Goldman and Global Atlantic to Issue, Sell Investment Products Based on Motif Indexes

By Justin Baer and Telis Demos 

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and a former insurance business have each struck deals to sell investment products based on indexes created by Motif Investing Inc.

Goldman will issue and sell structured investments linked to baskets of stocks and other securities chosen by Motif, an upstart online brokerage, the companies said Friday.

Motif also agreed to serve as a subadviser on three funds for variable annuities issued by Global Atlantic Financial Group, an insurer Goldman spun off in 2013.

Founded in 2010, Motif offers online investors baskets of stocks based on more than 250,000 themes, from cloud computing to climate change. Goldman was an early investor in the company.

Goldman intends to begin selling the Motif investments to clients later this year. The Global Atlantic funds will be available on the company's variable annuity platform in the third quarter.

The deals will mark the first time Motif's indexes will be marketed and sold through other brokers.

Structured notes, or derivatives that blend together aspects of multiple securities, are popular with wealthy individuals looking for ways to curb some of the risks that would accompany investing directly in the underlying stocks or bonds.

Write to Justin Baer at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 20, 2016 08:14 ET (12:14 GMT)

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