The First European Volatility ETNs

Meanwhile, the VSTOXX Short-Term Futures Inverse Investable Index tries to reflect the performance of a short or inverse position in a portfolio of VSTOXX futures designed to provide exposure to constant-maturity one-month forward, one-month implied volatilities on the same underlying index. Due to its short exposure to VSTOXX futures, EXIV is likely to rise in value when volatility of European equities dissipates and likely to dip in value when volatility in European equities increases.

“VelocityShares brought U.S investors the first ETPs providing inverse exposure to VIX futures, now broadly used by a wide range of sophisticated investors,” Nick Cherney, Senior Vice President, Head of Exchange Products for Janus Capital Group, said in a note. “The launch of EVIX and EXIV is in response to strong demand from our clients to have similar products with exposure to European volatility. VSTOXX is the premier measure of European equity volatility, and we are very pleased to be able to bring these products to market with UBS, STOXX, Eurex, and BATS.”

Potential investors should also be aware that these ETNs track futures contracts and not the spot price of European Volatility Index. Consequently, the long/inverse ETFs will be subject to the effects of negative effects of contango in the futures markets.

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