The firm also generated a 15% growth in its institutional assets to $89 billion
The investment management arm of Manulife, the Manulife Asset Management, turned in good grades for the first six months of the year, generating a 10% growth in assets under management to $480 billion from the same period last year.
According to the group, it managed to generate $8 billion in gross institutional sales globally in the said period, with its institutional assets growing 15% higher than a year ago to $89 billion.
Manulife Asset Management chairman Warren Thomson explained that the growth comes from the firm's focus on high-value activities that of interest to their clients.
He said that funds managed by the firm had 124 four- or five-star Morningstar ratings during the first half of the year. This reflects an increase from the 26 funds which were rated as such last year. Additionally, 70% of its asset classes outperformed their benchmarks on one- and three-year terms. Meanwhile, 80% of asset classes surpassed their five-year benchmark basis.
"We remain committed to bringing them the right solutions, leveraging our range of capabilities across our global platform," Thomson said.
Manulife Asset Management also launched new mandates in the course of the period this includes the US$625 million funded in a custom liability-driven investment from a Canadian corporation. The firm also granted US$600 million in Taiwan and Indonesia Fixed Income from a Taiwanese company.
Below are some of its other mandates:
- US$545 million funded in US Core Plus Fixed Income across five Outsourced Chief Investment Officer mandates in Canada.
- US$497 million funded in Strategic Fixed Income Opportunities from a US corporation.
- US$488 million funded in US Core Fixed Income from a US public fund.
- Awarded US$300 million in a Discretionary Buy and Hold US Investment Grade Bond.
- US separately managed account gross sales of over US$639 million.
During the said period, the investment group has also been given a license to sell six actively-managed UCITS funds in Germany and Austria. Prior to this, the group was only allowed to sell such in Italy and the UK.
The group stated that these enables them to offer discretionary fund buyers, family offices, pension funds, and insurance companies with exposure to opportunities not just in Asia but also in the global markets.
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