Tracker  

Fidelity launches trackers as it cuts fund fees

Fidelity launches trackers as it cuts fund fees

Fidelity has cut the cost of three of its index funds and launched six new ones.

The investment firm has created six cross-border equity funds with charges as low as 0.06 per cent.

Fidelity has also cut the fees on its UK-domiciled US, World and Emerging Markets index funds by one basis point.

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John Clougherty, head of wholesale at Fidelity International, said: "While active management remains at the heart of our business, we know investors want choice and value.

"We have led the market in recent years in driving down the cost of index funds and I am pleased we can, once again, provide UK investors with cheaper access to our range."

The six new Irish-domiciled funds will cover the US, Europe, Japan, Pacific ex-Japan, Developed Global, and Emerging Markets.

The Fidelity S&P 500 fund will track the US market for just 0.06 per cent, while the Fidelity MSCI Europe fund will cost 0.1 per cent and the Fidelity MSCI Emerging Markets fund 0.2 per cent.

Investors will have the opportunity to choose from both sterling and euro hedged share class to enable them to manage their currency risk.

Tracker funds have become increasingly popular with investors in recent years as they look for low cost solutions. Most recent figures from trade body the Investment Association shows some £796m was poured into trackers in February alone.

Some £165.5bn is now held in these funds accounting for 13.7 per cent of total assets under management.

Peter Chadborn, director of Plan Money, said: "It’s an interesting development when an investment group, predominantly known for its active management, makes a play in the passive space. But I think this is the direction of travel as fund groups realise that the cost of investing is becoming increasingly important to investors and financial advisers."