Ratings-houseAssirthas awarded ’Barclays Global Investors(BGI) new Hedged International Share Fund a four star rating after the fund’s launch this week.
A full currency hedged version of Barclays’ existing active international equity product, the Barclays International Funds – International Share Fund, the hedged version seeks to minimise the effect of currency fluctuations on returns by implementing a full static currency hedge.
BGI director adviser services Michael Ohlsson says, “Barclays now offers clients the ability to select their desired level of currency hedging, whether it be zero, partially hedged, or fully hedged, by allocating their international equity exposure across the two products”.
Targeted at financial planners for use through master trusts and wrap accounts, the fund has been placed on the approved product list for three national dealer groups already.
The fund is expected to outperform the MSCI World ex-Australia Index (hedged) by about 1.5 to 2.0 per cent per annum over rolling three-year periods (after fees).
Last month Assirt named BGI as one of its “highest overall” rated managers on the basis of the performance of the Australian Share, Australian Equity Index, Property Securities Index and International Equity Index funds – all of which received the research house’s top five star rating.
