Emerging Global Advisors' ECON Emerging Markets Consumer ETF Celebrates Five-Year Milestone

NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Emerging Global Advisors (EGA), the investment advisor to the EGShares suite of exchange-traded funds, rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange today to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the launch of its EGShares Emerging Markets Consumer exchange-traded fund (ETF) (ECON).

ECON is the first, largest and most liquid global emerging market (EM) consumer ETF, offering exposure to some of the largest consumer goods and consumer services companies domiciled in developing markets. These companies derive most of their revenues from EM sales, providing targeted access to the EM consumer theme.

"We launched ECON in 2010 based on the conviction that demographic trends in the developing world reflect long-term growth potential unlike that of any other asset class," said EGA CEO Marten Hoekstra. "Five years later, we are proud to report that since its inception, ECON is the top performing diversified emerging market ETF according to Morningstar and has outperformed the MSCI EM Index 78 percent of the time on a rolling 12-month basis." This consistent performance has contributed to ECON earning a five-star Overall Morningstar Rating™ among 561 Diversified Emerging Market ETFs and open-end funds as of September 30, 2015 based on risk-adjusted returns.

According to the World Bank, the emerging market middle class is expected to increase from 4 percent of global population in 2000 to 15 percent in 2030. With that, the OECD estimates that global spending is projected to grow from $21 trillion in 2009, to $35 trillion by 2020, and $56 trillion by 2030.

"The emerging market middle class is becoming a much more significant economic force, with the potential to be the dominant driver of global consumption growth over the next two decades," said Edward Kerschner, Vice Chairman, EGA. "ECON seeks to capitalize on that thematic growth and has enhanced diversification in investor portfolios."

About Emerging Global Advisors
Emerging Global Advisors (EGA) is a leading provider of strategic beta portfolios in emerging markets and we employ a disciplined, rules-based investment process rooted in research and portfolio strategy.  Our investment strategies, including our EGShares suite of ETFs, are designed to help investors generate alpha within their emerging and frontier market allocations. We offer core equity, thematic and equity income emerging and frontier market exposures. For more information, visit http://www.emergingglobaladvisors.com.

ECON Standardized Performance

ECON inception date is September 14, 2010. The total fund operating expense ratio is 0.83%. Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original cost. Current performance data may be higher or lower than actual data quoted. For the most current month-end performance data please call + 1 888 800 4347.

Market price returns are based on the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at 4 pm ET and do not represent the returns an investor would receive if shares were traded at other times.

Carefully consider a Fund's investment objectives, risk factors and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund's prospectus, which may be obtained by calling + 1 888 800 4347 or by visiting the Fund's website egshares.com to view or download a prospectus. Read the prospectus carefully before investing. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

Emerging market investments involve risk of capital loss from unfavorable fluctuation in currency values, from differences in generally accepted accounting principles, from economic or political instability in other nations or increased volatility and lower trading volume. This Fund will concentrate its investments in issuers of one or more particular industries to the same extent that its Underlying Index is so concentrated and to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory guidance. Concentration risk results from maintaining exposure to issuers conducting business in a specific industry. Small-cap and mid-cap companies generally will have greater volatility in price than the stocks of large companies due to limited product lines or resources or a dependency upon a particular market niche. One cannot invest directly in an index.

Morningstar data as of September 30, 2015. ECON is the top performer out of 18 ETFs within the Morningstar "Diversified Emerging Market" category with track records from 10/1/2010 to 9/30/2015.

The Morningstar Rating® is provided for those exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") with at least a three-year history. Ratings are based on the ETF's Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure, which accounts for variation in monthly performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. An ETF's risk-adjusted return includes a brokerage commission estimate. This estimate is intended to reflect what an average investor would pay when buying or selling an ETF. PLEASE NOTE, this estimate is subject to change and the actual brokerage commission an investor pays may be higher or lower than this estimate. Morningstar compares each ETF's risk-adjusted return to the open-end mutual fund rating breakpoints for that category. Consistent with the open-end mutual fund ratings, the top 10% of ETFs in each category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The overall rating for an ETF is based on a weighted average of the time-period ratings (e.g., the ETF's 3, 5, and 10 year rating). The determination of an ETF's rating does not affect the retail open end mutual fund data published by Morningstar. Morningstar Rating is for the ETF share class only; other classes may have different performance characteristics.

As of 9/30/2015, EGShares Emerging Markets Consumer ETF was rated against the following numbers of U.S.-domiciled Diversified Emerging Markets ETFs and open-end funds over the following time periods: 561 for prior three-year period and 376 for prior five-year period. With respect to these Diversified Emerging Market funds, ECON received a Morningstar Rating of four stars and five stars for the three- and five-year periods, respectively. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. ©2015 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Morningstar, Inc. is an independent investment research firm that compiles and analyzes fund, stock and general market data.

The Dow Jones Emerging Markets Consumer Titans 30 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("SPDJI"), and has been licensed for use by Emerging Global Advisors. Standard & Poor's® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones"); and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Emerging Global Advisors. The EGShares Emerging Market Consumer ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, their respective affiliates and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the Dow Jones Emerging Markets Consumer Titans 30 Index.

ETF shares are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund.

Marten Hoekstra and Edward Kerschner are registered representatives of ALPS Distributors, Inc.

EGA and EGShares Funds are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. Emerging Global Advisors acts as the investment advisor to the Fund. ALPS and Emerging Global Advisors are unaffiliated entities.

© 2015 Emerging Global Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. EGA^®, EGShares℠ and EGAI℠ are service marks of Emerging Global Advisors, LLC. All other trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

EGS002563 | Expires 11/1/2016

CONTACT:    
Steven Bodakowski
JCPR
(646) 922-7773
sbodakowski@jcprinc.com

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SOURCE Emerging Global Advisors