UK equity unconstrained fund celebrates 5th birthday

Leading investment house Standard Life Investments announced that it is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its £232.1m UK Equity Unconstrained Fund.

Launched on 29th September 2005 the fund has returned 112.8% to investors since launch versus a sector average of 22.8%. It has produced first percentile performance over five years, second percentile performance over two and three years and fifth percentile performance over the last twelve months.

Managed by Ed Legget, the UK Equity Unconstrained Fund aims to provide capital growth over the longer term by investing in UK equities. The Fund typically holds a concentrated portfolio of stocks and its unconstrained nature allows the manager to take advantage of under-researched opportunities from across the market. By utilising an internal reference index, the FTSE 350 Equally Weighted Index as a benchmark, the Fund is not influenced by market weightings and can focus on developing a portfolio of Standard Life Investments' best investment ideas.

Mark Dampier, Head of Research, Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Standard Life Investments really put its investment process on the line when it launched the UK Equity Unconstrained Fund. Needless to say it has come up trumps showing a clean pair of heels to the UK Index and most of the opposition. Standard Life Investments has combined a team approach with individual fund manager discretion, thereby allowing Ed Legget the freedom to pursue and research the most attractive companies available. He hasn't let investors down, so here's to the next five years."

Ed Legget, Manager of the UK Equity Unconstrained Fund, Standard Life Investments, said: "The strong outperformance of the fund since launch highlights the benefits of combining an unconstrained fund structure with our UK Equity team's ‘Focus on Change' investment philosophy. As we look forward, the on-going economic uncertainty, above average volatility in the market, and short term focus of the majority of market participants continues to throw up attractive investment opportunities. I'm confident that the UK Equity Unconstrained Fund is well positioned to take full advantage."