EGA Emerging Global Shares has filed for a new line of seven exchange-traded funds that would center on BRIC nations and their economies. Six of the funds target infrastructure and mid cap stocks, while the remainder is set to track a broader index of Asian companies.

The new funds filed with the SEC are:

1. Emerging Global Shares INDXX India Infrastructure Index Fund

2. Emerging Global Shares INDXX China Infrastructure Index Fund

3. Emerging Global Shares INDXX Brazil Infrastructure Index Fund

4. Emerging Global Shares INDXX India Mid Cap Index Fund

5. Emerging Global Shares INDXX China Mid Cap Index Fund

6. Emerging Global Shares INDXX Brazil Mid Cap Index Fund

7. Emerging Global Shares INDXX Growing Asia Large Cap Index Fund

All of the funds seek maximum diversification, opting to limit single companies to no more than 10% of the index. The goal of this strategy is to fix the common under-diversification problem prevalent among emerging ETFs. The infrastructure funds will be comprised of 50 stocks for the India fund and 30 for Brazil and China, according to the SEC filing.

The Mid-Cap variety funds will seek out companies headquartered in China, India and Brazil. The Indian fund will require that the companies are smaller than the smallest stock in the S&P CNX Nifty Index, while the Chinese fund will invest in companies ranging in size from $500 million to $5 billion. Brazil’s fund will be based upon slightly smaller companies that range between $400 million to $4 billion.

The Growing Asia Large Cap Index Fund seeks to track the returns of the top 50 large cap stocks in China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, and it will dedicate half the funds to Chinese and Indian stocks.

Emerging market exchange-traded funds will soon experience a dramatic shift in the countries they invest. As of this year, South Korea, a staple in most emerging market ETFs, will be upgraded to a developed nation status and no longer qualifies for investment from emerging market-only funds.

The Street reports that one particular fund, the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM: Quote, Profile, Advanced Chart, News), will be radically changed by the upgrade and suggests that Thailand and Chile could make up the void. Chile is one of the few emerging market nations that has a trade surplus from its copper reserves. Thailand, a net exporter of clothing and other manufactured materials, is another solution for the South Korean void, but it lacks the stability of the Chilean government.

Whatever the result, emerging market ETFs across the board will see large changes in holdings and volatility in light of South Korea’s upgrade.

Barclays Bank has provided a diversified opportunity to invest in various currencies of the Asian region. According to the Mondo Visione article, Barclays has listed a new ETN on the NYSE Arca that gives access to eight different currencies within emerging markets of Asia. The new ETN, known as the Barclays GEMS Asia 8 ETN (AYT), will follow the Barclays Global Emerging Markets Strategy (GEMS) Asia 8 Index. Mondo Visione has listed the eight markets and associated currencies that are included in the new note: Indonesian rupiah, Indian rupee, Philippine peso, South Korean won, Thai baht, Malaysian ringgit, Taiwanese dollar, and Chinese yuan.

Barclays Global Investors has announced the launch of its newest iShares ETF to capture a broad and diversified piece of various Asian markets. Michael Latham, CEO of U.S. iShares at Barclays is quoted to say, “Since iShares launched the first pure mainland China ETF for U.S. investors in 2005, investors have continued to ask for deeper access to the Asian markets.” Market Wire explains that the new ETF, known as iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index Fund ETF (AAXJ), will provide access to equity markets across Asia, such as China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. AAXJ is now listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market.

Taiwans Polaris Securities Investment Trust Co Ltd looks to be the issuer of an upcoming Taiwan ETF on the Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM). This equity-based ETF is mentioned in the Thomson Financial article as being released around the end of the year or beginning of the next. This projected debut is said to be a potential motivating factor for other markets to add Taiwan equities, such as Singapore, Thailand, or Hong Kong.