Aviva today announced a number of new funds would be offered on its Navigator platform via the Personal Retirement Plan and the Personal Investment Plan.
Aviva today announced a number of new funds would be offered on its Navigator platform via the Personal Retirement Plan and the Personal Investment Plan.
The Personal Retirement Plan has also increased the range of ASX listed shares available.
The funds are:
Personal Retirement Plan
- Expanded direct share list offering stocks in the S&P/ASX 300 Index
- Greencape Wholesale Broadcap Fund
- Greencape Wholesale High Conviction Fund
- Deutsche Global Equity Thematic Fund
- Platinum International Brands Fund
- Platinum Japan Fund
- Platinum European Fund
- Platinum International Technology Fund
- AV China Opportunities Fund
- AMP Capital Investors Core Property Fund
- Australian Unity Wholesale Mortgage Income Trust
- Vanguard International Fixed Interest Index Fund (Hedged)
- Challenger Wholesale Smaller Companies Fund*
- Goldman Sachs JBWere Emerging Leaders Wholesale Fund*
- Portfolio Partners Emerging Shares Trust*
- ING Emerging Companies Trust*
- PM Capital Australian Opportunities Fund*.
Personal Investment Plan
- UBS Australian Equity Income Fund
- Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield Fund
- Acadian Wholesale Global Equity Fund
- AV China Opportunities Fund
- Centro Direct Property Fund International
- Deutsche RREEF Global (ex-Australia) Property Securities Fund
- IOOF/Perennial Property Trust
- Discovery Core Income Fund.
* Re-opened for investment
The funds became available for investment on 15 December 2006.
Aviva research manager, Stuart Fechner said, funds have not been added with a particular theme in mind, however, in looking across the entire list of additions it’s fair to say that a global focus does emerge.
“Adviser feedback is incorporated into the process of adding new funds and in recent months there has been an increasing interest regarding international funds. Not only global share funds but also investment opportunities emerging from the China story and also global property.”
The China investment story has been well documented and covered within the investment industry. Over the past year there have been a range of China related investment funds launched.
“The most niche fund added is the AV China Opportunities Fund, managed by Schroders. It is a closed end fund with the offer period closing on 31 March 2007. It is a concentrated fund focussing on holding around 15 stocks which are expected to benefit from the growth in China,” said Stuart.
“Conventional wisdom sees most China related funds having a focus on holding mainland China based companies. This fund looks to invest in stocks listed on any of the worlds stock exchanges that are expected to benefit either directly or indirectly from the China story.”
“The fund also sets itself apart from most others with its buy and hold based approach to investing. An emphasis on low stock turnover and a minimal level of distributed capital gains underpins the investment approach,” added Stuart.
Five of the funds added to the Navigator Personal Retirement Plan are the re-opening of funds previously closed by the respective fund managers.
“Around three years ago we saw a number of small company funds in particular closed by fund managers due to capacity concerns. Since this time the Australian sharemarket has grown very strongly with most managers also experiencing outflows from these funds. This has provided additional capacity and subsequently we’ve seen a number of funds re-opened by managers in recent months,” said Stuart.
Industry surveys of financial advisers have indicated the fund list is an important feature for financial advisers to ensure their platform of choice provides the range and type of investment funds to meet their client’s needs.
“It’s important we continue to meet the varying investment interests and needs of both advisers and clients and to ensure that we offer a well-rounded range of quality investment managers and funds,” said Stuart.
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Stuart Fechner is available for interview on 0407 839 080
For further information, please contact:
Tim Cobb
General Manager, Marketing & Public Relations
Phone: (03) 9829 8509
Mobile: 0418 529 387
Notes to editors:
- Aviva Australia is a group of two specialist financial services companies: Navigator and Norwich Union Life Australia Ltd. Portfolio Partners is the Australian funds management arm of Aviva plc. Through these companies we provide products and services in the areas of wealth creation and wealth protection for more than 300,000 customers throughout Australia.
- Globally, Aviva Australia is part of Aviva plc, the world’s fifth-largest insurance group, the UK’s largest insurance services provider (based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2005), and one of the leading providers of life and pension products to Europe, with substantial positions in other markets around the world.
- Aviva’s principal business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of A$82.3 billion (Ł35 billion) and assets under management of A$745 billion (Ł317 billion) at 31 December 2005.
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