€668.5 million invested in VFM funds
Since its inception in 1995, Valletta Fund Management Limited (VFM) has been very active in its strategy to be Malta's leading provider of a comprehensive range of investment funds. Today, Valletta Fund Management offers investors a vast range of funds...
Since its inception in 1995, Valletta Fund Management Limited (VFM) has been very active in its strategy to be Malta's leading provider of a comprehensive range of investment funds. Today, Valletta Fund Management offers investors a vast range of funds and multi-manager funds which invest across all asset classes to include money market, bonds, equity, property, commodities and absolute return funds. These funds, available in the major currencies, invest both in the local and in the international markets and have different risk profiles to meet the investment requirements of all types of investors.
Speaking about the VFM Funds, Peter Perotti, VFM's general manager, said: "Our investment solutions are already extremely popular with investors with over €668.5 million invested across these funds as at May 31. At VFM we undertake ongoing research to assess the needs of our clients and the opportunities and trends emerging within different investment markets. By combining the local market knowledge and international expertise of our shareholders Bank of Valletta plc and Insight Investment Management (Global) Limited, we aim to maintain expertise across the key asset classes to offer clients the best of traditional and new investment approaches. With this in mind, we will in future be launching innovative investment solutions aimed at meeting the investment objective of our clients, whatever market challenges they face."
An important milestone for VFM was the attainment of UCITS certification for the Vilhena Funds SICAV plc on July 6, 2007. Apart from the fact that this certification gives greater investment opportunities to the Vilhena Funds, these funds have since qualified to be freely passportable within EU member states. The UCITS Directive was introduced to allow funds authorised by the regulator in any EU member state to be available and sold to customers elsewhere in the EU without requiring further authorisation, thereby attaining the goal of setting a single market for financial services in Europe.
Mr Perotti said: "We recognise the potential of the European market and believe that we offer a number of interesting and specialist products such as the Mediterranean Rim Fund which could fit in the portfolio of EU residents. Moreover, we will be studying the possibility of introducing a number of niche products which could be promoted in selected EU countries."
An important step was taken earlier this month when shareholders of the La Valette Mediterranean Rim Fund resolved to migrate this fund to the Vilhena Funds SICAV plc as from July 1, thereby making it possible for the Mediterranean Rim Fund to be promoted across Europe. Mr Perotti said: "We believe this to be a very important step and we are confident that the Vilhena Mediterranean Rim Fund can be actively promoted across Europe in view of its unique positioning in terms of its investment objective and geographical allocation. Moreover, past performance of the fund since the launch has been extremely encouraging with an annualised return of 11.53 per cent from launch to May 31."
VFM believes that one of the most important aspects of investing long- term is resisting the temptation to make changes to one's portfolio as a reaction to short-term market shifts. It can be tempting during periods of uncertainty or when markets are underperforming to delay making new investments or to sell current holdings. But if the investor's personal circumstances and goals are unaltered and with a medium-to- long-term investment view, VFM encourages investors not to take hasty decisions when the direction of the market is unclear because fund managers would already have adjusted the underlying assets in view of market conditions. It is important for investors to discuss their financial portfolio with their licensed advisor before taking any investment decisions.
Recognising investors' concerns during the current turbulent financial markets earlier this year VFM launched a capital guaranteed product investing in commodities. Mr Perotti added: "Recent research shows that the agricultural commodities sector is undervalued and has considerable growth potential owing to demand for 'western' products as in the case of coffee, in emerging market countries such as China and India. The general response from investors has by far exceeded our expectations. The success of this fund confirms that the launch was well timed to offer an encouraging alternative in today's turbulent financial markets. The successful take-up of this fund also confirms that investors have understood the concept of exposure to commodities as an alternative asset class which offers positive investment diversification to an existing portfolio. In the coming weeks VFM will be launching another capital-guaranteed product linked to a sector which offers product vast growth potential and gives investors added diversification benefits."
Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance and the annualised return may go down as well as up and is not guaranteed.
Speaking about the VFM Funds, Peter Perotti, VFM's general manager, said: "Our investment solutions are already extremely popular with investors with over €668.5 million invested across these funds as at May 31. At VFM we undertake ongoing research to assess the needs of our clients and the opportunities and trends emerging within different investment markets. By combining the local market knowledge and international expertise of our shareholders Bank of Valletta plc and Insight Investment Management (Global) Limited, we aim to maintain expertise across the key asset classes to offer clients the best of traditional and new investment approaches. With this in mind, we will in future be launching innovative investment solutions aimed at meeting the investment objective of our clients, whatever market challenges they face."
An important milestone for VFM was the attainment of UCITS certification for the Vilhena Funds SICAV plc on July 6, 2007. Apart from the fact that this certification gives greater investment opportunities to the Vilhena Funds, these funds have since qualified to be freely passportable within EU member states. The UCITS Directive was introduced to allow funds authorised by the regulator in any EU member state to be available and sold to customers elsewhere in the EU without requiring further authorisation, thereby attaining the goal of setting a single market for financial services in Europe.
Mr Perotti said: "We recognise the potential of the European market and believe that we offer a number of interesting and specialist products such as the Mediterranean Rim Fund which could fit in the portfolio of EU residents. Moreover, we will be studying the possibility of introducing a number of niche products which could be promoted in selected EU countries."
An important step was taken earlier this month when shareholders of the La Valette Mediterranean Rim Fund resolved to migrate this fund to the Vilhena Funds SICAV plc as from July 1, thereby making it possible for the Mediterranean Rim Fund to be promoted across Europe. Mr Perotti said: "We believe this to be a very important step and we are confident that the Vilhena Mediterranean Rim Fund can be actively promoted across Europe in view of its unique positioning in terms of its investment objective and geographical allocation. Moreover, past performance of the fund since the launch has been extremely encouraging with an annualised return of 11.53 per cent from launch to May 31."
VFM believes that one of the most important aspects of investing long- term is resisting the temptation to make changes to one's portfolio as a reaction to short-term market shifts. It can be tempting during periods of uncertainty or when markets are underperforming to delay making new investments or to sell current holdings. But if the investor's personal circumstances and goals are unaltered and with a medium-to- long-term investment view, VFM encourages investors not to take hasty decisions when the direction of the market is unclear because fund managers would already have adjusted the underlying assets in view of market conditions. It is important for investors to discuss their financial portfolio with their licensed advisor before taking any investment decisions.
Recognising investors' concerns during the current turbulent financial markets earlier this year VFM launched a capital guaranteed product investing in commodities. Mr Perotti added: "Recent research shows that the agricultural commodities sector is undervalued and has considerable growth potential owing to demand for 'western' products as in the case of coffee, in emerging market countries such as China and India. The general response from investors has by far exceeded our expectations. The success of this fund confirms that the launch was well timed to offer an encouraging alternative in today's turbulent financial markets. The successful take-up of this fund also confirms that investors have understood the concept of exposure to commodities as an alternative asset class which offers positive investment diversification to an existing portfolio. In the coming weeks VFM will be launching another capital-guaranteed product linked to a sector which offers product vast growth potential and gives investors added diversification benefits."
Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance and the annualised return may go down as well as up and is not guaranteed.