Emerging Global Shares could not have picked better timing with the release of its new China Infrastructure Fund (CHXX: News). Amidst stimulus efforts undertaken around the world, investors have been eying infrastructure names as sound investments in a shaky economic climate.

The China Infrastructure Index ETF will invest in the 30 largest companies that center around infrastructure development within China’s borders. Companies in the mix have an average market capitalization of $8.3 billion, making the ETF a purely large-cap investment, according to Forbes. The fund holds sectors including real estate, metals and mining, construction, and engineering.

The fund will trade at an annual expense of just .85% and was launched at $20 per share. The fund advanced 3.8% in its first day of trading on the NYSE Arca exchange, with volume of just under 14,000 shares.

On Thursday October 16, 2008 Invesco PowerShares launched a new Infrastructure ETF on NYSE Arca; Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (PXR: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News). A more detailed description of the new ETF at the issuer’s Web site includes the following information:

“The PowerShares Emerging Markets Infrastructure Portfolio (PXR) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on the S-Network Emerging Infrastructure Builders IndexSM. The Index is designed to measure the overall performance of securities of companies involved in infrastructure construction and development in emerging market countries. Industries include, but are not limited to, construction and engineering, construction machinery, construction materials, diversified metals and mining, heavy electrical equipment, industrial machinery and steel.”

PXR closed its first day of trading at 24.11, with light volume of 1,400 shares

On Wednesday, October 15, 2008 a new infrastructure ETF launched: First Trust ISE Global Engineering and Construction Index Fund (FLM: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News). Part of the description of First Trust’s new ETF as given at the issuer’s Web site includes this information:

“This exchange-traded fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before the Fund’s fees and expenses) of an equity index called the ISE Global Engineering and Construction Index. The index specifically targets companies that are engaged in large civil and capital projects such as infrastructure, utilities, transportation, telecommunications, commercial, residential, and commerce facilities and whose roles are within the engineering, designing, planning, consulting, project managing, and/or constructing of these projects.To be included in the index, a company must receive at least 70% of revenues from these types of services and projects based on the reportable segment/division from its most recent annual report.”

In it’s second day of trading FLM closed at $26.65 per share, with a volume of 14,650 shares.