Asset manager Aberdeen has expanded its thematic ETF offering with the launch of two active funds—Aberdeen Future Supply Chains Ucits ETF and Aberdeen Future Raw Materials Ucits ETF—targeting structural changes reshaping the global economy.
Both ETFs, listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, are designed to capture long-term investment opportunities in the evolving global supply landscape and the surge in demand for strategic raw materials.
The ETFs carry ongoing charges of 0.6% for the supply chains strategy and 0.45% for the raw materials fund. Both use a hybrid investment approach that blends quantitative models with fundamental analysis from Aberdeen’s global equity research team.
The abrdn Future Supply Chains Ucits ETF aims to identify companies positioned to benefit from the transformation of global manufacturing, logistics and energy systems. It focuses on firms involved in supply chain innovation, reshoring and regionalisation of production.
Each stock in the portfolio is scored on three metrics: a Fundamental Score (based on exposure to sub-themes), a Future Score (profitability change), and a QIS Thematic Score (valuation, quality, and momentum). The ETF is co-managed by Blair Couper and Jamie Mills O’Brien, both investment directors at Aberdeen.
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The abrdn Future Raw Materials Ucits ETF, managed by Oliver Wood-Clark and David Clancy, focuses on companies involved in the exploration, mining and refinement of five core raw materials: copper, aluminium, lithium, nickel and rare earth elements. These materials are central to clean energy, electric vehicles, semiconductors, and other high-growth industries. The investment strategy combines deep sector research with quantitative revenue analysis to build a focused and diversified portfolio.
Mills O’Brien commented: “The confluence of rising geopolitical tensions, intensifying trade wars and a boom in green investment are driving broad changes across global supply chains. It constitutes a profound shift that is already starting to impact large swathes of the global economy. We believe this is a theme with genuine duration, one that is likely to materially impact global equity markets over the long term. As with all major economic shifts, there will be winners and losers. Through local, on-the-ground specialists and deep global thematic analysis, we believe Aberdeen is positioned to identify those winners – whatever their size, and whatever sector or market they operate in.”
Both funds are registered for distribution in Austria, Italy, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
David Clancy, quantitative index solutions director at Aberdeen, said: “Raw materials such as copper, aluminium, nickel, rare earth elements, and lithium are critical components of the technologies shaping our world – and play a pivotal role in the transition to ‘Net Zero’. With demand for these materials expected to increase significantly by 2050[1], we see strong opportunities for investors in this market. Our investment approach combines fundamental sector and supply/demand analysis with a quantitative approach to company selection and portfolio construction. We believe this approach enables us to consistently identify the most attractive segments of the materials market – and to pinpoint the companies best placed to capture these opportunities.”
