Franklin Templeton opens EM bond fund to UK retail investors

Franklin Templeton Investments is to open its offshore Emerging Markets Bond fund to UK retail investors for the first time.

The firm's Luxembourg-domiciled fund will include a sterling-denominated distributor-status share class and a US dollar denominated accumulation share class. Each will require a minimum investment of £5,000 and will launch on Friday. Managed by US-based Michael Hasenstab, the fund invests in fixed or floating-rate debt securities of government or government-related issuers of developing or emerging countries. The $2.3bn fund has made 537.3% since launching in mid-1991. It made 57.3% in the five years to last December compared to 34.8% for the Morningstar Global and Emerging Markets Fi...