Increasing interest in active management has been a persistent trend in 2025. Still, the current momentum should continue to drive demand in 2026. Goldman Sachs and MFS Investment Management are two of the ETF providers leading the proverbial charge. Their active ETFs cater to various asset classes as well as investment styles. Jamie Harrison, Head of ETF Capital Markets at MFS and Marissa Ansell, Goldman Sachs Head of ETF Investment Strategy joined VettaFi Industry Analyst Cinthia Murphy to discuss the ong ...

Core Insights - The MFS Blended Research Core Equity ETF (BRCE) and MFS Blended Research International Equity ETF (BRIE) combine quantitative and fundamental research methodologies to enhance investment strategies [1] - BRCE targets U.S. equities with the S&P 500 as its benchmark, while BRIE focuses on international equities compared to the MSCI All Country World (ex-US) Index [1] - Both ETFs are designed to work together, with BRCE providing core U.S. equity exposure and BRIE offering international diversification [1] Fund Characteristics - BRCE has a low expense ratio of 0.24%, while BRIE has a slightly higher expense ratio of 0.34% [1] - Both funds utilize a disciplined, active management approach, leveraging the MFS team's extensive industry experience averaging over 21 years [1] - The blended approach aims to capture opportunities that may be overlooked by either quantitative or fundamental research alone [1] Market Context - Current market conditions include high valuations in the U.S. tech sector, geopolitical tensions, and interest rate policy uncertainties, making active management crucial [1] - The MFS team is equipped to identify and adjust for both systematic and idiosyncratic risks in today's market landscape [1] - The integration of quantitative and fundamental signals is presented as a unique investment edge for these ETFs, appealing to benchmark-sensitive investors [1]

Core Insights - MFS has launched two new actively managed ETFs: MFS Blended Research Core Equity ETF (BRCE) and MFS Blended Research International Equity ETF (BRIE) [1][2] - The new ETFs aim to provide clients with more choices in active, fully transparent investment options, leveraging MFS' 25 years of experience in Blended Research strategies [2][7] MFS Blended Research Core Equity ETF (BRCE) - BRCE has an expense ratio of 24 basis points and focuses on generating capital appreciation through an active core equity strategy [3] - The launch of BRCE is timely, given the current macroeconomic uncertainty, as many investors seek actively managed ETFs to navigate the U.S. equity market [4] MFS Blended Research International Equity ETF (BRIE) - BRIE targets international markets with a net expense ratio of 34 basis points, also aiming for capital appreciation [5] - The fund's strategy includes a bottom-up approach that combines quantitative research with fundamental analysis, aiming to outperform the MSCI All Country World (ex-US) Index [5][6] Investment Strategy and Differentiation - Both ETFs are characterized by MFS' proprietary blend of quantitative and fundamental signals, which is expected to provide differentiated return potential for investors [7] - MFS emphasizes the unique and transparent integration of independent research perspectives as a competitive edge for these ETFs [7]