Smart beta exchange traded funds continue proliferating and playing pivotal roles in the staggering growth of the broader ETF space. Institutional investors have been gravitating toward ETFs that focus on investment factors ranging from low volatility to momentum to value, a trend many industry observers and issuers expect will persist in the years ahead. "Asset managers have been advocating the usage of index-based products focused on minimum volatility, quality, momentum and other factors in recent years, suggesting that these were better ingredients for portfolio construction," said CFRA Research Director of ETF & Mutual Fund Research Todd Rosenbluth in a note out Tuesday. "In recent months, some of them have taken the logical next step and put these smart beta products to use in their own kitchens."Read more