Toronto-based FT Portfolios Canada Co. Monday announced the launch of two new mutual funds: First Trust U.S. Dividend Portfolio and First Trust Global Balanced Portfolio.

The funds will be advised by an experienced investment management team at First Trust Advisors, L.P. (FTA), an affiliate of FT Canada. Both funds use FTA’s proprietary, quantitative, rules based approach to portfolio management.

The investment objective of First Trust Global Balanced Fund is to provide above average total return by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of securities of issuers that are based in a global market or have business operations in global markets. The portfolio of securities will be comprised of exchange traded funds (ETFs) and equity securities traded on a U.S. exchange or market. FT Canada believes that this fund offers investors a unique investment opportunity — one that combines exposure to a well-diversified array of global fixed income securities (through its exposure to fixed income ETFs), together with all-cap U.S. listed individual equities and ADRs.

First Trust U.S. Dividend Portfolio’s investment objective is to provide long-term capital growth and income, by investing primarily in a well-diversified portfolio of dividend and income-producing equity securities and REITs of issuers located in the U.S. that have a relatively high yield.

“The new funds, which seek to bring growth, income potential or lower volatility to an investor’s portfolio mix, are well suited to meet the needs of investors in today’s challenging economic environment and are great additions to First Trust’s mutual fund family,” says Fraser Howell, President of FT Canada.