BOSTON, April 8, 2026 /CNW/ – Manulife John Hancock Investments today announced the launch of John Hancock Hedged Equity ETF (NYSE Arca: JHDG), managed by Manulife Investment Management (Manulife IM). With JHDG, Manulife John Hancock Investments’ ETF platform now has 19 funds with more than $12 billion in assets under management.1 Strategies include U.S. and international equity, preferred income, mortgage-backed securities, and corporate and municipal bonds.
The new ETF seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation with lower volatility and downside protection relative to broad equity markets. The fund pursues its objective through a combination of high-conviction fundamental equity selection and a dynamic options overlay. Manulife IM portfolio managers, Michael J. Scanlon, Jr. CFA, Pierre Micallef, CFA, and Jeffrey Wu are primarily responsible for the management of the fund’s portfolio. The strategy has been managed by Manulife IM (US) since 2020, and this new ETF will be added to the strategy’s composite. It is currently offered in a substantially similar style to Canadian investors through Canadian‑regulated investment vehicles.
“We’re seeing strong and growing interest in John Hancock ETFs and are excited to expand our lineup with an actively managed hedged equity ETF,” said Kristie Feinberg, President and CEO of Manulife John Hancock Investments. “Advisors are increasingly adopting active ETFs as part of more efficient, outcome‑oriented portfolio construction seeking potential benefits such as cost efficiency, tax efficiency, and diversification. This momentum underscores the meaningful role active ETFs can play in helping clients achieve their long‑term savings and investment goals.”
Steve Deroian, Global Head of Exchange Traded Products and Models, Manulife John Hancock Investments, added, “JHDG expands our ETF lineup with an actively managed hedged equity approach that pairs high‑conviction stock selection with a disciplined options overlay designed to reduce volatility and downside risk. We believe advisors and their clients are looking for additional equity strategies that can pursue growth potential while helping clients stay invested through uncertainty.”
1 As of December 31, 2025.
This material does not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice, is for informational purposes only and is not meant as investment advice. Please consult your tax or financial professional before making any investment decisions. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or eliminate the risk of a loss.
