- Fidelity last week began providing details on six "smart beta" ETFs. Up until now, Fidelity's 11 ETF offerings were plain vanilla, with nearly all run by BlackRock (NYSE:BLK), the owner of iShares.
- Smart beta is where the action is for new entrants into ETFs like Goldman, JPMorgan, Janus (NYSE:JNS), Legg Mason (NYSE:LM), Principal Financial (NYSE:PFG), and Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN), as it promises the possibility of an "enhanced" index fund.
- Smart beta also fills the gap while mutual fund firms figure out the regulatory path to offering ETF versions of their popular funds (like Fidelity's Contrafund).
- According to FTSE Russell, the percentage of ETF owners currently having a look at smart beta has jumped to 36% from 15% two years ago.
- Previously: First details for Fidelity's first 6 'smart beta' ETFs (May 20)