A super start for the new year

20 August 2013
| By Staff |
image
image
expand image

The median growth fund is over 14 per cent better off than before the global financial crisis, even though Australian shares are still 4.6 per cent behind their October 2007 levels and international shares are only slightly in front, according to Chant West. 

Director Warren Chant said it was an important reminder that the typical growth fund does not just depend on shares for performance.  

However, sharemarket performance supported good results in July following a 5.3 per cent surge in Australian shares, and a 4.7 per cent increase on international shares hedged and 7.4 per cent unhedged. 

High allocations to listed shares and property saw master trusts outperform industry funds for the month of July and also for the year. 

Master trusts returned 3.2 per cent in July while industry funds returned 2.9 per cent, averaging out at 3.1 per cent across the industry. Trusts also returned 18.8 per cent versus 17.8 per cent for industry funds on a one-year basis. 

Industry funds continued to outperform over the longer term, however, returning an annualised 7.8 per cent to master trusts and 6.5 per cent over 10 years. 

Chant said industry funds did better when listed markets were flat or in decline, while the opposite was true of master trusts - a pattern that would continue as long as differences in asset allocations were so pronounced. 

Chant said share market performance was due to positive economic data coming from the US, with news the Federal Reserve’s bond purchasing program would continue. Additionally, Europe’s apparent emergence from recession, the realisation of growth expectations in China and further interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank in Australia all impacted on super fund performance.

Read more about:

AUTHOR

Recommended for you

sub-bgsidebar subscription

Never miss the latest developments in Super Review! Anytime, Anywhere!

Grant Banner

From my perspective, 40- 50% of people are likely going to be deeply unhappy about how long they actually live. ...

1 year ago
Kevin Gorman

Super director remuneration ...

1 year ago
Anthony Asher

No doubt true, but most of it is still because over 45’s have been upgrading their houses with 30 year mortgages. Money ...

1 year ago

The future of superannuation policy remains uncertain, with further reforms potentially on the horizon as the Albanese government seeks to curb the use of superannuation ...

11 hours ago

Super funds had a “tremendous month” in November, according to new data....

4 days 10 hours ago

Australia faces a decade of deficits, with the sum of deficits over the next four years expected to overshoot forecasts by $21.8 billion....

4 days 15 hours ago