First Trust Global Portfolios

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Investment Ideas

Investment Ideas

Thematic Investing

Thematic investing can help investors access the growth potential of long-term structural change and disruptive innovation which are under-represented in broad market indices today.

At First Trust, our thematic approach is solely focused on identifying emerging trends that are shaping our future world. We believe this helps us stay ahead of the curve. As pioneers of both rules-based investing and a leader in thematic ETFs, we have been providing access to some of the largest megatrends via ETFs since 2006 - longer than any other provider.

Investment Ideas

Target Outcome Investing

Target Outcome Investments offer a solution for investors seeking to navigate complex market conditions and achieve specific investment objectives that can be challenging to accomplish through traditional investment approaches.

These include buffer strategies, designed to provide a defined level of protection against market downturns and mitigate potential losses, and income strategies, which focus on generating consistent income streams from underlying assets, often through the strategic use of options.

At First Trust, our partnership with Vest Financial LLC, the pioneers behind Target Outcome Strategies, is central to our investment offering. By leveraging Vest's expertise, we provide access to a range of Target Outcome strategies that cater to diverse investor needs.

We believe this collaboration enables us to stay at the forefront of investment innovation. As a leader in ETF solutions, we have been able to bring Target Outcome Investments to market, providing investors with a sophisticated tool to achieve their investment goals.

Latest U.S. Market and Economic Commentary

Insights

Article | Thematic Investing

Thirsty for Data: How the data centre boom is driving opportunities for water companies

We explore the convergence of water scarcity and the rising water demands of data centres and automated factories, a collision that presents both critical challenges and potential opportunities for global water companies.

Article | Thematic Investing

So… you want to build a data centre? Here’s how.

We explore the critical role of data centres in powering AI infrastructure, detailing the scale, complexity, and resources required, from semiconductors and critical metals to the grid infrastructure that supports them.

Article | Thematic Investing

A New Era of Global Defence Spending

We explore the latest insights on the dynamic and rapidly expanding global defence sector and why defence is not just a European story but a global one. 

Webinars

Factor Investing Quarterly Update

Thursday 27 November 2025

10.00am GMT / 11.00am CET

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