SUMMIT, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To celebrate the transfer of the BlueStar TA-BIGITech® Israel Technology ETF to the NYSE, BlueStar Indexes - a financial research-focused firm specializing in the Israeli capital markets will ring the Opening Bell at NYSE today. Steven Schoenfeld, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of BlueStar will ring the bell, together with ETF Managers Group and fellow partners in the success of ITEQ®
Commonly referred to as the “Start-Up Nation” due to its world-renowned technology ecosystem, Israel has the most start-ups per capita of any nation, and an entrepreneurial spirit that drives innovation. ITEQ® -- The Start-Up Nation ETF™-- provides unique and focused exposure to Israel’s dynamic technology sector. Start-Up Nation ETF™ refers to the fact that the ETF provides investors exposure to the companies of the Start-Up Nation.
In addition to BlueStar’s leadership, participating at the NYSE will be executives from ETFMG – ITEQ’s sponsor and advisor – as well as officials from the Israeli Ministry of Finance, exchange officials, institutional investors, financial advisors and strategic partners involved in ITEQ®.
ITEQ® is the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) to exclusively hold shares of public Israeli and Israel-linked global technology stocks. It tracks the performance of the TASE-BlueStar Israel Global Technology Index™ (“TA-BIGITech®), the first and only benchmark following a broad, deep and complete range of major Israeli tech companies listed on five exchanges worldwide (TASE, NYSE, Nasdaq, London Stock Exchange, the Australian Securities Exchange and the Singapore Exchange).
ITEQ’s TA-BIGITech® benchmark comprises 70 Israeli high-tech companies working in information technology, cybersecurity, clean and renewable energy, biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, and defense technology. ITEQ® includes leading Israeli technology companies such as Check Point Software, Amdocs, Nice, Elbit Systems, Tower Semiconductors, Wix.com and Ormat Technologies. The benchmark and the ITEQ™ ETF that tracks it has minimal overlap with technology indexes and ETFs currently listed in the US.
“It is an honor to ring the NYSE Opening Bell, and we are thrilled to celebrate the listing of ITEQ® on the NYSE,” said Steven Schoenfeld of BlueStar Indexes. “As the only US-listed ETF focused on innovative Israeli companies, ITEQ® provides a unique opportunity for investors to access Israel’s dynamic technology sector for their portfolios. We believe in the investment thesis underlying ITEQ®, and together with our partners at ETFMG, are optimistic about its future growth potential.”
Sam Masucci, founder and CEO of ETF Managers Group said: “We are proud to be partners with BlueStar as the adviser for the ITEQ® ETF. ITEQ has seen steady growth since its inception in 2015, we are hopeful for ongoing success as Israel continues to impact the global tech space. ITEQ® delivers a unique investment opportunity and enhances the ETF Managers Group growing family of products."
ETF Managers Group - partnered with ITEQ ETF Partners - an affiliate of BlueStar Global Investors - to launch ITEQ® in November 2015. ETFMG acts as the fund’s adviser, and Jane Street is the market maker for ITEQ®. BlueStar Indexes® launched TA-BIGITech® in 2013 with history from 2004. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange adapted it as a benchmark in March 2015, as part of TASE’s globalization efforts, and assists in its dissemination during Israeli trading hours. The ITEQ® ETF tracking TA-BIGITech® will increases the visibility of the Israeli technology sector and strengthens Israel’s profile with global investors.
ITEQ’s TA-BIGITech® benchmark has a float-adjusted market capitalization of $89 billion. Israeli companies have a major presence in US markets, amongst the highest of any foreign listings, and more than 50 of the 70 stocks in ITEQ’s TA-BIGITech benchmark are US-listed. The Israeli economy is forecast to grow by more than 3% in 2017, one of the highest developed market growth rates, and Israel’s robust technology sector is expected to account for at least one-third of this growth. For more information on ITEQ®, visit www.ITEQETF.com
About BlueStar®:
BlueStar Indexes is a subsidiary of BlueStar Global Investors LLC, a financial research firm specializing in the Israeli capital markets. BlueStar’s mission is to develop investment strategies that provide global institutional and retail investors efficient access to the full range of Israeli asset classes. BlueStar maintains a family of seven Israeli equity indexes and one Israel Bond Index. BlueStar's flagship products are the BlueStar Israel Global Index® (BIGI®), a benchmark designed for broad, deep and complete coverage of Israeli companies, providing balanced exposure to Israel’s dynamic economy and the TASE-BlueStar Israel Global Technology Index™ (TA-BIGITech@). The NYSE-listed ISRA Israel ETF and two TASE-listed ETNs sponsored by Psagot track BIGI®, and in addition to ITEQ@, KSM/Excellence manages a TASE-listed ETN and an Israeli-registered index fund tracking TA-BIGITech@.
About ETFMG:
ETF Managers Group is the only Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) issuer to offer partners a fully managed solution for all ETF types. Leveraging decades of experience across the financial landscape, from asset management to regulatory compliance, ETF Managers Group offers top tier services including product engineering & operations, portfolio management, sales & trading, and active marketing to our family of funds. Our services and experience offer a unique all-inclusive approach to designing, marketing, and selling financial products that disrupt markets around the world. For more information on ETFMG visit us at www.etfmg.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risk factors, charges, and expenses before investing. This and additional information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus, which may be obtained by calling 1-844-ETF-MGRS (1-844-383-6477), or by visiting www.iteqetf.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market price (not NAV), may trade at a discount or premium to NAV and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Narrowly focused investments typically exhibit higher volatility. Investment in securities of Israeli companies involves risks that may negatively affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Among other things, Israel’s economy depends on imports of certain key items, such as crude oil, coal, grains, raw materials and military equipment. Foreign investing involves special risks such as currency fluctuations and political uncertainty. Funds that invest in smaller companies may experience greater volatility. Funds that emphasize investments in technology generally will experience greater price volatility.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fund holdings are subject to change at any time. For holdings information, visit http://www.iteqetf.com/fund.
ITEQ seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the TASE-BlueStar Israel Global Technology Index, which tracks the performance of exchange-listed Israeli technology operating companies. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
ETF Managers Group LLC is the investment adviser to the fund.
The fund is distributed by ETFMG Financial LLC. ETF Managers Group LLC and ETFMG Financial LLC are wholly owned subsidiaries of Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (collectively, "ETFMG"). ETFMG Financial LLC is not affiliated with BlueStar Indexes. Sam Masucci is a registered representative of ETFMG Financial LLC.
