Vident Financial, the ETF issuer behind the rapidly successful Vident International Equity Fund (NasdaqGS: VIDI), introduced its second ETF today with the launch of the Vident U. S. Core Equity Fund (NasdaqGS: VUSE).
VUSE tracks the Vident Core U.S. Equity Index (VIUSX), “a strategy seeking to highlight companies which exhibiting higher levels of leadership and corporate governance and trading at attractive valuations,” according to a statement issued by Atlanta-based Vident.
VUSE qualifies as a smart beta fund, putting the new fund in one of the fastest growing segments of the ETF industry. In 2013, smart beta ETFs attracted $65.1 billion in new assets, nearly double the $34.2 billion hauled in by the group in 2012. [A Record Year of ETF Inflows]
The Vident Core U.S. Equity Index starts its selection universe with 3,000 companies with market values of at least $500 million and average daily volume of at least $1.5 million. From there, the top 80% as ranked by corporate governance, financial reporting and expense recognition are selected.