Introduction to Investment Funds

Petko Bahovski, who has previously worked for Coutts and Credit Suisse, managing teams of private bankers, and for JP Morgan as Executive Director, teaches you how to select funds based on the reliability of the business model and investment processes used by asset managers, as well as the quality and substance of their operations. You'll learn how to assess management companies and fund structures, what pertinent questions to ask regarding the fund’s service providers, and also how to perform thorough compliance and background checks on fund managers. An Introduction to Investment Funds empowers you with an increased awareness of the funds available, along with an understanding of their pitfalls and strengths, thereby enabling you to make better-informed investment decisions. Professional asset management is one of the largest and most profitable businesses in the world. The value of professionally managed assets at the end of 2014 was estimated to be US$74 trillion. The variety of products and funds to choose from is enormous. The purpose of this book is to provide a concise summary of the different types of investment funds that are being offered.     Investment funds may be termed differently in different countries around the world. For example they are also known as investment trusts in the UK, mutual funds in the US, FCP in Luxembourg, SICAF in Luxembourg and Switzerland, SICAV in France, Italy, Luxembourg and Switzerland and unit trusts in Ireland and the UK. For consistency the term “investment funds” is used.