European Products
September 2009
Canada Life has launched its flexible phased investment option across five of its key products, suitable for investors who are apprehensive about investing full amounts in the markets or for those looking to lock-in any gains. The phased investment option is available to new and existing clients as a free additional service, and can be used on Canada Life’s Flexible Investment Bond, Select Investment Bond, Total Access Bond, Annuity Growth Account and Trustees Investment Plan.
State Street Corporation has launched eHorizon, an enhanced global accounting solution to deliver new levels of functionality, accommodating multiple accounts bases and greater flexibility in managing complex fund structures such as funds of funds, pooling, master-feeder and multi-managed arrangements. The enhancement was made by keeping in mind that customers increasingly looking towards outsourcing of accounting requirements to create operational and technological efficiencies, minimise risk and support new products and global expansion.
Dentons Pensions Management Ltd has
launched its Single Portfolio SIPP, a lower-cost product designed for
investors who want to create a bespoke single discretionary portfolio.
The Single Portfolio SIPP will be managed by a specialist portfolio manager,
operated within a default high interest cheque account, and features total
freedom on the payment of contributions, the ability to select portfolio
managers or platforms and the option of staggered or phased retirement.
HIM Capital Limited has announced the launch of its HIM
Income Fund, investing in a mix of financial institutions’ equities
and bonds. The fund, which has a target yield of six per cent, will be
managed by Nick Brind, and will launch onto the retail and institutional
markets on 15 October 2009. The HIM Capital investment team will support
Brind, consisting of Alec Foster, John Yakas and Nick Martin.
Vanguard has launched a suite of 30 low-cost funds for sale in Denmark, comprising of 22 index tracker funds and eight actively managed funds in Denmark. The funds are UCITS III compliant and domiciled in Ireland, and are primarily for use by public or private pension schemes, foundations or corporate defined contribution plans.
Friends Provident has enhanced its
online member tools to allow members of corporate pension schemes to better
understand their finances and manage pensions online. Following feedback
from customers, employers and intermediaries, Friends Provident has provided
members with access to a retirement budget calculator, and has also improved
risk rating tools and added more user-friendly applications.
db x-trackers has listed a new suite of exchange traded
funds (ETF) focused on the fixed income market. Six new fixed income ETFs
have been listed on the London Stock Exchange, and are designed to provide
investors with exposure to the fixed income markets across UK Gilts, US
Treasuries and Eurozone Sovereign debt. The ETFs are: iBOXX £ Gilts
Total Return Index, iBOXX UK Gilt Inflation-Linked Total Return Index,
iBOXX $ Treasuries Total Return Index, iBOXX $ Treasuries 1-3 Total Return
Index, USD IG Inflation Linked Treasuries Total Return Index and the iBOXX
Euro Sovereigns Eurozone Total Return Index. The new products can also
be included in self select ISAs and SIPPs.
Cambridge Investments Ltd has launched a new Master Portfolio Services, investing within a specifically constructed portfolio of funds. The investment managers will use model asset portfolios as the setting for the selection of ‘best of breed’ funds, which are subject to regular scrutiny by the Discretionary Fund Managers Investment Committee. Individual portfolio fund constituents are kept under continuous review following their selection, by the quarterly Investment Management Committee oversight.
Dow Jones Index has launched the Dow Jones UK Smaller Companies Index, allowing market participants a comprehensive measure of the UK’s small and micro cap segments. The index, which includes 188 stocks from the London Stock Exchange, includes stocks traded on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), and is designed to provide a complete view of this segment, acting as a benchmark for Dow Jones Newswires’ extended UK small cap coverage.
Sector Investment Managers has launched
a Junior Mining fund, which aims to provide investors with diversified
exposure to undervalued mining stocks. The natural resources specialist
said the new fund will enable investors to capitalise on the demand for
gold and other metals through investment in junior mining companies, and
will invest mainly in small and mid-cap. Around 70 per cent of the portfolio
will be invested in companies that mine gold, but other precious metals,
base metals and uranium will also be accounted for.
A European Equity strategy for professional investors worldwide has been
launched by INTECH Investment Management LLC, a subsidiary
of Janus Capital Group Inc. The launch, which represents INTECH’s
first European Equity strategy, will be Euro denominated and available
to investors on a Europe or Europe ex-UK basis, benchmarked to the MSCI
Europe Index. INTECH’s mathematical investment process, designed
to seek long-term returns in excess of a target benchmark while managing
relative risk, will manage the strategy.
