The growth of ETF investments has coincided with the growing sensitivity of emerging market capital flows to global financial shocks. To date, the majority of studies on the subject have focused on the importance of ETFs relative to competitive instruments (e.g. mutual funds). However, only a few have examined the correlation between emerging market ETF flows and global financial shocks. We review a study that examines the role of ETFs in transmitting global financial conditions to emerging market economies.

As the risk of stagflation in Japan has risen, some funds have shown interest in estimating the results of Shunto – the wage negotiations between corporations and unions that take place every March. Several data vendors are preparing to offer products that capture significant changes to inflation and wages. This report reviews studies that use corporate financial, governmental and job listings data to monitor the Japanese labour market.