Weekly briefs

National Bank Financial Services investment race online, Superstores syndication, managed funds and rental property slug it out. Also a preview of the week ahead.

Sunday, February 21st 1999, 12:00AM

The National Bank Financial Services will be running its annual investment race online with Good Returns this year.
A page dedicated to the race will be live on Good Returns later this week. On this page advisers will be able to download a copy of the rules, an entry form and decision forms for the race. During the race the page will have the latest economic update from the National Bank, plus an up-to-date list of the top 20 contestants.
Under race rules each contestant starts with a nominal portfolio of $100,000 and has to invest in a range of National Bank unit trusts.

The three contestants with the highest portfolio value after six months each win a trip to the Financial Planning Association of Australia conference in Sydney, in November.
If you want to enter the race, but have not yet responded to an invitation to enter, get in quick. Click here to receive the necessary information.

Superstore syndication
Farmers Mutual Group is syndicating three retail premises it has bought for $16.5 million.
The Superstore Properties syndicate consists of well-located commercial properties tenanted by high profile market leaders Placemakers (Auckland and Christchurch) and The Warehouse (Tauranga).
FMG is seeking to raise $10.47 million from investors in $5000 parcels of a mortgage bond and shares.
Chief executive Michael Millar says the company expects good income return and capital growth over the medium to longer term, building on expected yields of 10 to 11 per cent to give investors a projected 9.5 per cent.
"We have acquired these properties at or below current market valuation and have secured long term leases with high calibre tenants," he says.

Property pips funds
Managed funds and residential property are running neck and neck as the investment classes that provide people with the greatest returns.
In the ASB Bank's quarterly Investor Confidence survey residential property was picked as the investment "which gives the best return", up 6 per cent to 55 per cent. Managed funds ranked second with confidence in returns remaining high at 51 per cent (down 2 per cent).
Chief manager investment services, Roger Perry, says confidence in returns for investors whose main investments are in the area of shares, small business, commercial property and insurance products has fallen.
The most significant change, since the September quarter, is the decline in the proportion of people who believe shares offer the best return, down from 58 per cent to 44 per cent.

Later this week Good Returns will be reporting on the FPG Conference in Auckland (including FPG's new relationship with US research house Morningstar) and the Wrap Account conference in Sydney. Also watch out for the Consumers' Institute's latest survey of financial planners (Monday afternoon) and Guardian Trust's plans for its property fund.

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