The latest news in investment offerings, financial products and other services relevant to wealth advisors and their clients.

Standard Chartered
With gold remaining an important part of investors portfolios, London-headquartered Standard Chartered has launched its ninth sub-fund under its Variable Capital Company (VCC) platform, with Allianz Global Investors as the sub-manager.

The Signature Select Enhanced Gold Income Fund offers investors a combination of gold exposure and enhanced income generation, the firm said in a statement. Through investments in gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and a covered call strategy, the fund aims to deliver regular income while maintaining participation in the long-term appreciation potential of gold. Gold, a well-regarded alternative asset known for its low correlation with traditional asset classes, can help diversify portfolios and provide resilience during periods of geopolitical, monetary and market uncertainty.

A number of investment managers, for example Pictet Asset Management, have been tapping into the yellow metal recently, as investor demand is strengthening and emerging market central banks are continuing to increase reserves.

AllianzGI’s global multi asset team will be responsible for the options selection and the day-to-day management of the portfolio. The fund is available to accredited and professional investors across Standard Chartered’s Priority, Priority Private and Private Banking segments in Hong Kong, Singapore, the UAE, Jersey, Kenya and Nigeria from this month, with Taiwan to follow later this year.

“As clients seek greater diversification amid an increasingly uncertain market environment, the fund provides access to a differentiated strategy that combines gold’s portfolio diversification benefits with enhanced income potential,” Sumeet Bhambri, global head, advisory and managed investments, wealth solutions, Standard Chartered, said. “The launch reflects our commitment to enhancing our wealth platform through strategic partnerships and delivering innovative solutions that support clients on their wealth journey, while reinforcing Standard Chartered’s position as a leading international wealth manager.”

“We believe gold can play an important role as a long-term allocation within a well-diversified portfolio. The fund is designed to participate in gold’s long-term value proposition and generate income through an active options strategy,” Marc Gualandi, head of global banks, Allianz Global Investors, said.

Standard Chartered set up its VCC platform in June 2024 to harness synergies between the industry’s leading fund managers and the bank’s team of global asset class specialists, delivering hard-to-access, custom-curated investment strategies exclusively to the bank’s clients and reinforcing its commitment to enhancing wealth solutions through strategic partnerships.

William Blair Investment Management
William Blair Investment Management (WBIM) has launched the William Blair Emerging Markets Debt Local Currency SICAV Fund in Taiwan, expanding the firm’s fixed income offering in the market. The launch marks WBIM’s fourth SICAV registered in Taiwan, following the earlier registrations of the Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency SICAV Fund, US Small-Mid Cap Growth SICAV Fund, and US Large Cap Growth SICAV Fund.

The new fund underscores WBIM’s long-term commitment to Taiwan and its focus on providing investors with access to differentiated, actively-managed investment strategies. As a global investment management partnership, WBIM works closely with private and public pension funds, insurance companies, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, fund-of-funds managers, and financial advisors around the world.

The William Blair Emerging Markets Debt Local Currency SICAV Fund aims to deliver risk-adjusted returns through investments in local currencies and local interest rates across emerging markets. The strategy combines top-down macroeconomic analysis with bottom-up country and security selection, using the expertise of an emerging markets debt team with investment professionals located across Boston, London, The Hague, and Singapore.

“We consider that emerging markets local currency debt remains one of the most compelling yet underappreciated segments of the global fixed income market,” said Lih-Yann Tan, CEO of William Blair International (Singapore) Pte and head of Asian distribution for WBIM. “Many emerging market economies today are supported by stronger policy frameworks, attractive real interest rates, and favourable long-term growth prospects. We believe the combination of compelling real yields, diversification benefits, and improving fundamentals makes the asset class an attractive opportunity for long-term investors.”

The fund is managed by Marcelo Assalin, partner and head of Emerging Markets Debt, and Lewis Jones, local currency portfolio manager on William Blair’s Emerging Markets Debt team. The broader team comprises experienced portfolio managers and investment specialists across sovereign debt, local rates, currencies, and corporate credit. The team manages about $1.2 billion across emerging markets debt strategies.

Like a number of investment managers, such as Switzerland's Union Bancaire Privée, William Blair emerging markets debt team believes the outlook for emerging markets local currency debt remains constructive, supported by favourable technical conditions, and attractive opportunities for selective active investors.