Zurich Insurance has expanded the number of funds it offers to investors, aiming to give more options to better suit customer requirements.
Eighteen new Sterling Bonds have been introduced as well as 22 Sterling Mutual Funds. The combination of options now allows investors to choose from a much wider variety of asset families. Zurich Insurance customers will be able to structure a portfolio that best meets their needs and risk profile, meaning less compromise.
A Zurich Insurance spokesman said that these new multi-manager funds will be most appealing to investors looking for a diverse portfolio and seeking to rate their options on the underlying approach to risk.
For anyone looking for a high interest paying investment option the Abbey National has just launched a one year fixed rate bond that offers a 7.01 percent interest rate.
The minimum investment amount is GBP30,000, with a maximum of GBP2 million, enough for most people. The Abbey National bond is a one year term, with an expiry date of 1 July 2009. This means that investors will have to act smartly to get their funds in within the deadline.
An Abbey National spokesman confirmed that the current market for savings and investments is the best it has been for many years and is urging consumers to take advantage of the situation while it is available.
Egg, best known for the Egg credit card has just introduced a new bond that is linked to the FTSE100 performance over the next 3 years.
Called the FTSE 26 percent guaranteed equity bond, Egg card customers who invest in it will enjoy FTSE 100 index gains made over and above the starting level of the bond up to a maximum of 26 percent. Should the index finish lower than the starting point of the investment then customers are guaranteed the whole of their capital invested back.
An Egg card spokesman suggested the investment bond would suit customers who are naturally cautious but would like the chance to earn a higher return than that offered by simple deposit accounts.