WisdomTree has launched three new Boost ETPs offering investors inverse exposure to UK Gilts, and triple inverse exposure to German Bunds and US Treasuries. Jose Poncela, head of ETNs at WisdomTree, Europe, said: “We’re excited to be launching three inverse fixed income ETPs at a time when such products are attracting the majority of flows year-to-date in the European short-and-leveraged market.”

By Nick Leung, research analyst at WisdomTree.

Investors holding a 3x leveraged oil ETP would have gained over 15% in the first week of November—more than 3x the return of front-month oil futures over the same period. Underpinning this is an easing supply glut and a potential OPEC supply cut extension — both of which, we believe, reaffirm the structural bull case for oil.

After registering dynamic growth in the first half of the year, demand for Europe-listed ETFs slowed considerably in August, according to Morningstar’s monthly ETF asset flows analysis.

By Nizam Hamid, ETF strategist, WisdomTree in Europe.

The European macro-economic backdrop for equities has remained positive with a renewed focus on stronger underlying growth, and limited political risk compared to the first part of 2017. However, as recent market events have shown there is every reason for investors to consider efficient tools to help manage overall portfolio risk.

European ETF industry veterans Hector McNeil and Nik Bienkowksi have announced the launch of HANetf, Europe’s first independent “white label” UCITS ETF platform. The platform, which is not linked to any existing issuer, will provide third-party asset managers from around the world with the infrastructure to build and launch ETFs into Europe without having to establish their own full-service business. The pair aim to disrupt the market by lowering the barriers to entry for prospective new ETF issuers.

By Nizam Hamid , ETF strategist at WisdomTree in Europe.

Fixed income has been at the heart of European investor portfolios for many years with average allocations in 2016 standing at 51%. Even in an environment of low or negative yielding domestic government bonds, overall allocations have remained high. Now eurozone government bond investors are overwhelmingly focused on the risks relating to the end of quantitative easing and the potential for a rise in interest rates at some point in 2018.

By Viktor Nossek, director of research at WisdomTree in Europe.

Italy’s failure to pass a new electoral law last year means it must now hold elections during a period when the 2018 budget must be approved. This presents a risk to political stability which may renew speculative attacks on Italian sovereigns and bank stocks.

By Nizam Hamid, ETF Strategist at WisdomTree in Europe.

The recent OPEC meeting revealed no new news with respect to production cuts or the ability of OPEC to stabilise the oil price. Whilst there was a commitment for a longer period of production adjustments for a further nine months with effect from 1 July 2017 the meeting concluded with a lack of discussion of deeper cuts.

A note from S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) looking at the levels of volatility indicators such as the VIX Index, aka the ‘fear gauge’, shows that the market is “intensely relaxed” as most volatility measures are down, and several to unusually low levels. Investors wishing to protect their portfolios from a future upturn in the VIX however, may wish to consider one of several ETF-based approaches.

ProShares has launched two new ETFs providing triple leveraged and triple inverse leveraged access to West Texas Intermediate crude oil. The ProShares UltraPro 3x Crude Oil ETF (NYSE: OILU) and ProShares UltraPro 3x Short Crude Oil ETF (NYSE: OILD) track the daily performance of the Bloomberg WTI Crude Oil Subindex, providing 3x and -3x exposure respectively.