Product roundup: Global X launches space tech ETF 

Global X Investments Canada Inc. has achieved liftoff with its latest ETF, which seeks to capitalize on advancements and growth in the global space economy.  

Launched Wednesday, the Global X Space Tech Index ETF (TSX: ORBX) provides exposure to companies that deal with space tech and components, launch and orbital services, space exploration and tourism, and satellite-enabled communications and data services. 

It seeks to track the performance of the Global X Space Tech Index, built by Mirae Asset Global Indices. 

Governments used to be the main drivers of space travel and exploration, but as the cost of launching rockets, satellites and other space components has gone down, “we now see companies moving into this space, for business reasons,” said Chris McHaney, executive vice-president, investment management and strategy with Global X in Toronto, in an interview.  

This also allows investors to get in on the action at a time when forecasts project the global space economy to exceed US$1 trillion by 2034 and excitement around space exploration and technology is high, thanks to the recent Artemis II mission and expectations that Space Exploration Technologies Corp., more commonly known as SpaceX, will go public later this year, he added.  

“We do see [the space] economy building up over time,” McHaney said. “And so, we think now is a great time for investors and people that are interested in taking part in this to get in as this really starts to ramp up into a full-blown economy of its own.”  

For investors concerned about being overconcentrated in the tech sector, McHaney said the new ETF is “more of a pure play on the space and space tech industry, [so] there’s not a lot of overlap with other tech funds or other broad benchmarks.”  

ORBX has a 0.49% management fee and high risk rating.  

Manulife introduces asset-allocation ETFs 

Manulife Investments has introduced a suite of “all-in-one” actively managed asset-allocation ETFs.  

The funds are offered in three separate risk-based portfolios, including the Manulife Conservative ETF Portfolio (TSX: MCAP), Manulife Balanced ETF Portfolio (TSX: MBAP) and Manulife Growth ETF Portfolio (TSX: MGAP), and they allocate across 15 equity and fixed-income asset classes. 

The conservative portfolio invests in underlying ETFs and derivatives that provide exposure primarily to global fixed-income securities, as well as equity securities. It aims to generate income and deliver long-term capital appreciation. 

The balanced portfolio invests in underlying ETFs and derivatives that provide exposure to global equity and fixed-income securities, with the goal of achieving long-term capital appreciation and income generation.   

The growth portfolio invests in underlying ETFs and derivatives that provide exposure primarily to global equity securities, as well as fixed-income securities. It aims to provide long-term capital appreciation. 

The funds use Manulife ETFs as “building blocks in these strategies,” said Kristie Feinberg, Head of Retail, Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, in a release.  

They’re managed by Manulife Investment Management’s multi-asset solutions team, led by portfolio manager Alexandre Richard. 

Canada Life announces funds with exposure to private assets 

Canada Life Investment Management Ltd. and The Canada Life Assurance Company have announced two new funds that give retail investors access to private equity through publicly traded securities.  

The new offerings include the Counsel Global Listed Private Equity Pool, a mutual fund that’s available now, and the Canada Life Global Listed Private Equity, a segregated fund that’s slated to launch later this month.  

Both funds seek to provide long-term capital growth by investing in publicly traded private equity companies, which hold stakes in thousands of private businesses worldwide, a release said. A small portion of their portfolio may also invest in alternative investments that were previously only available to institutional and other accredited investors, it noted. 

The mutual fund may also invest in private asset classes through Canada Life’s affiliates. The segregated fund will invest solely in the Counsel Global Listed Private Equity Pool. 

The funds will be sub-advised by Keyridge Asset Management Ltd., which has more than 30 years of portfolio management experience and as of Dec. 31, 2025, managed roughly £135 billion in assets. 

CIBC GAM’s new fixed-income funds 

CIBC Global Asset Management (CIBC GAM) has added to its target-date maturity bond fund lineup with the launch of five new investment-grade bond funds and two new laddered funds. 

The new offerings include: 

• CIBC 2031 Investment Grade Bond Fund 
• CIBC 2031 U.S. Investment Grade Bond Fund 
• CIBC 2030 U.S. Investment Grade Bond Fund 
• CIBC 2029 U.S. Investment Grade Bond Fund 
• CIBC 2028 U.S. Investment Grade Bond Fund 
• CIBC 1–5 Year Laddered Investment Grade Bond Fund 
• CIBC 1–5 Year U.S. Laddered Investment Grade Bond Fund 

Each of the funds are available in series A, F and O units. 

Aside from the CIBC 1-5 Year U.S. Laddered Investment Grade Bond Fund, all the funds also offer ETF series units, which are now trading on Cboe Canada.  

The target-date maturity bond funds invest in Canadian-dollar or U.S.-dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate and/or government bonds, which are all maturing within their respective calendar year (2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031).  

The laddered bond funds invest in an equally-weighted portfolio of five underlying investment-grade bond funds, which are laddered across maturities of one to five years.  

The new products are designed to help investors achieve their shorter-term savings goals and diversification, said Eric Bélanger, president and CEO of CIBC GAM, in a release. 

BMO adds currency-hedged purchase option to broad commodity ETF 

BMO Asset Management Inc. (BMOAM Inc.) has added a currency-hedged purchase option to the BMO Broad Commodity ETF (Cboe: ZCOM). 

Launched Thursday, the new hedged units (Cboe: ZCOM.F) join the existing Canadian-dollar units of the fund, which were listed on Cboe Canada last October.  

The fund seek to replicate, to the extent possible and net of fees and expenses, the performance of a broad-based commodity index.

The hedged units series will also invest in or use derivative instruments to hedge foreign currency exposure back to the Canadian dollar, a release said.