Hercules Investments, a Registered Investment Adviser and alternatives investment manager, has launched the Hercules Fund (NFLHX), a mutual fund aimed at helping investors profit from stock market volatility amid Covid-19 uncertainty and risks of rising inflation.

Another bumper week for ETF launches saw 11 new funds from BMO Asset Management, including a suite of ETFs focused on innovation, plus four new Xtrackers funds providing access to US companies with a sector focus and Eurozone companies with a focus on sustainability. Staying with the ESG/sustainability theme we also have a new Japanese equities ETF from Amundi, plus a corporate bonds fund from L&G. The latest offering from Horizons ETFs meanwhile offers investors a trip into the world of companies looking at the use of psychedelic compounds, such as psilocybin and ketamine, as treatment for mental illness and other medical conditions.

Neuberger Berman has launched the NB Crossroads Private Markets Access Fund, a registered, continually offered closed-end fund that 'further democratises the firm's private equity offerings and increases access to these important portfolio solutions for individual investors'. 

A bumper week for new launches saw Tabula launch a fixed income ETF aligned to the Paris Agreement on climate change, while Harvest Portfolios Group got in on the low-carbon act too with a new clean energy fund. The company also debuted a travel and leisure ETF tracking a Solactive index. Other notable newcomers included a bitcoin ETP from CoinShares, and a new fund from Accelerate offering access to six alternative asset classes and ten alternative investment strategies in one easy-to-use ETF.

Private investment office Signia is making its award-winning investment strategies available to the wider retail market via its newly launched retail arm, Signia Invest. 

Sustainability is the name of the game this week with both Invesco and Fidelity launching new funds offering access to investments in companies with a strong ESG ethos in Japan and the wider Pacific region. Elsewhere, KraneShares debuted a China healthcare ETF on the LSE, ETYC Group listed bitcoin ETP on SIX, and CI Global Asset Management launched the CI Gld Bullion Fund on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Invesco has launched the Invesco Summit Responsible Range – five risk-targeted global multi-asset funds, aiming to make responsible investing accessible to all.  

Parkwalk has launched one of the first HMRC Approved Knowledge Intensive EIS Funds to open to retail investors, offering an opportunity to invest in ground-breaking deeptech businesses spun out of UK universities, but with a facility to carry back income tax relief to the previous tax year and reduced admin for investors. 

Albion Capital is seeking to raise up to GBP45 million through top up offers for five of its venture capital trusts. The fundraising targets the following amounts across the Albion VCT range: Albion Technology & General VCT PLC – GBP14 million; Kings Arms Yard VCT PLC – GBP12 million; Albion Development VCT PLC – GBP7 million; Albion Enterprise VCT PLC – GBP6 million; and Crown Place VCT PLC – GBP6 million.

Private markets investment management firm Hamilton Lane has launched the Hamilton Lane Private Assets Fund (PAF), a closed-end investment vehicle registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 (’40 Act).