Absa Capital, the investment banking division of Absa Bank Ltd, listed its NewGold Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) today, as part of the firm’s overall strategy to expand it suite of products and services in sub-Saharan Africa.
This morning, 1.6 million NewGold securities were listed on the BSE.
The move represents a secondary listing for NewGold, South Africa’s largest ETF and the third largest gold ETF in the world. As at 12 July, NewGold’s assets under management were ZAR14.7bn.
Vladimir Nedeljkovic, Head of ETF’s and Index Products at Absa Capital said: “Absa Capital is excited to list the first ETF on the Botswana Stock Exchange, allowing both individual and institutional investors direct access to an efficient and cost effective way to invest in gold through a listed security.”
“Historically, gold has demonstrated its role as an effective portfolio diversifier, a store of value and a safe haven investment in uncertain economic times, as well as an excellent currency hedge,” Nedeljkovic added.
The move is expected to help develop the investor market in Botswana by widening the choice of assets classes available to local investors, as well as to increase significantly the liquidity on the Botswana Stock Exchange.
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Note to the editor:About Absa CapitalAbsa Capital, a division of Absa Bank Limited (Absa) and affiliated to Barclays Capital, is a leading South African investment bank with global reach, offering clients financing, risk management and advisory solutions in a wide range of currencies and structures across the globe.
About Absa Capital ETFs and Index ProductsAbsa Capital is a leading originator of exchange traded funds (ETFs) in the South African market, and has 56% of the market share based on assets under management. The investment bank has listed and operates 8 ETFs, including
- NewRand - the first ETF in South Africa based on a proprietary investible index (the NewRand Index) comprising rand hedge stocks with the highest correlation with the Rand/USD exchange rate.
- NewGold - the first and only gold ETF in South Africa as well as the largest ETF in the SA market with R14.7 billion in assets under management.
- NewSA - the first ETF that tracks the empowerments status of South Africa’s Blue Chip corporates,
- eRAFI™ family of ETFs - employing innovative fundamental valuation methodology to select its stock holdings
- Shari’ah Top 40 ETF - the first Shari’ah compliant equity ETF in South Africa.
Absa Capital ETFs are listed on the JSE Ltd and can be traded at any time throughout the course of the day. Typically, ETFs try to replicate a stock market index such as the FTSE/JSE Top 40 Index, a market sector such as resources or financials, or a commodity such as gold.
www.absacapitaletfs.co.zaIssued by:FD Media & Investor Relations
Grant Henry
+27 11 214 2406
+27 82 561 7172
grant.henry@fd.comFor further information contact: Dr Vladimir Nedeljkovic,
Head of ETF’s and Index Products
Absa Capital
+27 11 895 5367
Graeme Coetzee
Associate Principal
Marketing and Corporate Communications
Absa Capital
+27 11 895 6695
+27 79 695 9798
graeme.coetzee@absacapital.com