News Round Up

Share scammers back in action, My precious, Liontamer's WATER fund topped-up, Brown takes the bait at Fisher

Monday, March 10th 2008, 5:30AM

A new wave of telephone share scams is underway in New Zealand, according to warning statements released from the Securities Commission.

They seem to be targeting people who bought bogus shares in earlier scams, and claim they have buyers for the shares.

"They particularly target people with small businesses and are convincing and persuasive. Hanging up on them is the best response. Talking to them gives them the opportunity to persuade people to send money. Money, once sent, is inevitably lost," says director of marketing supervision, John Mulry.

The fraudsters change their names, tactics and countries they operate from regularly, to avoid detection.

My precious

Investors who add precious metals to their equity portfolios receive significant benefits, especially during times of high interest rates, according to a study released by the CFA Society of New Zealand.

It found that "precious metals serve as an effective hedge against the typical decline in equities that occurs during an increasing interest rate environment."

The study, 'Can precious metals make your portfolio shine?' looks at the benefits of investing in gold, silver and platinum over the long term.

Liontamer's WATER fund topped-up
Liontamer's new WATER Series 1 has announced a replacement company for Kelda Group, a UK water utility that de-listed as one of the series' 15 companies in mid-February.

Kelda is to be replaced by US water company, California Water Services Group (Cal Water), who is the parent company of several water utility companies across the US and has five wholly owned subsidiaries operating in California, Washington, New Mexico, and Hawaii. The company is also one of the holdings in the broader KBC Global Water Fund.

WATER Series 1 was launched in the second half of last year and provides investors with exposure to 15 companies operating in the global water industry.

Kelda de-listed as a result of a private buy-out.

Brown takes the bait at Fisher
Barely a week after losing minority partner and chief investment officer, Warren Couillault, Fisher Funds Management has poached former First New Zealand Capital head of research, Murray Brown, to take up a senior analyst role.

In an announcement to the NZX just before 4pm last Friday, Fisher Funds said Brown, who was head of research at First NZ for the last decade, would work alongside the company chief, Carmel Fisher, in managing the firm's New Zealand portfolios - a role Couillault filled prior to his resignation.

Following Couillault's departure from the boutique manager (which saw him sell down his 27% holding in the firm for an amount reported to be in excess of $5 million), Fisher said in a statement that as "the New Zealand Growth Fund currently closed to new investment, Warren Coulliault's position will not be replaced in the near term".

In last Friday's announcement Carmel Fisher said: "I am delighted that an investment professional of Murray's calibre and experience has agreed to join us."

« Changes afoot at Money Managers

Sovereign takes regulation bull by the horns »

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