Beating the odds

Legg Mason's multi-asset retirement income trust shone brightly and produced 13.63 per cent, the highest return among other risk profile style funds, according to Money Management's Investment Centre (MMIC) and Financial Express (FE).

Among FE's deemed 208 balanced funds, Legg Mason's fund was just one of four balanced funds that produced an annual return over five per cent (over the last 12 months).

The second best performing balanced fund was Australian Ethical's balanced trust with 5.64 per cent (see below).

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FE classed balanced funds as those that held up to 60 per cent in equities, with the remainder invested in fixed interest, property, hedge funds and structured products.

We then looked at the aggressive funds and found that seven funds produced a return of over five per cent, over the last 12 months.

UCA Funds Management's uniting ethical Australian equities trust generated 9.01 per cent, far ahead of Fiducian's ultra-growth fund (6.41 per cent), followed by Morningstar's high growth fund that produced 5.77 per cent.

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Of FE's 165 growth funds, only one fund produced over five per cent, the select growth fund, which generated 11.35 per cent.

FE's growth funds invested a minimum of 60 per cent in equities and had the reminder in fixed interest securities, property, hedge funds and structured products.

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For FE's 114 moderate funds, only four produced a return over five per cent, while Vanguard's wholesale conservative fund claimed first with 6.08 per cent.

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Of FE's cautious funds, only four of the 110 funds produced over five per cent (over the last 12 months), while Allan Gray's Australian opportunity fund produced 8.80 per cent which placed it in first.

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