BMO Investments Inc. To Launch Six New Funds
New offering includes a diversified mix of income, U.S. dollar and global tax advantage funds
BMO Investments Inc. today announced it will launch six
new mutual funds and a currency option on an existing fund, available
October 12, 2004. The new selection will bring added income, currency
diversification and global reach, particularly into China, to Canadian
retail investors.
"Many investors
today are looking for the right mix of fund products that offer both geographic
and currency diversification, along with a strong income component,"
said Ed Legzdins, President and CEO, BMO Investments Inc. "In order
to meet these changing needs, BMO Investments has created a more extensive
and complete mix of mutual fund products."
BMO Investments has
selected some of the most respected fund management firms in the industry
to manage the funds, including UBS Global Asset Management (Canada) Co.,
Jones Heward Investment Counsel Inc. and Asian specialist, Martin Currie
Inc.
"We took great
care to ensure we matched this new line-up of mutual funds with outstanding
firms that demonstrated strong track records and consistent results,"
said Legzdins.
Overview of New Funds
Income Products:
BMO Global Monthly Income Fund and BMO U.S. Dollar Monthly Income Fund
In addition to the existing BMO Monthly Income Fund, one of the industry's
top selling mutual funds, these two newcomers will provide a complementary
income-generating solution to non-registered portfolios, including:
- exposure to global
and U.S. equities and bonds
- consistent stream
of income each month
- geographic and
currency diversification.
The BMO Global
Monthly Income Fund provides investors with a globally diversified
portfolio with a fixed monthly cash flow. The BMO U.S. Dollar Monthly
Income Fund offers investors, such as snowbirds or frequent travellers
to the U.S, the benefit of U.S. dollar-based income along with the some
capital appreciation potential.
These broadly diversified
funds will be managed by UBS Global Asset Management (Canada) Co., part
of UBS Global Asset Management. UBS brings a track record of more than
20 years of global, long-term fundamental research experience to these
new funds.
Currency Product:
BMO U.S. Value Fund (U.S. $)
BMO U.S. Value Fund (U.S.$) is a new currency option on the firm's
existing BMO U.S. Value Fund. The new currency option will provide investors
with an actively managed U.S. equity investment in U.S. dollars. The BMO
U.S. Value Fund focuses on stable large-cap stocks that may be undervalued
by the marketplace. Coupled with BMO Investments' four existing U.S. Dollar
Funds, investors can establish a diversified U.S. non-registered portfolio.
Donald Coxe is Chairman
and Chief Strategist of Harris Investment Management, and Chairman of
Jones Heward Investments Inc. With more than 27 years of investment management
experience, Mr. Coxe manages the BMO U.S. Value Fund.
Tax Advantage Funds:
BMO Canadian Equity Class, BMO U.S. Equity Class, BMO Dividend Class and
BMO Greater China Class
These new funds will offer investors the opportunity to defer tax when
switching between funds within the tax advantage family and will provide
access to the core tax-advantaged funds needed to build a tax-efficient,
non-registered portfolio.
BMO Greater China
Class capitalizes on an economy and market that is second only to
the United States and expanding at more than eight per cent a year. It
will focus on long-term capital growth by investing primarily in companies
that operate in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and
companies that benefit from exposure to the region. Fund management firm,
Martin Currie Inc., has more than 100 years of investment management experience
and a strong track record across China and the rest of Asia.
BMO Canadian Equity
Class and BMO Dividend Class will be managed by Jones Heward
Investment Counsel's Chief Investment Officer, Michael Stanley, who has
more than 25 years of industry experience and has been the long time fund
manager of the BMO Equity Fund and BMO Dividend Fund.
BMO U.S. Equity
Class, which provides a fundamental U.S. equity element to the corporate
class structure, will be managed by John Leonard, UBS Global Asset Management
(Canada) Co.'s Head of North American Equities and Head of Equities.
With the addition
of these new funds, BMO Investments now offers forty mutual funds covering
a broad spectrum of asset classes, sectors, geographic regions and management
styles.
BMO Investments Inc.
is a member of BMO Financial Group and part of the organization's Private
Client Group. The Private Client Group provides integrated wealth management
services in Canada and the United States and has total assets under management
and administration and term investments of $283 billion at July 31, 2004.
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