Standard Chartered offers Strategic Solutions

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1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Standard Chartered offers Strategic Solutions First and only multi-manager fund in Singapore to provide access to Alternative Investments 23 August 2006, Singapore Standard Chartered Bank in partnership with Schroders has launched Strategic Solutions a one-of-a-kind multi-manager fund (also known as Fund of funds). Strategic Solutions is designed to simplify the art of investing for retail investors and deliver optimal returns tailored to their individual risk appetites. It offers the right mix of funds managed by the right managers and provides the right match tailored to specific risk appetites. Strategic Solutions offers investors: The right mix of funds by tapping into a wider range of asset classes and capitalising on the different stages of the market cycle. It is important that a balanced portfolio involves exposure not only to various traditional asset classes (i.e. bonds, equities and cash), but also to alternative asset classes like commodities and properties, among others a feature unique to Strategic Solutions. This is key to successful investing as different asset classes perform best under different market conditions, providing better potential for investors to minimise risk whilst maximising returns. The right fund managers to take the guesswork out of investing by having skilled fund managers review and rebalance the portfolio of investments on a regular basis, using Schroders proprietary, state-of-theart risk management tool. Retail investors can rely on world-class expertise to uncover timely opportunities as well as reduce the 1

2 complexities of investing, a service previously only available to institutional investors or private banking customers. Such active management translates into significant value for customers who can put in as low as SGD$5,000, eliminating the need to invest more in order to self-diversify since Strategic Solutions does it automatically from the first dollar invested. The right match tailored to each customer s individual risk appetite to allow retail Investors to choose the portfolio that best suits the risk they are prepared to undertake for their expected returns. Three ready-made strategic solutions are available from Schroder Moderately Conservative Portfolio, Schroder Moderately Aggressive Portfolio to Schroder Very Aggressive Portfolio, covering the spectrum of risk appetites; and the funds within each portfolio are handpicked and monitored by Schroders leading strategic investment team. Ajay Kanwal, Head of Consumer Banking, Standard Chartered Bank Singapore said, We are pleased to be the exclusive distributor of Strategic Solutions a smart and unique fund that is tailored to help customers maximise the potential of their investments. As the only multi-manager fund with the ability to include alternative investments in its portfolios, Strategic Solutions is better placed to capitalise on the varying market conditions. Customers can now access the widest range of funds available to reap the full benefits of an actively-managed investment portfolio. Each Strategic Solutions portfolio comprises the best available top-performing funds by award-winning fund managers. Alongside mainstream equity and bond funds are alternative investment boutique funds such as Artemis European Growth Fund and absolute-return funds such as Merrill Lynch UK Absolute Alpha, among many others which Schroders is able to access at institutional prices. 2

3 Schroders is one of the largest publicly-quoted asset managers in the world, with more than US$200 billion assets under its management and more than 200 years of experience in financial services. First launched in Hong Kong on 28 April 2006, Strategic Solutions portfolios delivered the best returns among competing multi-manager funds 1 for July 2006, in only its third month since inception (please refer to appendix). For enquiries on Strategic Solutions, visit any Standard Chartered Bank branch or call the Bank at ENDS- For further information, please contact: Joanna Ong Corporate Affairs Standard Chartered Bank DID: joanna.ong@sg.standardchartered.com 1 Source: Standard & Poor s, Singapore domiciled universe, SGD, offer-to-bid, net dividends reinvested. Schroder Moderately Aggressive Portfolio and Schroder Very Aggressive Portfolio compared to Asset Allocation Global Dynamic peer group, Schroder Moderately Conservative Portfolio compared to Asset Allocation Global Neutral peer group. Performance refers to the USD share classes of the Strategic Solutions Portfolios which were launched on 28 April Investors should note that there are limitations when using the past performance of USD share classes of the Strategic Solutions portfolios as a proxy to the SGD classes of the portfolios. 3

4 Appendix Performance of Strategic Solutions vs Peers (Bid-to-Bid) From 30 June 06 to 31 July 06 6/30/2006 7/31/ Month % Chg Rank STS Moderately Aggressive A Acc STS Very Aggressive A Acc CitiSelect Asia Tilt Enhanced Growth CitiSelect Asia Tilt Growth CitiSelect Global Growth DBS Eight Portfolio D OCBC MAP Growth Portfolio Sing UT Global Tactical Source: Standard & Poor s, Singapore domiciled universe, SGD, offer-to-bid, net dividends reinvested. Schroder Moderately Aggressive Portfolio and Schroder Very Aggressive Portfolio compared to Asset Allocation Global Dynamic peer group, Schroder Moderately Conservative Portfolio compared to Asset Allocation Global Neutral peer group. Performance refers to the USD share classes of the Strategic Solutions Portfolios which were launched on 28 April Investors should note that there are limitations when using the past performance of USD share classes of the Strategic Solutions portfolios as a proxy to the SGD classes of the portfolios. 4

5 Note to editors Standard Chartered in Singapore is part of an international banking group, which has an extensive global network of over 1,200 branches (including subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures) in 56 countries in the Asia Pacific Region, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the United Kingdom and the Americas. Standard Chartered has a history of over 140 years in Singapore, opening its first branch here in 1859 and in October 1999 was among the first international banks to receive a Qualifying Full Bank (QFB) licence, an endorsement of the Group s long-standing commitment to its businesses in the country. It serves both Consumer and Wholesale Banking customers. Consumer Banking provides credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, deposit taking and wealth management services to individuals and small to medium sized enterprises. Wholesale Banking provides corporate and institutional clients with services in trade finance, cash management, lending, securities services, foreign exchange, debt capital markets and corporate finance. The Bank employs nearly 3,300 people in Singapore and has a network of 18 branches, 29 ATMs and 23 Cash Deposit Machines island-wide. The Bank s global businesses - Consumer and Wholesale Banking - are managed out of Singapore. Key awards/achievements Competing on innovation, not price. e.g. e$aver market disruptive product with more than 20,000 customers signed up in 6 weeks, and achieved 18 month target in one month Launched 15 products in 6 months in 2005, for example, e$aver, CashOne, Business Instalment Loan and Micro Loan Voted Best Retail Bank in Asia Pacific (2001, 2002, 2003) Asian Banker Journal Call Centre of the Year, 2002 Call Centre Council of Singapore Best Debt House in Singapore 2004 by Euromoney Awards for Excellence Best Regional Custodian 2004 by Global Investor. Voted #1 in the Singapore custodian market Greenwich Associates Survey 2004 on SCB strength in Singapore - #1 for overall capabilities of sales specialists and best product cross-sell & credit leverage First Singapore $100 million Fixed Rate Note bond offering by The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), a Latin American issuer Launched first Singapore Dollar Islamic Deposit for the Islamic Development Bank of Brunei 5