BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) has launched the Parvest Disruptive Technology, which invests in "innovative" technologies that transform business models and allow businesses to improve their efficiency and provide new products and services. Parvest Disruptive Technology is a sub-fund of the Luxembourg-registered Parvest SICAV and is currently valued at EUR 181 million and is managed in Boston by Pam Hegarty of BNPP AM's global specialist & thematic equity team, where she is supported by the wider US equity and global sector equity teams. The portfolio is consists of 30 to 50 holdings in companies with a minimum market capitalisation of $1 billion, selected from the MSCI World Index. 

Investment ratings and research agency FE has launched a Responsibly Managed Portfolios range – a suite of risk-targeted portfolios designed to support financial advisers in meeting the surge in demand from clients for sustainable and ethical investments. The three new Responsibly Managed Portfolios are designed with specific investor risk profiles in mind and are built based on the same unique investment process.  The methodology is driven by FE’s ratings system, fund data and specialist optimising technology built in-house, from which funds are selected that will give each portfolio the appropriate level of volatility and largest diversification benefit. To be included in the Responsibly Managed Portfolios, funds must have a dedicated negative or positive screening mandate; funds just considering these issues as part of a regular investment process will not make the shortlist.

Invesco PowerShares has launched five ETFs that offer investors focused exposure to factor investing in the European equity market. Investors can choose between Value, Quality, Low beta, Price momentum and Earnings momentum. The new ETFs track the Solactive Tradable European Factor indices, which are derived from a universe of 675 stocks. Each index is created by selecting the 50 stocks with the greatest exposure to the respective factor. Liquidity and tradability of the underlying stocks are taken into account to reduce concentration risk, while the indices are rebalanced monthly. The new factor ETFs are available in EUR on Xetra, with an ongoing charge of 0.30 percent per annum.  

Royal London Asset Management is changing the name of the £794 million UK Growth fund and launching an income share class. From 15 January the UK Growth fund will be called the Royal London UK Dividend Growth fund. Income units and quarterly distributions will be introduced from 31 July 2018. Managed by Richard Marwood and Niko De Walden, the fund targets long-term capital growth with some income by investing in companies across the UK market cap spectrum with strong business models and the potential for long-term growth in dividend payments. The fund’s yield over the past 12 months is 2.17 percent. 

Stewart Investors has re-opened the Stewart Investors Indian Subcontinent Fund from 1 December 2017. The upfront charge of four percent will be removed from the fund from this date. The charge was introduced on 1 January 2012 because of concerns that the fund would grow too large and dilute the quality of companies held in it. Portfolio manager Sashi Reddy, member of the sustainable funds group, commented: “Over 100 companies have listed on the Indian stock market since the soft-closing of the fund and the overall size of the market has doubled. As a result, our universe of quality companies has grown substantially. Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have also seen further listings, widening the range of investment opportunities in the subcontinent.”