CI announces enhancements to Portfolio Select Series investment program

TSX Symbol: CIX

TORONTO, Sept. 22 /CNW/ - CI Investments Inc. ("CI"), the manager of Portfolio Select Series, announced today that it has made a number of changes to this investment solution to ensure it continues to be positioned to take full advantage of evolving investment opportunities in Canadian and global investment markets.

Portfolio Select Series is a diversified strategic asset allocation program in which the portfolio managers, through their specialized mandates, have the discretion and opportunities to add value using day-to-day tactical actions through stock selection and sector allocation. The program provides a mix of fixed-income and equity investments in nine portfolios, each crafted to meet the needs of Canadian investors for capital preservation, income generation and long-term growth.

The changes include:

    
    -   The addition of expertise from State Street Global Advisors - a world
        leader in asset allocation. CI uses research and recommendations from
        State Street Global Advisors to help create the asset mix of each
        portfolio. With US$1.8 trillion in assets under management, 28
        offices worldwide and more than 2,250 employees, State Street Global
        Advisors is one of the world's largest investment management
        companies.
    -   New asset mixes for each portfolio, which include, for example,
        increased exposure to a growing array of fixed-income and equity
        market opportunities in emerging markets. Each of the portfolios is
        based on four underlying multi-manager, pure-play, institutional-
        style pools, exclusive to Portfolio Select Series.
    -   The launch of a new income fund, Select Income Advantage Managed
        Corporate Class, which provides for income and capital growth though
        a diversified mix of Canadian and foreign government bonds,
        investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds and high-yielding
        dividend stocks. This fund replaces Select Income Managed Corporate
        Class and Select 100i Managed Portfolio Corporate Class, which were
        merged into the new fund following approval by securityholders on
        September 17, 2010.
    

"With these enhancements, Portfolio Select Series will maintain its leadership as a compelling option for investors who require a sophisticated yet straightforward managed investment solution," said Derek J. Green, President of CI Investments.

Portfolio Select Series offers the proven expertise of award-winning portfolio managers such as Signature Global Advisors, Harbour Advisors, Tetrem Capital Management, Cambridge Advisors, Epoch Investment Partners, Altrinsic Global Advisors, and others.

Portfolio Select Series is also distinguished by being part of the CI Corporate Class structure, which provides for superior tax efficiency. Portfolio Select Series, suitable for all account types, is now available to more investors because the minimum initial investment has been reduced to $25,000 from $50,000.

More details on Portfolio Select Series are available through financial advisors, or by visiting the Portfolio Select Series website at www.ci.com/portfolioselect.

CI completes mergers of Artisan Portfolios and Institutional Managed Portfolios

CI, manager of United Financial's Artisan Portfolios and Institutional Managed Portfolios, also announced today that it has completed the merger of these investment products into similar solutions managed by CI Investments. The mergers were approved by securityholders at meetings held on September 17, 2010.

The Artisan Portfolios were merged into Portfolio Series and Institutional Managed Portfolios into Portfolio Select Series, as shown:

    
    Merger of Artisan Portfolios with Portfolio Series
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Terminating fund                     Continuing fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan Most Conservative Portfolio  Portfolio Series Conservative Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan Conservative Portfolio       Portfolio Series Conservative
                                          Balanced Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan Moderate Portfolio           Portfolio Series Balanced Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan Growth Portfolio             Portfolio Series Balanced Growth
                                          Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan High Growth Portfolio        Portfolio Series Growth Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan Maximum Growth Portfolio     Portfolio Series Maximum Growth Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan Canadian T-Bill Portfolio    CI Money Market Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Artisan New Economy Portfolio        Portfolio Series Maximum Growth Fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Merger of Institutional Managed Portfolios with Portfolio Select Series
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Terminating fund                     Continuing fund
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Institutional Managed Income Pool    Select Income Advantage Managed
                                          Corporate Class
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Institutional Managed Canadian       Select Canadian Equity Managed
     Equity Pool                          Corporate Class
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Institutional Managed US Equity Pool Select U.S. Equity Managed Corporate
                                          Class
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Institutional Managed International  Select International Equity Managed
     Equity Pool                          Corporate Class
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

In each merger, the assets of the terminating fund were sold in return for units or shares (as applicable) of the respective continuing CI funds. Each investor received their proportionate number of units or shares of the equivalent market value in the continuing CI funds.

The mergers of Artisan Portfolios and Institutional Managed Portfolios streamline and simplify CI's lineup while putting investors into funds that offer enhanced tax efficiency through CI's Corporate Class structure. At the same time, clients' overall market exposure continues to be consistent with their individual preferences.

Under the United Financial brand name, CI provides a number of investment solutions that are distributed through advisors with Assante Wealth Management.

CI Investments Inc. is one of Canada's largest investment management companies. It offers a broad range of investment products and services, including an industry-leading selection of investment funds, and is on the Web at www.ci.com. CI is a subsidiary of CI Financial Corp. (TSX: CIX), an independent, Canadian-owned wealth management firm with approximately $88.5 billion in fee-earning assets as of August 31, 2010.

For further information: Murray Oxby, Director, Communications, CI Investments, [phone]