The medium growth superannuation fund (61 to 80 per cent growth assets) gained 1.5 per cent over the September quarter thanks to the listed shares market driving growth, according to Chant West.
Chant West’s latest report found that Australian shares provided a 0.8 per cent return for the quarter and international shares four per cent on a hedged basis. However, the appreciation of the Australian dollar to US$0.78 reduced this to 2.5 per cent in unhedged terms.
Chant West director, Warren Chant, said While most of the major listed markets had share prices that moved higher in recent months, Australia had been slower than most in the upward trend. He said the other main laggard was the UK, still beset by Brexit’s uncertain ramifications.
The medium growth fund returned 9.1 per cent over the year to 30 September 2017, 9.7 over five years, and 4.9 per cent over 10 years.
The report also found that industry funds outperformed retail funds in September at one per cent compared to 0.7 per cent.
Super funds had a “tremendous month” in November, according to new data.
Australia faces a decade of deficits, with the sum of deficits over the next four years expected to overshoot forecasts by $21.8 billion.
APRA has raised an alarm about gaps in how superannuation trustees are managing the risks associated with unlisted assets, after releasing the findings of its latest review.
Compared to how funds were allocated to March this year, industry super funds have slightly decreased their allocation to infrastructure in the six months to September – dropping from 11 per cent to 10.6 per cent, according to the latest APRA data.