Skip directly to Accessibility Notice

Steven Schoenfeld on Israel and Emerging Markets

07 December 2020

 

In this episode, I catch up with Steven Schoenfeld, CEO of MV Index Solutions. We chat about what Israel's recent accords with the UAE and Bahrain mean for investment in the region as well as the need for reassessing how investors define emerging markets.

Steven is a veteran of the investment management industry with a long history in index development and ETFs. He's also a keen observer of international affairs and of the Middle East in particular. In fact, in 2013 VanEck licensed an index for an Israel-focused ETF from Steven's company BlueStar indexes, which has since been acquired by MVIS. So, it was with great interest I sought out Steven to go over Israel's landmark accords with the UAE and Bahrain. Israel has proven to be a resilient investment destination, especially given its geography, and I was curious how he thought normalization of ties with these countries would help Israel and the region.

As the new CEO of MVIS following its acquisition of BlueStar Indexes in August, Steven has big goals for the index shop. One topic he and I have bantered on about for years is the label 'emerging markets' and how some investors are forced to allocate money based on what may be an outdated categorization. There have been some major changes to the broad EM indexes in recent years which have heightened concentration risks in some cases. He and his team are thinking through new frameworks and solutions for investors.

Trend or Fad

Listen for Steven’s take on cryptocurrency, fractional shares and active non-transparent ETFs.

Important Disclosure

This is a marketing communication. Please refer to the prospectus of the UCITS and to the KID before making any final investment decisions.

This information originates from VanEck (Europe) GmbH, which has been appointed as distributor of VanEck products in Europe by the Management Company VanEck Asset Management B.V., incorporated under Dutch law and registered with the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM). VanEck (Europe) GmbH with registered address at Kreuznacher Str. 30, 60486 Frankfurt, Germany, is a financial services provider regulated by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany (BaFin).

The information is intended only to provide general and preliminary information to investors and shall not be construed as investment, legal or tax advice VanEck (Europe) GmbH, VanEck Switzerland AG, VanEck Securities UK Limited and their associated and affiliated companies (together “VanEck”) assume no liability with regards to any investment, divestment or retention decision taken by the investor on the basis of this information. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) but not necessarily those of VanEck. Opinions are current as of the publication date and are subject to change with market conditions. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results. Information provided by third party sources is believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. Brokerage or transaction fees may apply.

All performance information is based on historical data and does not predict future returns. Investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of principal.

No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission of VanEck.

© VanEck (Europe) GmbH / VanEck Asset Management B.V.

1 - 3 of 3