5% for deferred sales or 2.5% for the low-load option. Redemption fees begin at 6% in Year 1 and end at zero after Year 6 for the regular DSC schedule, or begin at 3% in Year 1 and end at zero after Year 3 of the low-load schedule. Trailing commissions for Templeton Global Bond Hedged Yield Class Fund and Bissett Canadian Short Term Bond Yield Class Fund are 0.5% for front-end sales and 0.25% for DSC and low-load sales; for Bissett Canadian Dividend Corporate Class Fund, 1% for front-end sales and 0.5% for DSC and low-load sales. Management fees for Templeton Global Bond Hedged Yield Class Fund are 1.75% for A-class units and 1.25% for F-class units; for Bissett Canadian Short Term Bond Yield Class Fund, 1.25% for A-class units and 0.75% for F-class units; and for Bissett Canadian Dividend Corporate Class Fund, 2% for A-class units and 1% for F-class units. The minimum investment is $500.

Compiled by Clare O’Hara (cohara@investmentexecutive.com)