HFEZ Provides Exposure to Large-Cap Eurozone Equities While Seeking to Minimize Currency Exposure
BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), the asset management business of State Street Corporation (NYSE:STT), today announced that the SPDR EURO STOXX 50 Currency Hedged ETF (Symbol: HFEZ) began trading on the NYSE Arca.
“An allocation that is divided between hedged and unhedged exposures may help investors and advisors reduce the risk of future currency fluctuations, which is why we see HFEZ as a natural complement to our popular SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF (FEZ).”
HFEZ provides investors with an opportunity to benefit from the growth potential of large-cap Eurozone stocks while seeking to minimize exposure to fluctuations in the euro to US dollar exchange rate. HFEZ complements the SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF (FEZ), which currently has $4.9B1 in assets under management.
“Investors are reexamining their exposure to Europe in response to changing market dynamics and are looking for ways to address decoupling of US and European monetary policy which has led to depreciation of the euro versus the dollar,” said James Ross, executive vice president and global head of SPDR Exchange Traded Funds at SSGA. “Investors have asked us to launch a hedged exposure to complement their holdings in FEZ. HFEZ can provide European equity exposure while seeking to mitigate the volatility caused by currency movements. We believe the EURO STOXX 50 index, a core European equity index that offers exposure to 50 highly traded stocks from 12 countries, is an effective way for investors to access Eurozone equities, especially as headline risks remain present.”
The SPDR EURO STOXX 50 Currency Hedged ETF seeks to track the performance of the EURO STOXX 50 Hedged USD Index. This Index was developed for investors seeking exposure to the EURO STOXX 50 Index, which includes 50 liquid Eurozone stocks from 12 countries, while looking to reduce the risk of currency fluctuations. The SPDR EURO STOXX 50 Currency Hedged ETF has a net expense ratio of .32 percent and a gross expense ratio of 0.61 percent.
“European equities are attractive in light of recent accommodative monetary policy and improving economic activity,” said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist for the US Intermediary Business at SSGA. “An allocation that is divided between hedged and unhedged exposures may help investors and advisors reduce the risk of future currency fluctuations, which is why we see HFEZ as a natural complement to our popular SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF (FEZ).”
About SPDR Exchange Traded Funds
SPDR ETFs are a comprehensive family spanning an array of international and domestic asset classes. SPDR ETFs are managed by SSgA Funds Management, Inc., a registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of State Street Bank and Trust Company. The funds provide investors with the flexibility to select investments that are precisely aligned to their investment strategy. Recognized as an industry pioneer, State Street created the first US listed ETF in 1993 (SPDR S&P 500® – Ticker SPY) and has remained on the forefront of responsible innovation, as evidenced by the introduction of many ground-breaking products, including first-to-market launches with gold, international real estate, international fixed income, and sector ETFs. For more information, visitwww.spdrs.com.
About State Street Global Advisors
For nearly four decades, State Street Global Advisors has been committed to helping financial professionals and those who rely on them achieve their investment objectives. We partner with institutions and financial professionals to help them reach their goals through a rigorous, research-driven process spanning both active and index disciplines. We take pride in working closely with our clients to develop precise investment strategies, including our pioneering family of SPDR ETFs. With trillions* in assets under management, our scale and global footprint provide unrivaled access to markets and asset classes, and allow us to deliver expert insights and investment solutions.
State Street Global Advisors is the investment management arm of State Street Corporation.
*Assets under management were $2.4 trillion as of March 31, 2015. AUM reflects approx. $27.3B (as of 12/31/2014) with respect to which State Street Global Markets, LLC (SSGM) serves as marketing agent; SSGM and State Street Global Advisors are affiliated.
ETFs trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk and will fluctuate in market value.
In general, ETFs can be expected to move up or down in value with the value of the applicable index. Although ETF shares may be bought and sold on the exchange through any brokerage account, ETF shares are not individually redeemable from the Fund. Investors may acquire ETFs and tender them for redemption through the Fund in Creation Unit Aggregations only. Please see the prospectus for more details.
In addition to normal risks associated with equity investing, international investing may involve risk of capital loss from unfavorable fluctuations in currency values, from differences in generally accepted accounting principles, and from adverse political, social and economic instability in other nations.
Companies with large market capitalizations go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. Larger companies tend to be less volatile than companies with smaller market capitalizations. In exchange for this potentially lower risk, the value of the security may not rise as much as companies with smaller market capitalizations.
Derivative investments may involve risks such as potential illiquidity of the markets and additional risk of loss of principal.
Currency Risk is a form of risk that arises from the change in price of one currency against another. Whenever investors or companies have assets or business operations across national borders, they face currency risk if their positions are not hedged.
Hedging involves taking offsetting positions intended to reduce the volatility of an asset. If the hedging position behaves differently than expected, the volatility of the strategy as a whole may increase and even exceed the volatility of the asset being hedged.
Passively managed funds invest by sampling the index, holding a range of securities that, in the aggregate, approximates the full Index in terms of key risk factors and other characteristics. This may cause the fund to experience tracking errors relative to performance of the index.
Non-diversified funds that focus on a relatively small number of issuers tend to be more volatile than diversified funds and the market as a whole.
Frequent trading of ETFs could significantly increase commissions and other costs such that they may offset any savings from low fees or costs.
The EURO STOXX 50® Hedged USD Index tracks exchange listed, large cap, developed market common stocks within the European Monetary Union while mitigating exposure to fluctuations between the value of the Euro and the U.S. dollar.
Standard & Poor’s, S&P and SPDR are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (S&P); Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones); and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (SPDJI) and sublicensed for certain purposes by State Street Corporation. State Street Corporation’s financial products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, their respective affiliates and third party licensors and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability in relation thereto, including for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of any index.
SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses in an amount equal to the acquired fund fees and expenses attributable to the HFEZ’s investments in SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF (FEZ), until January 31, 2017. The contractual fee waiver and/or reimbursement does not provide for the recoupment by the Adviser of any fees the Adviser previously waived. The Adviser may continue the waiver and/or reimbursement from year to year, but there is no guarantee that the Adviser will do so and after January 31, 2017, the waiver may be cancelled or modified at any time. The waiver and/or reimbursement may not be terminated during the relevant period expect with the approval of the HFEZ’s Board of Trustees.
The gross expense ratio is the fund’s total annual operating expense ratio. It is gross of any fee waivers or expense reimbursements. It can be found in the fund’s most recent prospectus.
Distributor: State Street Global Markets, LLC, member FINRA, SIPC, a wholly owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation. ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributors, Inc., a registered broker-dealer, is distributor for Select Sector SPDRs and ALPS Distributors, Inc. is distributor for SPDR S&P 500, MidCap SPDRs and SPDR DJIA, all unit investment trusts. References to State Street may include State Street Corporation and its affiliates. Certain State Street affiliates provide services and receive fees from the SPDR ETFs.
Before investing, consider the funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus which contains this and other information, call 1-866-787-2257 or visit www.spdrs.com. Read it carefully.
Not FDIC Insured * No Bank Guarantee * May Lose Value
CORP-1461
1 Source: Bloomberg, SSGA, as of May 31, 2015.
Contacts
State Street Corporation
Brendan Paul, +1 617-662-2903
[email protected]
or
Troy Mayclim, +1 914-686-5552
[email protected]
