martin
currie
8 December 2009

Martin Currie adds hedged share classes to its popular Japan funds
Martin Currie adds yen-hedged share classes to its Japan Core and Japan Alpha funds to meet demands of institutional investors.

In response to growing demand from institutional clients, Martin Currie will be introducing yen-hedged share classes to its Japan Core and Japan Alpha funds. The hedged share classes will not only allow clients to mitigate currency impact from their investments but also to express any strong currency views by switching between share classes without having to realise the investment or incur any capital gains tax liability. In September Martin Currie launched dollar-hedged share classes to its North American funds.

Martin Currie has had a significant commitment to Japan for many decades, and has established an enviable reputation in the UK for managing Japanese equities. Their Japan team has 72 years of combined experience of investing in Japan and currently manage £604 million in Japanese equities for clients globally.


Commenting on the launch, Director of product development at Martin Currie, Toby Hogbin said:





"We're delighted to be adding the hedged share classes to protect clients worried about currency fluctuations. The new share classes will hedge yen exposure back into sterling, shielding investors from any weakening in the yen while allowing access to Japanese equities. Clients can either select the new share class with the yen currency risk removed, or invest in the unhedged share class if they anticipate depreciation in sterling against the yen. It's great to be able to offer investors the choice".


Keith Donaldson, head of the Japan team at Martin Currie, said:



"Recent volatility in the currency market has flagged the sensitivity of single currency funds to fluctuations in the relative value of sterling against the invested asset currency. When sterling is weakening relative to the underlying currency, this serves to add a currency benefit to fund returns and similarly a strengthening of sterling is to the detriment of fund performance in sterling terms.





"We believe that Japan is a market that no equity investor can afford to ignore. Its stockmarket is the second largest in the world - and one of the most liquid. Japan has a great number of globally dominant companies which have healthy balance sheets, high global market share and strong brand recognition."


For further information please contact:
Amy Fisher - afisher@martincurrie.com
Tel: +44 (0)131 229 5252
Mobile: +44 (0)7825 971 421