PIF invests $200m in new Saudi ETF by State Street Global Advisers 

State Street Global Advisors and PIF mark the announcement at bell ringing ceremony at the London Stock Exchange. Supplied
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RIYADH: Ƶ’s Public Investment Fund has invested $200 million in the newly launched SPDR J.P. Morgan Ƶ Aggregate Bond UCITS exchange-traded fund. 

In a press release, State Street Global Advisers, the US-based asset manager behind the ETF, called it the first fixed-income UCITS ETF focused on the Kingdom to launch in Europe.

This move comes as global investors look to capitalize on Ƶ’s growing bond market, supported by economic and infrastructure developments under Vision 2030. 

The ETF launch further underscores PIF’s strategy to enhance international access to Ƶ’s diversified market and attract foreign investment. PIF’s portfolio also includes investments in ETFs listed in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Tokyo. 

“PIF’s investment into the first internationally listed fixed-income Saudi ETF further deepens the Saudi market, while attracting investors and strengthening cross-geography partnerships, increasing international investment in Ƶ,” said Yazeed Al-Humied, deputy governor and head of Middle East and North Africe Investments at PIF. 

Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities, or UCITS, are EU regulations that establish a standardized framework for investment funds marketed and sold to investors within the economic bloc.

Listed on the London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Börse’s Xetra in Frankfurt, the new fund tracks the J.P. Morgan Ƶ Aggregate Index. This index provides exposure to the Kingdom’s financial instruments, including liquid dollar- and SR-denominated government and quasi-government bonds, as well as sukuk bonds. 

“We are delighted to see such significant early-stage commitment from PIF into the SPDR J.P. Morgan Ƶ Aggregate Bond UCITS ETF, a first of its kind in the industry. The creation of this fund sprung from our ambition to provide investors a compelling and innovative opportunity,” said Yie-Hsin Hung, CEO of State Street Global Advisers. 

The ETF is accessible to investors in several European countries, including Austria, Denmark, and Finland, as well as France, Germany, and Italy. It is also available in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway, as well as Spain, Sweden, and the UK. 

State Street Global Advisers, the asset management business of State Street Corp., has served governments, institutions, and financial advisers for over four decades, managing $4.73 trillion in assets.
 
The SPDR ETF range spans international and domestic asset classes, providing investors with flexible options aligned to diverse strategies.