LOOKING FOR GOOD NZ & AUST BASED FUND MANAGER

[GBPNZDBASISTRADER]

Hi there... I am looking to put some money with a NZ or Australian based fund, but.. i refuse to put my money with some turkey who has his main interest being to ensure he sticks close to index or ensure he doesnt have portfolio position such that he wont be too far out of line with index. I am looking for someone who wants to achieve -absolute returns- for the investor... ie; actually managing it, rather than just accumulating it.. I have no time for someone who charges you for managing your money, then parks it against index, loses some of it, then justifies the losses by saying the index lost money as well -- or even worse ' we are legends because the index lost 10% and we only lost 9%'. I want a proper fund manager who has a set of nuts... If anyone knows of any funds that have a goal of achieving absolute returns i would be interested to hear....
cheers

[OldRider]

Not a recommendation, tell me of an "absolute return" manager that has hit his target, but might fit your specification -
http://www.pmcapital.com.au/home.asp

Look at Colonial First State geared share fund

[kittydashwood]

Advertise for a freelancer, offer a commission only deal based on return. Plenty of good students out there..

[Lizard]

Has to have a set of nuts? I guess that eliminates us XX types then... hasn't he heard women make the best investors?

[whiteheron]

Take a look at www.platinum.com.au

I have funds invested via them although generally I do most of my own investing

They look to produce long term growth and so far they have been pretty successful and I am happy with them
Fund values are quoted daily and everything is pretty transparent
Their website will give you lots of info on their operations and performance
There is a minimum investment in any fund --- currently A $ 20,000 I think

Certainly worth consideration , but do your own investigating , dont take my word for it

[GBPNZDBASISTRADER]

Thanks Whiteheron.. I have actually heard and read about platinum and will probably end up going thru them but just wanted to see if there were any others out there.. so i can do some comparatives etc..
Old Rider; Check out Platinum's returns. They make the traditional fund managers look like complete novices, and with Platinum funds having returns around 20%, i am guessing they probably are hitting their targets! Far better than the bollocks being served up by the fund managers half the ma's and pa's in NZ have their hard earned savings with.
Lizard; Apologies.. figure of speech. and no.. i hadnt heard .. nor seen any proof that women make the best investors.. Maybe i should tell the bosses where i work that.. because there are probably only 80-100 females vs about 1000 males traders here... perhaps we have the mix all wrong. Or......?

[Lizard]

Just stirring. Should have been a ;) in there...

Had just come across a book being promoted on a web-site, that, among other things, said "women make better traders". Last year we had the newspaper articles saying having a "female CEO was associated with a 35% improvement in profits and ROE over competitors". Suspect it is probably just a quality vs quantity relationship.

Kingfish (Fisher funds) could be a possibility. At least Carmel Fisher gets regular doses of our taxes to invest in the shares she likes which should be good for the prices....

Actually, why do you want to put money into NZ and Aust right now? Don't you think things look a bit risky on the currency front at existing levels?

[OldRider]

GBP: Platinum have been very good, but have not to my memory, targeted absolute returns,in fact their returns have been quite variable, they do use short-selling and other instruments as part of their method,so in a way work like a hedge fund.

They have lost their tax advantages for NZ holders recently, their listed investment company PMC could be a choice if you like them, it has shown a slightly higher return then the unit trust structure, and has other advantages that might enhance net returns.

For my money in recent times RCP on the London SX
has produced good returns, take a look at their charts and compare.

[Lawso]

Whakatane sharebroker Brent Sheather, who seems to be one of the better ones, though I've never dealt with him, has a worthwhile article in today's NZHerald about NZX's TENZ fund. It has performed well and has very low management fees but is seldom recommended by brokers etc, one possible reason being that it doesn't pay trailing commissions or offer other inducements (bribes?). You can read the article on www.nzherald.co.nz

[GBPNZDBASISTRADER]

Thanks guys, that will hopefully give me something to start with to have a look at. I agree Lizard, that ccy wise things are hardly conjusive to moving money into NZD from other ccys, but I like the Aud ag NZD on the cross at these levels..which is where the $ is currently parked (NZD). And for what its worth I am not entirely convinced the big dollar has finished its slide so can still see room for upside in NZD. Offshore investors still chasing yields which should see NZD relatively well supported, though big danger lies with accounts that have huge carry trades on, and when they start to unwind there is potential for a nasty correction..
OldRider; Cant find RCP anywhere, what does it stand for please?

[OldRider]

RIT Capital Parners PLC

Use this link then search for RCP

http://focus.comdirect.co.uk/en/ourservices/index.html

[whiteheron]

GBPNZD-----------

RIT Capital Partners are certainly worth consideration
I have a relatively small investment in them and it has done very well
They are listed on the London Stock Exchange under ticker code RCP

As a matter of interest I would keep away from Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust --- my experience with them has not been good , in three years price still below what I paid and dividends pitiful

[whiteheron]

GBBNZD-----------

JP Morgan European Fleming Fund is also worth a look
I have a relatively small investment in this one as well and it has shown excellent returns since I took up my investment a couple of years ago

Ticker code on the London Exchange is JFF

The problem with these types of funds is that past performance is not necessarily a reliable guide to future performance , sometimes funds that have performed badly in the past will perform well in the future and vice versa
( come to think of it this applies to all investments of course )

I have hung on to F & C Investment Trust on this theory but must admit that it looks like a boxer who has been knocked to the canvas and is really struggling to get up again --- maybe it is just too large and cumbersome to produce even average results
I am getting fed up with it and dont propose to give it too much longer before cutting my losses on it and moving on

[GBPNZDBASISTRADER]

Whiteheron.. found RCP, thanks.. but, well.. the a*se fell out of them today by the looks.. got creamed from the opening bell and fell thru (and closed below) all sorts of trendlines and MA's.
... think i will just monitor that one for now!!

[whiteheron]

GBPNZD-----------

Yes , quite a hammering for RCP and red all over the place on almost all markets

I am not promoting any particular investment but just providing a few of what I think to be better than average options based on my experience , taking into account that there are a myriad of funds out there the vast majotity of which I have never heard of

When things look grim is obviously the best time to buy , but picking the low point is the hard bit

Good luck