Ug Market Maximum mutual fund posts the highest return this year - at 65.78% year-to-date, shows data provided by the Bulgarian Association of Asset Management Companies dated 1 August,.

The increases of local indexes have contributed greatly to the good result. BG40 jumped 92.5% so far this year.

As of 1 August, net assets managed by the fund stand at 4. 278 mln leva (2.187 mln euros), which is four times the amount at the beginning of January.

Among the most significant investments of the fund are companies such as Holding Patishta, Chimimport, Euroins and Monbat.

An inquiry into the fund's portfolio shows that Ug Market Maximum has participated in the IPOs of Corporate and Commercial Bank and First Investment Bank.

Ug Market is followed by Capman Max with returns at 62.8% in August.

The fund actually ranks first for the 12 months ending August, with return at 185.8% for that period.

Third and fourth in the chart are DF Status New Shares with return at 51.12%, and DF UBB Premium Shares with 47.3%.

Fifth is mutual fund Alfa Index Top 20, the first index fund in Bulgaria, with returns of more than 47%.

The results confirm the popular belief that investment funds are a better alternative to individual investing for people who do not have enough time and knowledge to follow the stock markets.

Compared with direct investing in shares and bonds, these funds are a better option which also allows for a better diversification at a comparatively low cost, and moreover, investing is left in the hands of professionals.

Such funds allow small investors to take advantage of the opportunities the stock exchange can offer, even by putting small sums, as they are able to cash in at any time by selling the mutual fund shares.

The expanding Bulgarian and foreign stock markets prove that in long-term perspective, investing in funds brings higher return to residents than bank deposits.

They also carry a significantly lower risk than direct investment, for which certain financial skills are required.

ReturnFund


Since the start of the IPOsYear-to-datePast 6 monthsPast 12 months
Ug Market Maximum65,78%46,21%N/AN/ACapman Max62,76%41,96%185,79%109,19%Status New Shares51,12%35,06%83,77%74,28%UBB Premium Shares47,29%31,95%71,81%44,45%Alfa Index Top 2047,18%23,80%N.A.N.A.TBI Dynamic46,47%33,38%63,86%36,43%Advance Invest44,04%31,21%74,63%44,76%Elana High-yield Fund43,84%30,83%71,45%36,93%ID BenchMark Fund 2 AD43,18%23,18%87,16%68,57%ID Capman Capital40,65%28,18%90,06%49,68%Standard Invest High Yield Fund40,15%20,24%89,24%74,73%Elana Balanced Dollar Fund39,31%27,13%57,09%39,22%Stadard Investment Balanced Fund39,24%19,24%69,54%41,30%KD Shares Bulgaria36,92%23,74%68,48%55,93%Elana Balanced Euro Fund36,81%26,05%56,18%34,69%DSK Rastej32,77%20,77%72,50%58,19%UBB Balanced Fund29,89%18,27%41,14%22,01%TBI Harmony29,36%22,20%38,95%29,29%Advance Eastern Europe26,73%20,39%N.A.N.A.Varchev High-Yield Fund25,45%21,70%KD Pelican25,24%13,19%40,98%21,85%DF BenchMark Fund 124,98%16,40%52,45%34,98%DSK Balance21,65%14,05%41,39%31,07%DF BenchMark Fund 321,16%16,79%15,60%11,20%DF Alfa Index Properties20,28%18,37%21,98%15,95%DF TBI Comfort15,43%11,60%21,80%19,31%ID Zlaten Lev13,77%9,19%31,58%13,12%DF KD Bonds Bulgaria11,81%7,32%18,09%14,00%UBB Platinum Bonds6,02%3,96%8,91%3,65%DF Dsk Standard3,94%3,27%6,95%6,22%ID TBI Eurobond3,53%2,97%6,60%8,86%ID Elana Eurofund2,81%2,76%4,41%7,13%