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News Release from: Gartmore | Subject: Investment Funds
Edited by the Insidemoneytalk Editorial
Team on 10 December 2007
Gartmore News in Brief
Rush for Coal to Satisfy Rising Energy Demand in Asia
While the US economy slows, both China and India posted GDP growth rates in excess of 8.5% in the third quarter As a result, energy demand is increasing sharply
This article was originally published on Insidemoneytalk on 25 Oct 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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The situation has prompted India to announce $2.6bn of strategic investment to ensure coal supplies for its steel and power industries.
"The inability of traditional suppliers, such as Australia, to respond to demand with increased production due to infrastructure and transport bottlenecks has dramatically changed the outlook for thermal coal prices in Asia", according to Charlie Awdry, Manager of Gartmore's China Opportunities Fund.
"We have positions in place across our Global Emerging Markets and China Opportunities Funds which have made significant positive contributions this year.
We believe their outlook remains strong given the structural shift in the industry." Gartmore';s portfolios contain overweights relative to the benchmark[1] in coal producers such as China Shenhua Energy, Thai producer Banpu and China Coal Energy.
Telecoms Turning a Corner: Punishing rude awakenings brought on by this summer's financial crisis have led investors to seek refuge in defensive sectors, amongst other strategies, in a bid to reduce the volume of risk, volatility and cyclicality within their portfolios.
The European telecoms and pharmaceuticals sectors, perceived as defensive by nature, have underperformed over the past couple of years largely due to various structural concerns within their respective sectors.
But as the latter remains entangled in issues ranging from pipeline paucity to patent expiry, Roger Guy and Guillaume Rambourg, co managers of the Gartmore European Selected Opportunities Fund and the Gartmore SICAV Continental European Fund argue that it may be time for investors to re-evaluate their stance towards telecoms.
"After a very long and painful cycle of earnings downgrades for the sector, it seems that an inflexion point has been reached, and some players (Telefonica, France Telecom, Deutsche Telekom) have even surprised positively in the last few weeks.
If it is confirmed that a robust earnings upgrade cycle is at hand, we may well see a proper re-rating of the telecom sector over the next few quarter." The Gartmore European Selected Opportunities Fund and the Gartmore SICAV Continental European Fund have delivered first quartile returns over the month and over the quarter.
The Funds are also ranked in the first quartile over 2, 3 ,10 years and since inception[2].
Both Funds hold an overweight position in Deutsche Telekom relative to the benchmark[3], a positive contributor to performance over the month.
[1] Gartmore China Opportunities Fund Benchmark: MSCI Zhong Hua Index.
[2] For the Gartmore European Selected Opportunities Fund - Source: Lipper.
Basis: Mid to mid, net income reinvested and net of fees as at 30 November 2007.
Inception date September 1984.
For the Gartmore SICAV Continental European Fund - Source: Lipper.
Basis: Mid to mid, gross income reinvested and net of fees as at 30 November 2007.
Inception date September 2000.
[3] Gartmore European Selected Opportunities Fund Benchmark: FTSE Europe ex UK Index.
Gartmore SICAV Continental European Fund Benchmark: MSCI Europe ex UK Index.
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