Self-managed superannuation funds with higher exposures to equities would have done better than most through the opening months of 2012, according to the assessment of two of the leading superannuation ratings houses.
Both Chant West and SuperRatings pointed to the performance of listed equities as being major drivers for growth in superannuation returns in the first quarter of the year.
According to Chant West, growth funds posted their stronger quarter since September 2009, recording a gain of 6.1 per cent – leading the company’s principal, Warren Chant, to suggest returns would end the financial year solidly in positive territory.
Chant pointed to the strong performance of share markets as the decisive factor in the quarter – something which once again saw retail master trusts outperforming industry super funds.
SuperRatings suggested the positive first quarter to 2012 indicated that full recovery was moving closer, with returns lifting back to levels not seen since before the global financial crisis.
Like Chant West, SuperRatings suggested most of the growth was owed to equities.
