Amundi expands retail, ESG offerings in Singapore with launch of flagship funds

EUROPEAN asset manager Amundi has launched three flagship funds for retail investors in Singapore. All three funds hold either four or five-star Morningstar ratings as at Jan 31, 2021.

In a press statement on Tuesday, Amundi said its expanded offering strengthens its core expertise in the city-state while also "meeting the evolving needs of investors amid an uncertain market environment".

Among the three funds is the Amundi Funds Pioneer US Bond, which invests mainly in a wide range of USD-denominated investment-grade bonds. This multi-sector fixed income fund has a four-star Morningstar rating and aims to achieve competitive returns without excessive additional volatility.

The other two flagship funds - Amundi Funds Polen Capital Global Growth and the KBI Global Sustainable Infrastructure Fund - actively integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations in the portfolio evaluation process.

Global equity fund Amundi Funds Polen Capital Global Growth has a high-conviction portfolio comprising companies that include businesses with sustainable competitive advantages. Beyond its four-star Morningstar rating, the fund also has a five-globe Morningstar sustainability rating. This ranking allows investors to understand how the companies in their portfolios are managing their ESG risks relative to their peers, said Amundi in its press statement.

The five-star Morningstar-rated KBI Global Sustainable Infrastructure Fund is also a global equity fund. It focuses on infrastructure companies with diverse exposure to water and clean energy infrastructure, food storage and transportation and farmland. According to Amundi, more than 80 per cent of revenue from this fund directly supports the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

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"The path to recovery in 2021 will be an uneven one, with the virus cycle dictating the sequence. Against this backdrop of low rates, low growth and low inflation, the flagship offering can provide investors exposure to opportunities for diversification, quality value and post-Covid ESG themes," noted Vincent Mortier, deputy chief investment officer and Asia ex-Japan supervisor at Amundi.

Eric Bramoullé, Amundi's chief executive officer of South Asia, said: "By bringing in these impactful investment solutions, Amundi shows its commitment to provide investors access to growth and sustainable investment opportunities to address the needs of tomorrow."