Fidelity Investments Canada Ltd. has launched two new equity funds suitable for investors who prefer the diversified approach of sector neutrality.

Fidelity American Disciplined Equity Fund and Fidelity Global Disciplined Equity Fund complement Fidelity Disciplined Equity Fund, a Canadian equity fund that was launched in September 1998.

The funds address the uncertainty of investing in particular sectors by maintaining sector-neutral asset weightings that provide investors with broad-based exposure to all areas of the market at all times. Sector neutrality ensures that, if a particular sector is outperforming, investors are positioned to participate.

Fidelity says stock selection is especially important when individual sectors are underperforming. Unlike managers of an index fund, managers of the disciplined equity funds have the freedom to choose securities beyond those held within the benchmark index, and to take positions that may be greater or smaller than an individual stock’s index representation.

“History shows that it is important to stay invested in order to achieve long-term gains. However, in the current environment, many investors are still being cautious and are clearly seeking more prudent choices,” said Wilfred Vos, vice president, product development, in a news release

“The disciplined equity approach answers this need by blending the discipline of positioning a portfolio to capitalize on all sector gains, with in-depth, research-driven stock picks,” he added.

Portfolio manager Bahaa Fam is responsible for Fidelity American Disciplined Equity Fund. Fam also manages the U.S. portion of Fidelity Global Opportunities Fund.

Bruce Dirks is lead manager of Fidelity Global Disciplined Equity Fund. He will be responsible for cash allocations to the two sub-portfolio managers on the fund, as well as monitoring the Fund’s performance and risk profile. Fidelity veteran César Hernandez will manage the fund’s world ex-U.S. sub-portfolio, while Bahaa Fam will handle the U.S. sub-portfolio.

Fidelity Disciplined Equity Fund has achieved a one-year annual rate of return of (0.21)%, a three-year annual compound rate of return of 14.2% and an average annual return of 19.8% since inception. To better define its regional mandate, this fund will be renamed Fidelity Canadian Disciplined Equity Fund effective on prospectus renewal, expected to occur in September 2002.

Finally, in response to investor and advisor demand, Fidelity also now offers an RSP version of Fidelity Small Cap America Fund.