Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. is introducing a new global fund-of-funds, Franklin Templeton Global Blend Fund, and a North American quant fund, Bissett Focus Balanced Fund, the company said Monday.

The funds are aimed at Canadians who want a conservative way to re-enter the equity markets, while balancing their risk with fixed income.

“Many Canadians are sitting on the sidelines too fearful to get back into the markets. Unfortunately, they run the risk of missing the recovery,” said Don Reed, president and CEO of Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., in a release. “When the markets are choppy, a balanced fund that has a mix of equity and fixed income investments is a good place to start.”

Franklin Templeton Global Blend Fund will allow investors to participate in equity returns while at the same time taking advantage of the stability offered by fixed income investments. This global fund-of-funds will capitalize on the expertise of multiple managers of the underlying funds: Templeton Global Bond Fund, Mutual Discovery Fund and Franklin World Growth Fund. Fiduciary Trust Company of Canada will be the portfolio advisor.

Bissett Focus Balanced Fund is a quantitative balanced fund that will invest primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities in Canada, the United States and North American-listed multinational corporations, Canadian federal, provincial and corporate bonds, and fixed income securities issued around the world. The fund’s pre-determined quant screening model identifies Canadian and U.S. equities based on selection criteria, while incorporating a mix of historical and projected financial and stock market data. Bissett Investment Management will manage the asset allocation for this fund.

Tax-efficient versions — Corporate Class and Series-T — of Franklin Templeton Global Blend Fund and Bissett Focus Balanced Fund will also be available for investors.

IE