Liontamer says it is feeling very positive about the year ahead and is planning to launch a number of new protected and unprotected funds this year.

The company produced fewer funds in 2009 than previous years, but hopes to be more active over the next 12 months. Its first fund is likely to be available in March and will most probably be another of its global funds.

Balanced funds bounce back
Balanced funds continued their recovery, delivering a positive return for the third consecutive quarter and regaining much of the losses experienced in 2008, according to a Mercer Quarterly Survey of New Zealand Wholesale Balanced Funds.

Mercer's December 2009 survey shows the median manager returned 14.7% for the year ended December 31 compared to -14.4% in 2008. The median two year return was -0.5%.

The highest performing fund over the full year was Mercer producing a return of 20.7%. AMP Capital Investors produced the lowest return at 10.6%.

While funds recorded positive returns in the final quarter, the median return of 2.8% fell short of the 7.6% median return recorded in the September 2009 quarter.

Rates Round Up
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