Van Eck Global [see profile] just released its 34th Market Vectors ETF, this one targeting corporate and sovereign debt from countries in Central and South America. Yesterday the New York-based mutual fund firm unveiled the Market Vectors LatAm Aggregate Bond ETF (BONO) on the NYSE Arca.

Banking Business Review and IndexUniverse are among the media outlets that reported on the launch.

Jan Van Eck, principal at Van Eck, pointed to a recent increase in "foreign investment demand for the region's sovereign and corporate debt" as motivation to launch the new ETF.

The new ETF tracks the BofA Merrill Lynch Broad Latin America Bond Index for 49 basis points. Van Eck's Michael Mazier PMs the fund. Van Eck handles administration and distribution for the ETF, while BNY Mellon does accounting and serves as custodian and transfer agent.

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Company Press Release

NEW YORK--New York-based asset manager Van Eck Global announced today that it has launched Market Vectors LatAm Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSE Arca: BONO), an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that seeks to track, before fees and expenses, The BofA Merrill Lynch Broad Latin America Bond Index (LATS), an index consisting of a portfolio of sovereign and corporate debt securities issued by Latin American issuers and denominated in US Dollar, Euro and local currencies of the issuers.

“Local debt markets in Latin America have been maturing quickly in recent years,” said Jan van Eck, Principal at Van Eck Global. “Governments have limited their reliance on borrowing abroad, infrastructure projects are proliferating throughout the region, and better transparency has led to improved sovereign credit ratings. These factors, coupled with the relatively high yields currently offered by Latin American bonds, have served to increase foreign investment demand for the region’s sovereign and corporate debt. With all of this in mind, we are pleased to be launching BONO.”

BONO carries a gross expense ratio of 0.56% and a net expense ratio of 0.49%. Expenses are capped contractually until September 1, 2012 and exclude certain expenses, such as interest.

As of April 30, the index included 453 constituents, had an average yield-to-worst of 7.27% with top country allocations as follows: Brazil 36.52%, Mexico 29.03%, Colombia 12.19%, Venezuela 6.50% and Argentina 4.17%. The index is market-cap weighted subject to a 20% cap on individual issuer exposures.

BONO joins Van Eck’s newly established family of international debt ETFs. “BONO, complements the Market Vectors Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (EMLC), allowing investors the opportunity to diversify their fixed income portfolio outside of the United States. With U.S. interest rates near all-time lows, income-oriented investors may wish to expand their search to countries with higher yields,” said Ed Lopez, Director of Marketing at Van Eck. Van Eck notes that investing in the debt of Latin American nations and corporations is not without risk, including the social, political and economic uncertainties that may grip the region. Currency risk, credit risk, and the fact that many of these local bond markets are still developing, potentially resulting in lower liquidity then developed markets.

BONO is Van Eck’s 34th Market Vectors ETF and is the eighth of its fixed-income ETFs spanning municipal, international and corporate bond categories— Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (EMLC), High-Yield Municipal Index ETF (HYD), Intermediate Municipal Index ETF (ITM), Long Municipal Index ETF (MLN), Pre-Refunded Municipal Index ETF (PRB), Short Municipal Index ETF (SMB) and Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF (FLTR).

About Van Eck Global

Founded in 1955, Van Eck Global was among the first U.S. money managers helping investors achieve greater diversification through global investing. Today the firm continues this 55+ year tradition by offering global investment choices in hard assets, emerging markets, precious metals including gold, and other specialized asset classes.

Van Eck Global also offers mutual funds, insurance portfolios, separate accounts and alternative investments. Designed for investors seeking innovative choices for portfolio diversification, Van Eck Global’s investment products are often categorized in asset classes having returns with low correlations to those of more traditional U.S. equity and fixed income investments.

In addition, Market Vectors exchange-traded products have been offered by Van Eck Global since 2006 when the firm launched the nation’s first gold mining ETF. Today, Market Vectors ETFs and ETNs span several asset classes, including equities, municipal bonds and currency markets. Market Vectors is currently the U.S.’s sixth largest provider of ETPs.

Investments in emerging market securities are subject to elevated risks which include, among others, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, issues with repatriation of investment income, limitations of foreign ownership, political instability, armed conflict and social instability. As the Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and some of the income received by the Fund will be in foreign currency, changes in currency exchange rates may negatively impact the Fund’s return. The Fund may also invest a portion of its assets in Rule 144A securities which are restricted securities. They may be less liquid than other investments because, at times, such securities cannot be readily sold in broad public markets. The Fund may also be subject to credit risk, interest rate risk, sovereign debt risk, tax risk, and risks associated with non-investment grade securities. Investors should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility and the potential of significant loss.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and its affiliates (“BofA Merrill Lynch”) indices and related information, the name “BofA Merrill Lynch”, and related trademarks, are intellectual property licensed from BofA Merrill Lynch, and may not be copied, used, or distributed without BofA Merrill Lynch’s prior written approval. The licensee’s products have not been passed on as to their legality or suitability, and are not regulated, issued, endorsed, sold, guaranteed, or promoted by BofA Merrill Lynch. BOFA MERRILL LYNCH MAKES NO WARRANTIES AND BEARS NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INDICES, ANY RELATED INFORMATION, ITS TRADEMARKS, OR THE PRODUCT(S) (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THEIR QUALITY, ACCURACY, SUITABILITY AND/OR COMPLETENESS).

Fund shares are not individually redeemable and will be issued and redeemed at their NAV only through certain authorized broker-dealers in large, specified blocks of shares called “creation units” and otherwise can be bought and sold only through exchange trading. Creation units are issued and redeemed principally in kind. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other information, call 888.MKT.VCTR or visit vaneck.com/etf. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, 335 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017 

Edited by: Neil Anderson, Managing Editor


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