A Plethora of New Funds on Offer

FUND TIMES: Several new and interesting funds were launched on the UK market this week, plus a manager shift at Threadneedle

Alexander Prineas 28 January, 2011 | 5:33PM Holly Cook
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JPM Launches New Mining Fund
JP Morgan Asset Management plans to launch a global mining fund, utilising the expertise of the existing JPM natural resources investment team. The fund differs from JPM’s existing natural resources funds in that it focusses only on metals & mining, whereas the existing JPM funds also include energy-related companies. For investors who want the more specific exposure, the new offering shows promise. The fund will be managed by Neil Gregson who joined JPM in 2010, bringing 20 years of experience in natural resources to the already experienced team. However our analysts are yet to meet the new manager to discuss his plans for the fund in detail. Morningstar has Superior ratings on two existing JPM natural resources funds--the UK OEIC JP Morgan Natural Resources and the Luxembourg SICAV JPM Global Natural Resource.

Carmignac Offers GBP-denominated Versions of Existing Funds
The French asset management firm founded by Edouard Carmignac in 1989 has launched in the UK and is now offering UK investors a range of nine equity, fixed income and diversified funds. The sterling-denominated funds are new share classes of existing funds, including Carmignac Investissement, which is managed by Edouard Carmignac and helped him win Morningstar’s Pan Europe Global Equity Fund Manager of the Year award in 2009. Morningstar analysts have awarded Qualitative Ratings to several of the funds that are now being replicated for the UK market: Carmignac Investissement and Carmignac Patrimoine are both rated Elite; Carmignac Grande Europe has a Superior rating; and Carmignac Emergents and Carmignac Commodities are rated Standard.

Schroders Launches Global High Income Bond Fund
Schroders this week launched the Schroder ISF Global High Income Bond fund, which will invest in a mix of emerging market sovereign and corporate bonds, and developed world high yield bonds--essentially the higher yielding areas of global bond markets. Warren Hyland will manage the fund, supported by Schroders’ broader fixed income team. Hyland used to work closely with Nick Gartside, who was head of Schroders’ global bond team until Gartside left for JP Morgan in 2010.

Polar Capital Launches Emerging Markets Income Fund
It was reported this week that Polar Capital has launched an emerging markets income fund. It will be managed by the firm’s emerging markets equity team, headed by William Calvert who joined Polar from AXA Framlington in October 2010.

Mark Burgess Named as Co-manager on Three Threadneedle Funds
Threadneedle has named Mark Burgess as co-manager on the Threadneedle Global Equity, Threadneedle Global Equity & Bond and Threadneedle Equity & Bond funds. He replaces Sarah Arkle who has stepped back from the funds. The three funds each hold an A Rating from OBSR, a Morningstar company. The existing manager Alex Lyle remains on the funds and there was no change to the OBSR rating as a result of the personnel change.

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About Author

Alexander Prineas  is an associate director of manager research for Morningstar Australasia.

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