News
Canada Life fund performance outperforms the markets in 2009
Issue Date: 27th January 2010
Recent investment performance figures show that several of Canada Life’s investment funds outperformed their respective benchmarks in 2009*.
Canada Life’s flagship fund, the Canada Life/ Setanta Global Equity Fund, outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI World Index, this year by 4.6% with a return of 30.5%.
Commenting on this result, Michael Hayes, Investment Development Manager, said:
‘The Canada Life/ Setanta Global Equity Fund has a long history of outstanding performance and has beaten its benchmark every year since inception in 2001. Setanta has a strong conviction in value and quality investing, a diligent investment process and conducts its own fundamental research. This generates an in depth understanding of the companies and the sectors in which it operates, which benefits investors in the Canada Life/ Setanta Funds.’
The out-performance was not confined to one fund, further highlighting Setanta’s excellent stock picking track record. The Canada Life/ Setanta Focus 15 Fund, a concentrated stock portfolio, posted a return of 43.4% and the Canada Life/ Setanta European Equity Fund, a return of 33.5%.
In the domestic market, the Canada Life/ Setanta Irish Equity Fund had a return of 55.2%, and the Canada Life/ Pension Managed Fund, a return of 22.9%.
Michael Hayes added:
‘Up to the latter part of 2009, sales of deposits, cash and fixed interest funds far outstripped other asset classes. With interest rates at historically low levels and looking to remain so for quite a while, investors are increasingly looking for better returns for their money. The rebound in markets over the last nine months has helped investor confidence and the flow of money into other asset classes, particularly equities looks likely to continue this year.’
| Canada Life Fund | Benchmark | Fund Performance '09 | Benchmark Performance '09 | Canada Life's Out-performance |
| Canada Life/Setanta Global Equity Fund | MSCI World Index | +30.5% | +25.9% | +4.6% |
| Canada Life/Setanta Irish Equity Fund | ISEQ** | +55.2% | +29.9% | +25.3% |
| Canada Life/Setanta Pension Managed Fund | Mercer Managed Fund Average | +22.9% | +21.1% | +1.8% |
| Canada Life/ Setanta European Equity Fund | MSCI Europe | +33.5% | +31.6% | +1.9% |
For more information on Canada Life's fund performance, please visit www.canadalife.ie
A leading provider of Life, Pension and Investments, we have been serving the financial planning needs of our clients for over 100 years in Ireland. Our strength lies in our consistently high financial ratings from independent ratings agencies, including an AA*** rating from Standard & Poor's. Our parent is Great-West Life, one of the worlds leading Life Assurance companies, making us one of the largest and strongest Life & Pension companies operating in the Irish market today.
*Performance Source: Pension Fund performance, Moneymate, Mercer Pooled Group Pension Managed Fund Survey. Fund performance for the calendar year 2009. These performance figures are net of management fees. The figures for the Canada Life/ Setanta European Equity Fund are for the life version of this fund and are also net of management fees.
** The Canada Life/ Setanta Irish Equity Fund is an actively managed fund investing in Irish equities, the fund is a stock picking fund and does not attempt to replicate the performance of the ISEQ benchmark.
***The financial rating shown for The Canada Life Assurance Company is provided by Standard & Poor's. Standard & Poor's is a ratings agency which provides ratings on the financial strength of companies.
Warning: The value of your investment may go down as well as up. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future performance. The Canada Life Assurance Company and Canada Life Assurance (Ireland) Limited are regulated by the financial regulator.
