Standard Life Mutual Funds offers Canadian investors access to emerging markets with two new funds

MONTREAL, May 26, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Standard Life Mutual Funds (SLMF) launched today two new mutual funds which offer individual investors access to emerging markets. The new funds address the need of Canadian investors to diversify globally through the expertise and worldwide management capabilities of Standard Life Investments.

"Many emerging economies have experienced rapid growth in recent years and Canadian investors are looking for a way to gain access to that growth," said Yanic Chagnon, Vice-President of Retail Solutions. "They can access some of the emerging markets' most compelling investment opportunities through the new funds, which benefit from Standard Life Investments' local insights in global markets."

The two new funds are:

• The Standard Life Emerging Markets Debt Fund aims to provide a combination of capital growth and income by investing primarily in debt securities of issuers located or participating in emerging market countries.
  
  Richard House, Head of Emerging Markets Fixed Income at Standard Life Investments said: "The emerging market U.S. dollar-denominated debt asset class allows investors to gain exposure to a diverse opportunity set of over 60 countries. Due to many years of macro policy making improvements, the credit quality of the asset class has continued to improve.  On average emerging market sovereign debt is now rated as investment grade. Adding emerging market debt to a Canadian fixed income portfolio provides diversification benefits as well as potentially offering a higher yield."
  
  
• The Standard Life Emerging Markets Dividend Fund aims to provide a combination of capital growth and income by investing primarily in a portfolio of dividend paying equity and equity-type securities of companies that are located or participating in emerging markets. This fund is also available in corporate class.
  
  Mark Vincent, Investment Director of Global Emerging Markets at Standard Life Investments added: "A focus on both dividend growth and dividend sustainability is a great way to unlock the potential returns of global emerging market equities over the longer term. The choice is limited for Canadians wanting to invest in such opportunities, and with the launch of these two Standard Life mutual funds, investors will get considerable access to this sector."

Notes to Editors

1. Standard Life Investments leverages its in-house macro-economic insights to supplement fundamental security analysis. Its investment decisions provide local insights to identify investment opportunities based on an assessment of such factors as available yields, quality of management and corporate earnings and dividend growth, as well as industry and overall economic prospects. As of December 31, 2013, Standard Life Investments managed C$324 billion on behalf of clients worldwide.
   
   
2. Standard Life Emerging Markets Debt Fund Facts
   
   
3. Standard Life Emerging Markets Dividend Fund Facts

About Standard Life Mutual Funds
Standard Life Mutual Funds Ltd. (SLMF) was established in 2000 in Canada. It offers to advisors and individual investors some 60 mutual funds and fund-of-funds with varying investment styles across major asset classes. As of December 31, 2013, SLMF had C$5.4 billion of assets under management. It is part of Standard Life plc, a leading long-term savings and investments company headquartered in Scotland and operating internationally, and is affiliated with The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada. 

SOURCE: STANDARD LIFE MUTUAL FUNDS LTD.

Ann-Marie Gagné
514 499-7999 or 1 877 499-9555, ext. 4600
[email protected]