Daily ETF Watch: New ETF Shop Coming

Little Silver, N.J.-based WBI Investments has been given the regulatory green light to launch index-based as well as actively managed ETFs, according to a regulatory filing. The firm will join the rapidly growing ETF market, which encompasses some 1,500 funds, managing in excess of $1.6 trillion in assets.

The firm, which is employing the “Absolute Shares” moniker for its ETFs, is prepping a slate of dividend bond and equity ETFs to provide investors with tools to navigate the current ultra-low interest-rate environment. With bond yields still at historical lows, using dividend-paying equities as a yield-replacement strategy continues to be a major investment theme for investors in 2014 as it was in 2013.

WBI’s proposed ETFs, including their proposed tickers, are as follows:

• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global SMID Growth ETF, WBIA
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global SMID Value ETF, WBIB
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global SMID Yield ETF, WBIC
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global SMID Select ETF, WBID
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global Large Growth ETF, WBIE
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global Large Value ETF, WBIF
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global Large Yield ETF, WBIG
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Global Large Select ETF, WBIL
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Tactical Bond ETF, WBII
• WBI AbsoluteCore Shares Tactical High Income ETF, WBIH

No associated fees were detailed in the filing.