Five New iShares ETFs to Debut Thursday

BlackRock's iShares unit, the world's largest ETF sponsor, plans to add to that size on Thursday Oct. 20 by unveiling five new ETFs. Among those new ETFs will be the iShares Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond Fund, which will follow a Barclays Capital index comprised of 270 bond issues from 18 countries. As of September 30, 2011, the Underlying Index included securities issued by Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Turkey. The new ETF will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “LEMB” with an expense ratio of 0.6%. The iShares MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index Fund USMV will also make its debut on Thursday. USMV will track the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index using a minimum variance strategy on large- and mid-cap stocks. The new ETF will have an expense ratio of 0.15%. USMV's underlying index had 126 constituents as of Sept. 1. USMV will have a developed markets equivalent, the MSCI EAFE Minimum Volatility Index EFAV. The new ETF will track the MSCI EAFE Minimum Volatility Index, which offers exposure to 22 developed markets excluding the U.S. and Canada. EFAV will have an expense ratio of 0.2% and track consumer staples, financials and health care companies from Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K. An all-world approach to the minimum volatility will be taken with the iShares MSCI All Country World Minimum Volatility Index ACWV. That fund will offer exposure to consumer staples, financials and health care companies from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States with expense ratio of 0.35%. Of course there will be an emerging markets equivalent with the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Minimum Volatility EEMV. That fund will feature holdings in consumer staples, financials and telecommunication services companies from 21 countries including Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. EEMV will have an expense ratio of 0.25%.