Navigating through turbulent times

We’re continually reminded to focus on the long term investment horizon, but what can be done now to alleviate some of the pain associated with the current financial crisis? Senior Portfolio Strategist Phil Graham looks at some of the things that Mercer’s investment team has done to navigate through these turbulent times.

 Read In the Loop (online Mercer Multi-Manager Fund investors’ version*) or download the latest MMF Quarterly Report

*For the Mercer Super Trust investors’ version, please download the MSIT Quarterly Report

Annual unit pricing suspension period

Following the end of every financial year, it is necessary to suspend daily unit pricing while distribution rates and tax components are finalised. This is a normal and regular part of the annual unit pricing administration cycle. Although daily unit prices are not available during this period, application and redemption instructions continue to be accepted, but they cannot be confirmed until daily unit pricing resumes. This year, the daily unit price suspension period begins on 1 July 2009. Daily unit pricing is expected to resume from 31 July 2009. 

 For more information, refer to Latest news.

Please note that during this period only the 30 June 2009 unit prices will be shown on the Unit prices page.

Only Mercer Multi-Manager Funds come ‘Highly Recommended’ in 2009

Mercer is the only multi-manager to receive a ‘Highly Recommended’ rating from independent research house Lonsec in 2009. We now stand alone as the only ‘Highly Recommended’ in the multi-manager space. The ‘Highly Recommended’ rating is only granted where Lonsec “has high conviction that the fund or product can achieve its objectives and, if applicable, outperform peers over an appropriate investment timeframe. “Mercer has a competitive advantage when it comes to portfolio construction,” according to Lonsec. In its latest Fund Review of the Mercer Multi-Manager Funds, Lonsec states that: “Mercer has a preference for high conviction strategies and aims to avoid over-engineering portfolios by focusing only on those managers where they hold the highest conviction. Mercer has shown a preparedness to back new strategies early and identify the ‘next generation’ managers.”

Meanwhile, in Chant West‘s latest rating of multi-managers, Mercer has received the highest overall rating possible (i.e. ‘5 Apples’).*

 Read more

*This is an overall rating awarded by Chant West and different ratings may have been awarded to individual products.