NEWTON'S director, Connie Fung, recommends two funds as good investments for people looking at long-term savings opportunities. 'If you want to start a savings plan, we don't recommend that you choose a high- risk plan or a single-country fund,' she said. 'You should invest in a global fund with diversified risks, such as the Newton International Portfolio.' This was a basket fund that invested in global bonds, equities and currencies from major world markets. The fund had a volatility of 2.920. This was relatively low compared to other funds which had a volatility rate of four, five and sometimes six. In terms of performance, it was very consistent. Over one year the fund was up 28.98 per cent, over three years it was up 51.71 per cent, and over five years the growth was 82.35, Ms Fung said. 'If you invest in a single- country fund you will see a lot of ups and downs. Therefore, people who want to get a good night's sleep and not worry about the stock market, or those who do not have time to look into the stock market, this fund is ideal,' Ms Fung said. 'I don't think banks can ever offer this kind of interest, even if you have a six-month deposit, I don't think in any way, you could achieve the same performance.' The other fund which Ms Fung recommends is Newton's Continental European Equity Fund which aims at long-term capital growth through investment in securities quoted on major European stock markets, excluding Britain. Emphasis is placed on France, Germany, Holland and Switzerland and Italy, while a small amount is invested in Eastern Europe. The fund had a volatility of 2.755 and had shown a growth rate of 289.4 per cent since its launch in 1988. In this basket of equities, the fund managers diversified the risk for investors, investing in about 10 different stock markets which would give a good long-term result, Ms Fung said. Investors could start with a monthly investment of $3,000 but Ms Fung suggested investors look at their finances carefully to begin with. They should wait at least five to 10 years before seeing a decent return, she said. Newton has no penalties for early withdrawal, allowing investors to start and stop at their choosing and there are no switching charges. Every six months clients receive statements of their portfolio value. 'Once an investor starts a saving plan with us, we automatically offer a discount of 1 per cent off the initial charge which, for an equity fund, is 5.5 per cent. 'This is cheaper than investing a lump sum which has a higher minimum amount. A small investor can enjoy a long-term capital accumulation as well as a generous discount,' Ms Fung said.
