Manulife IM launches ASEAN UITF

MANULIFE INVESTMENT Management and Trust Corp. (Manulife IM Philippines) on Wednesday launched an Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) unit investment trust fund (UITF) that will invest 70% of its net assets in equity-related securities of listed companies in the region.

The UITF, called the Manulife ASEAN Equity Feeder Fund, provides access to investment opportunities in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, for a minimum amount of P1,000 or $100, Manulife IM said in a statement on Wednesday.

The ASEAN Equity Feeder Fund will use “on-the-ground resources to uncover inefficiencies between company fundamentals and market perception,” it said.

“Our equity UITFs are suitable for aggressive investors looking to capture the long-term capital growth potential of professionally selected companies across the world,” Manulife IM Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Aira Gaspar said.

Interested investors may open a UITF account online through Manulife’s digital investment platform iFUNDS, contact a Manulife Wealth Specialist, or visit manulifeim.com.ph.

“Through the Manulife ASEAN Equity Feeder Fund, we’re bringing to investors easy access to ASEAN’s robust growth potential, driven by its growing working population, the digitalization of its resilient economy, and its evolving tourism story,” Ms. Gaspar said.

Manulife IM Philippines’ parent company Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. recorded a premium income of P4.07 billion in the first quarter, data from the Insurance Commission showed. — AMCS