Toronto-based Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. has launched Templeton Asian Growth Corporate Class, which will invest in companies across Asia, as well as in companies positioned to benefit from development in Asian economies. Mark Mobius, executive chairman of Templeton’s emerging markets group and lead manager of Templeton Emerging Markets Fund and Templeton Asian Growth Corporate Class Fund, and his team will manage the new fund. Its objective is long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equities securities of companies located in Asia, including but not limited to Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, China, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Advisor commissions for front-end sales are 0%-6%; 5% for deferred sales; or 2.5% for the low-load option. Redemption fees begin at 6% in Year 1 and end at zero after Year 6 for the regular DSC schedule; or begin at 3% in Year 1 and end at zero after Year 3 of the low-load schedule. Trailing commissions are 1% for front-end sales and 0.5% for deferred and low-load sales. Management fees are 2.5% for A-class units and 1.5% for F-class units. Minimum investment is $500.

Dynamic funds for non-HST provinces

Toronto-based Dynamic Funds Ltd., managed by Goodman & Co. Investment Counsel Ltd., has launched Series G securities for investors who are residents in a province or territory of Canada that has not adopted a harmonized sales tax. Series G securities are available on 45 of Dynamic’s funds, spanning a wide range of asset classes, including Canadian equity, foreign equity, equity income, balanced and fixed-income, as well as sector specialty funds and portfolios. Series G securities are currently available for new purchases and switches and have no tax consequences for investors for switch-type transactions within the fund family. Goodman & Co. intends to process an automatic redesignation of eligible assets of the applicable funds from Series A to Series G securities on Feb. 11 without charge or tax consequences for investors.

New portfolio manager for CIBC fund

Toronto-based CIBC Asset Management Inc. has appointed Los Angeles-based Tradewinds Global Investors LLC as portfolio subadvisor for the all-cap component of Imperial U.S. Equity Pool, effective Feb. 1. The Tradewinds research and portfolio management team is composed of 20 specialists and is headed by David Iben. The team employs an all-cap, bottom-up approach to identify and capture hidden investment opportunities. In addition to Tradewinds, the following portfolio subadvisors will continue to manage components of Imperial U.S. Equity Pool: CIBC Global Asset Management Inc., Aletheia Research and Management, Inc., Metropolitan West Capital Management LLC and Fiduciary Management Inc.

Invesco Trimark adds to its fund lineup

Toronto-based Invesco Trimark Ltd. has introduced three new funds: Invesco Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Invesco Emerging Markets Class Fund and Trimark Energy Class Fund. Invesco Emerging Markets Debt Fund invests primarily in local currency-denominated debt issues of emerging countries and will be managed by the portfolio-management team led by Claudia Calich, head of emerging markets for Invesco Trimark. Invesco Emerging Markets Class Fund invests primarily in companies located or active in emerging markets and will be managed by the Invesco Trimark global equities team, led by Ingrid Baker, Invesco Trimark’s head of emerging-markets equities. Trimark Energy Class Fund invests primarily in companies worldwide that engage directly or indirectly in the energy sector and will be managed by Norman MacDonald. Advisor commissions for front-end sales are 0%-5%; up to 4.9% for deferred sales; 1% for the low-load option; and up to 4% for the lower-load Load 4 option. Redemption fees begin at 6% in Year 1 and end at zero after Year 6 for the regular DSC schedule; are 2% within the first two years for the low-load option; or begin at 4.5% in Year 1 and end at zero after Year 4 for the Load 4 option. Trailing commissions are 1% for front-end and low-load sales, 0.5% for the first four years of Load 4 sales and 1% thereafter for Trimark Energy Class and Invesco Emerging Markets Class; 0.5% for front-end and low-load sales; and 0.2% for the first four years of Load 4 sales and 0.5% thereafter for Invesco Emerging Markets Debt Fund. Management fees are 2% for A-class and 1% for F-class for Trimark Energy Class and Invesco Emerging Class funds; and 1.5% for A-class and 1% for F-class for Invesco Emerging Markets Debt Fund. Minimum investment is $500.

Compiled by Clare O’Hara (cohara@investmentexecutive.com).