ETFs
BNI remains active – ETF Express
National Bank Investments | Best ESG Equity ETF Issuer ($1B+) | Best Active ETF Issuer ($1-5B) | Best International Equity ETF Issuer ($100M to $1B) | Best Canadian Equity ETF Issuer ($1-5B)
Corinne Bélanger, Vice-President, Investment Solutions and Analysis, National Bank Investments, answers questions and celebrates the awards won by the company.
What is the size and scale of your business today?
With more than CAD 12 billion in assets under management, the 15 ETFs of Banque Nationale Investissements (BNI) offer various bond, equity, alternative and sustainable investment strategies, focused on active management. We recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of the launch of our first suite of ETFs in 2019. Our success stems from our distinctive strategies that align with BNI’s active management and open architecture principles, as well as growing adoption actively managed ETFs by investors and advisors.
In addition to our ETF business, NBI manages over CAD 86 billion in assets under management with a robust portfolio of 130 investment strategies (mutual funds, ETFs, private funds) managed by 51 asset management companies. elite.
Where do you see the ETF industry evolving in terms of products in the coming year?
In the year ahead, the ETF industry is expected to see continued innovation and expansion, driven by evolving investor preferences, regulatory developments and market trends. Here are some key directions we foresee for ETF products:
• Active management: The actively managed ETF trend is likely to persist, and we may even see faster growth with more asset managers offering actively managed ETFs in the United States, truly changing the perception that ETFs are passive index tracking solutions. Active management, equipped with the capacity and skills to meet the challenges of today’s market cycles, should have a strategic advantage in optimizing returns while managing downside risk.
• Fixed Income: Fixed income ETFs are expected to see continued growth, driven by investor demands for diversified bond market exposure, income generation and liquidity. Actively managed fixed income ETFs should be able to demonstrate their value proposition with the flexibility to adjust portfolio duration, credit quality, sector allocation and security selection in response to changing market conditions. walk.
• Liquid Alternatives: Interest in liquid alternatives is growing as investors seek to diversify their portfolios and improve risk-adjusted returns. Liquid alternatives provide simple and efficient access to asset classes typically characterized by illiquidity, locked-in contracts and high minimums. These ETFs come in various approaches and strategies, making it crucial for investors and advisors to understand the specific focus and strategies used.
• Asset allocation: Asset allocation ETFs provide a simple way to access a diversified portfolio in a single investment solution. This provides simplicity and convenience for investors looking for a balanced approach to portfolio construction.
• ESG and sustainable investing: ESG integration is becoming more and more implicit in the management approach as part of the assessment of risks and opportunities. We believe we will see more innovation in the ESG ETF landscape, primarily thematic approaches and impact investing.
How can your business support them?
We are committed to continually innovating and improving our product offering to stay ahead of market trends and meet changing investor demands. As Canada’s leading retail open architecture provider, we have access to excellent strategies run by leading companies that deliver BNI’s value proposition.