AEI launches new fund and revamps existing line up



Australian Ethical Investment has launched an emerging companies fund which will provide exposure to micro and small cap companies, while announcing that initial investment amounts will be reduced.
The new fund will use the ethical investment charter developed by AEI in 1986 and used in the group's flagship Australian Shares Fund (previously the Smaller Companies Trust).
The new fund will sit alongside the group's seven existing funds, which will all have their minimum investment amount reduced to $1000 for retail investors, and to $500 for people who contribute via regular investment plan.
A number of the funds will also be added to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) mFund service while the group's wholesale range will be expanded to include international equities and cash fund options.
Australian Ethical Investment Managing Director, Phil Vernon, said the changes were the result of growth in the ethical and responsible investments area with fund under management reaching $1 billion in November last year.
Recommended for you
Sydney-based alternative fund manager East Coast Capital Management has formed its first advisory council as it enters its next phase of growth.
With 40 per cent of advice practices looking to increase their ETF usage, the next frontier being embraced is smart beta ETFs with flows doubling in July, providers have said.
Australian ETFs saw flows of $5.8 billion in July, more than double the previous month, and adviser adoption is tipped to help total flows reach $50 billion by the end of the year.
Pinnacle’s London affiliate, Life Cycle Investment Partners, has secured over $15 billion in FUM in its first year and achieved profitability, the firm’s fastest affiliate to do so.