Vanguard extends range of index funds

Vanguard Investments Australia has added four new wholesale index funds to the Vanguard range including two international small companies funds and two global infrastructure funds.

The Vanguard® International Small Companies Index Fund is available in a currency hedged and unhedged version, designed to track the Morgan Stanley Capital International World ex-Australia Small Capitalisation (Provisional) Index.

Available to wholesale investors, SMSFs and investor directed portfolio service investors, the funds offer investors low cost access to a diversified portfolio of liquid international small companies, from 22 of the world's developed economies, excluding Australia.

We have added a modest exposure of the Vanguard International Small Companies Index Fund (Hedged) to each of our diversified funds - both our wholesale distributing unit trusts and our Pooled Superannuation Trusts. We will fund this change by reducing the holdings in the Australian Shares asset sector, with no change to the diversified funds' fees.

In addition, the Vanguard® Global Infrastructure Fund was recently launched offering wholesale investors a low cost way to access a portfolio of around 124 securities across 14 developed countries.

The infrastructure fund is a style-biased index fund that seeks to provide a total return that is broadly in line with that of a customised index, the Global Infrastructure Index. The fund is available in a hedged and unhedged version and invests in companies that concentrate their activities on integrated regulated utilities, toll roads, transmission and distribution and water.

The fund aims to deliver investors a steady and reliable income stream whilst offering capital growth through a diversified portfolio of securities.

For further information visit www.vanguard.com.au or contact a Vanguard Adviser Services Associate on 1300 655 205.