Investment industry sees growth in firms offering ETF portfolios

The number of firms offering exchange-traded fund (ETF) portfolios in Canada has expanded to 16 from 11 in just six months, according to BlackRock.

The company’s iShares Connect: Canada Guide to ETF Investment Strategists presents 33 portfolios, up from 23, and the program has also expanded to more than $4 billion in ETF assets as of December 2013.

“Through continued growth in usage and awareness of ETFs, there is an evolving appreciation and understanding of the efficiencies ETFs bring to portfolio construction, so we’re not surprised by the increasing list of managers featured today in iShares Connect,” says Ted Bader, director, iShares business development, at BlackRock Canada. “Investors are showing more and more interest in ETFs, and investment managers are responding by focusing on developing the right asset allocation for their clients’ needs.”

Updated on a quarterly basis, the reference guide is an industry-wide resource to aid financial advisors, broker/dealers, consultants, program participants and investors in identifying ETF investment strategists or managers who deliver expertise in ETF portfolio construction and trading to investors seeking outsourced model portfolios.

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