Perpetual launches ethical fund
Perpetual has launched the Perpetual Ethical SRI Credit Fund in response to investor demand for a diversified portfolio of ethical, socially responsible fixed-income assets.
Perpetual’s head of fixed income, Vivek Prabhu, said it would be one of the first floating rate credit funds in Australia combining both a social responsibility lens and investment performance.
“This fund will appeal to investors with strict social and ethical considerations, including not for profit organisations. It complements our strong heritage and track record in ethical, socially responsible investments,” he said.
The fund would leverage the key strengths and experience of Perpetual’s credit and fixed income team and would invest in high-quality debt securities that have passed through an ethical and socially responsible investment screening process.
“With interest rates bottoming out in Australia, the timing of the fund’s launch means investors are poised to benefit from rising interest rates as the assets are not locked into a fixed interest rate,” Prabhu said.
Perpetual said the fund would appeal to investors seeking: regular income, low capital volatility and liquidity, as well as a portfolio of ethical and socially responsible floating rate bonds.
Recommended for you
In the latest Meet the Manager profile, Money Management speaks with Michael Skinner, founder and managing director at Blackwattle Investment Partners.
Perpetual has seen AUM rise 6 per cent in the last quarter but the departure of a longstanding JOHCM fund manager led to outflows of $2.2 billion from his strategy.
Global fixed income fund Bentham Global Opportunities has been added to several major platforms, enabling it to be accessed more easily by financial advisers.
Following yesterday’s news about First Sentier Investors closing four investment teams, a second global asset manager has announced it is closing its only dedicated Australian fund.
