Managed Funds, Australia

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Statistics about money pooled for investment purposes in the managed funds industry

Reference period
December 2019
Released
5/03/2020

Key statistics

  • Funds under management increased $65.0b on the September quarter 2019.
  • Consolidated assets increased $52.2b on the September quarter 2019.
  • Unconsolidated assets increased $52.9b on the September quarter 2019.
  • There were $572.9b of assets cross invested between insitutions.

Main features

December key figures

Sep Qtr 2019 ($m)Dec Qtr 2019 ($m)
Total managed funds industry3,864,3333,929,288
Consolidated assets total managed funds institutions3,082,8833,135,083
Cross invested assets between managed funds institutions564,319572,917
Unconsolidated assets total managed funds institutions3,647,2023,708,000
Life insurance corporationsn.p.n.p.
Superannuation (pension) funds2,983,6563,036,506
Public offer (retail) unit trusts399,528409,430
All other managed funds institutionsn.p.n.p.

n.p.: not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
 

December key points

Total managed funds industry

  • At 31 December 2019, the managed funds industry had $3,929.3b funds under management, an increase of $65.0b (1.7%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $3,864.3b.
  • The main valuation effects that occurred during the December quarter 2019 were as follows: the S&P/ASX 200 decreased 0.1%; the price of foreign shares, as represented by the MSCI World Index excluding Australia, increased 8.3%; and the A$ appreciated 3.8% against the US$.
     

Consolidated assets of managed funds institutions

  • At 31 December 2019, the consolidated assets of managed funds institutions were $3,135.1b, an increase of $52.2b (1.7%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $3,082.9b.
  • The asset types that increased were overseas assets, $27.2b (4.5%); land, buildings and equipment, $8.8b (2.8%); bonds, etc., $6.9b (5.9%); short term securities, $6.5b (8.2%); units in trusts, $2.9b (0.3%); shares, $2.8b (0.5%); loans and placements, $1.3b (3.0%); other non-financial assets, $0.7b (2.2%) and derivatives, $0.7b (1.9%). These were partially offset by decreases in deposits, $5.5b (2.1%) and other financial assets, $0.1b (0.0%).
     

Cross invested assets

  • At 31 December 2019, there were $572.9b of assets cross invested between managed funds institutions.
     

Unconsolidated assets

  • At 31 December 2019, the unconsolidated assets of superannuation (pension) funds increased $52.9b (1.8%), public offer (retail) unit trusts increased $9.9b (2.5%), friendly societies increased $0.1b (1.8%) and cash management trusts increased $0.1b (0.3%).
     

Revisions

  • Table 3 Life insurance corporations - revised back to the September quarter 2019.
  • Table 4 Superannuation (pension) funds - revised back to the September quarter 2016.
  • Table 5 Public offer (retail) unit trusts - revised back to the September quarter 2019.
  • Table 6 Friendly Societies - revised back to the September quarter 2019.
  • Table 7 Common funds - no revisions.
  • Table 8 Cash management trusts - no revisions.
  • Table 9 Resident Investment Managers - revised back to the September quarter 2017.
     

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Analysis

Managed funds industry

At 31 December 2019, the managed funds industry had $3,929.3b funds under management, an increase of $65.0b (1.7%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $3,864.3b. Increases were recorded in consolidated assets of managed funds institutions, $52.2b (1.7%); funds managed by Australian investment managers on behalf of overseas investors, $6.6b (5.1%) and funds managed by Australian investment managers on behalf of Australian entities other than managed funds institutions, $6.3b (0.9%).

The following diagram shows the total value of the managed funds industry at 31 December 2019 and the relationship between the various components of the industry:

1. Diagram: December quarter 2019 managed funds

1. Diagram: December quarter 2019 managed funds
A flow chart image beginning with the source of funds. These are overseas investors (unintermediated), other resident investors, and resident managed funds institutions (consolidated assets). Overseas investors (unintermediated) total $136.7 billion. These funds do not include investments held by Australian nominees on behalf of overseas investors. Other resident investors, totalling $670.6 billion, and resident managed funds institutions (consolidated assets) totalling $3,135.1 billion, are domestic sources. Overseas investors (unintermediated), other resident investors, and $1,614.0 billion from the resident managed funds institutions (consolidated assets) combine to make $2,421.2 billion which is placed with resident investment managers. Of this $2,421.2 billion, $13.0 billion are funds invested by resident investment managers with other resident investment managers. These are deducted to derive the total managed funds industry. The remaining $1,521.1 billion from the resident managed funds institutions (consolidated assets) is placed with non-resident investment managers or directly invest into the markets. Placement with resident investment managers and non-resident investment managers or directly invested into the markets are methods of investment. The two methods of investment combine into $3,929.3 billion as the total managed funds industry.

 *  Indicates funds invested by resident investment managers with other resident investment managers. These are deducted to derive the total managed funds industry. 

