The fund is the first Australian unit trust to be managed by Colonial First State’s (CFS's) First State Stewart Asia (FSSA) team.
CFS’s Asian growth strategy was launched in 1999, and the new fund will provide Australian investors with access to the strategy.
The fund invests chiefly in equities issued by companies that are “established, operating, or have their economic activity mainly in the Asia region” (excluding Japan).
FSSA managing partner Michael Stapleton said the fund, and its concentrated portfolio, will garner returns through a “persistent focus on quality” rather than quantity.
“The Asian Growth strategy is a high-conviction portfolio of quality companies that operate in the Asia region. Despite the macro-economic headwinds, we believe that high quality businesses will ultimately find a way to prosper,” Mr Stapleton said.
The aim of the fund will be to outperform the MSCI AC Asia ex-Japan index on a rolling five-year basis.
Read more:
Aussie equity managers return 3.8% in May
CBA appoints group general counsel
Beware the ‘power of the crowd’: Medcraft
Retail OTC market 'non-compliant', says ASIC
