HSBC assures punters recovery around the corner

HSBC Asset Management is not alone among fund managers in seeing gold in pushing unit trusts structured with capital guarantees to Hong Kong investors, but it may be one of the most successful. Two months ago one such fund raised $651 million. Now the firm is cranking out another, the Asian Recovery Capital Guaranteed Fund, which will be sold through its local commercial bank distribution network until 20 July.

This new product comes with a few twists, explains June Wong, director and head of business development. Eschewing front loads or redemption fees, the fund carries a straight (if high) 1.5% annual management fee and is ‘floored’ at a zero return -- so that returns in any negative quarter is treated as zero instead, boosting the average rate of return for the investor. But of course, only a portion of the assets go into the underlying and bullish recovery play.