The asset management arm of New York-listed State Street Corporation has launched an exchange-traded fund providing exposure to European real estate companies and investment trusts.

State Street Global Advisors has expanded its real estate offering with a new UCITS exchange traded fund.

The SPDR FTSE EPRA Europe ex UK Real Estate UCITS ETF will be listed on the Deutsche Börse, Xetra, and will offer liquid access to the European (excluding UK) real estate market.

It will track the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Europe ex UK Index, which focuses on the performance of listed real estate operating companies and real estate investment trusts in the region.

“With extensive quantitative easing still in place in Europe, many investors are turning to the steady income, potential for inflation protection, and diversification that an investment in real estate can offer,” said head of SPDR ETFs for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Alexis Marinof. 

“Our fund provides investors with cost-efficient, liquid access to a diversified, core real estate allocation, in what is generally a difficult-to-access market segment.” 

The launch of the SPDR FTSE EPRA follows the launch of nine US sector equity ETFs in July this year. The fund boosts the firm’s real estate investment range, which includes the SPDR Dow Jones Global Real Estate UCITS ETF.

State Street Global Advisors had $2.4 trillion of assets under management as of 30 June.