** These funds do not include investments held by Australian nominees on behalf of overseas investors.

Managed funds institutions

Consolidated assets of managed funds institutions

At 31 December 2019, the consolidated assets of managed funds institutions were $3,135.1b, an increase of $52.2b (1.7%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $3,082.9b.

Consolidated assets by types of asset

The asset types that increased were overseas assets, $27.2b (4.5%); land, buildings and equipment, $8.8b (2.8%); bonds, etc., $6.9b (5.9%); short term securities, $6.5b (8.2%); units in trusts, $2.9b (0.3%); shares, $2.8b (0.5%); loans and placements, $1.3b (3.0%); other non-financial assets, $0.7b (2.2%) and derivatives, $0.7b (1.9%). These were partially offset by decreases in deposits, $5.5b (2.1%) and other financial assets, $0.1b (0.0%).

Unconsolidated assets

Life insurance corporations

Some aggregate statistics for Life Insurance corporations that are usually released in this publication have been suppressed to protect the confidentiality of data providers.

Published life insurance asset classes that recorded increases were deposits, $0.5b (8.0%); other financial assets, $0.5b (6.8%) and short term securities, $0.1b (3.2%). These were partially offset by decreases in bonds, etc., $0.2b (0.7%); other non-financial assets, $0.2b (7.5%); loans and placements, $0.1b (2.0%) and derivatives, $0.1b (5.8%). Assets overseas were flat.

Superannuation (pension) funds

At 31 December 2019, total unconsolidated assets of superannuation funds were $3,036.5b, an increase of $52.9b (1.8%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $2,983.7b.

Increases were recorded in assets overseas, $23.3b (4.4%); units in trusts, $13.0b (1.2%); bonds, etc., $6.2b (8.1%); short term securities, $5.9b (11.9%); land, buildings and equipment, $4.6b (2.8%); shares, $3.5b (0.7%); loans and placements, $1.5b (21.6%); derivatives, $1.5b (5.1%) and other non-financial assets, $0.9b (3.3%). These were partially offset by decreases in deposits, $5.0b (2.1%).

Public offer (retail) unit trusts

At 31 December 2019, total unconsolidated assets of public offer (retail) unit trusts were $409.4b, an increase of $9.9b (2.5%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $399.5b.

Increases were recorded in land, buildings and equipment, $4.2b (2.9%); assets overseas, $3.9b (6.6%); units in trusts, $2.6b (2.7%); bonds, etc., $0.4b (4.0%); short term securities, $0.2b (8.0%) and other financial assets, $0.2b (4.0%). These were partially offset by decreases in derivatives, $0.7b (16.6%); shares, $0.6b (1.6%) and deposits, $0.3b (5.0%). Loans and placements as well as other non-financial assets were flat.

Cross investment within public offer (retail) unit trusts was $37.9b, a decrease of $0.2b (0.6%) compared to the September quarter 2019.

Friendly societies

At 31 December 2019, total unconsolidated assets of friendly societies were $8.0b, an increase of $0.1b (1.8%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $7.8b.

Common funds

Some aggregate statistics for common funds that are usually released in this publication have been suppressed to protect the confidentiality of data providers.

Cash management trusts

At 31 December 2019, total unconsolidated assets of cash management trusts were $39.6b, an increase of $0.1b (0.3%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $39.4b.

Increases were recorded in short term securities, $0.5b (1.9%) and bonds, etc., $0.3b (7.9%). These were partially offset by decreases in deposits, $0.7b (6.6%). Other financial assets, loans and placements, derivatives, and non-financial assets were flat.

Resident investment managers

Source of funds under management

At 31 December 2019, total funds under management were $2,421.2b, an increase of $46.9b (2.0%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $2,374.3b.

Funds under management on behalf of superannuation funds increased $31.5b (2.4%), public offer (retail) unit trusts increased $2.2b (1.7%), life insurance corporations increased $0.4b (0.3%) and cash management trusts increased $0.1b (0.4%).

At 31 December 2019, the value of funds under management on behalf of sources other than managed funds was $670.6b, an increase of $6.3b (0.9%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $664.3b.

Increases were recorded in funds under management on behalf of wholesale financial trusts, $4.2b (1.3%); state and local government, $1.6b (3.2%) and national government, $0.8b (0.7%). These were partially offset by decreases in general insurance, $0.1b (0.2%). Government compensation schemes and charities were flat.

The value of funds under management on behalf of overseas sources at 31 December 2019 was $136.7b, an increase of $6.6b (5.1%) on the September quarter 2019 figure of $130.1b.

Assets of managed funds - December quarter 2019

  Assets invested through investment managersAssets invested directlyUnconsolidated assets of managed funds
  $m$m$m
December Quarter 2019   
 Life insurance corporations126 784npnp
 Superannuation (pension) funds1 340 7241 695 7813 036 506
 Public offer (retail) unit trusts126 236283 194409 430
 Friendly societiesnpnp7 955
 Common fundsnp9 433np
 Cash management trusts17 18022 37139 551
 Total1 613 9642 094 0353 708 000

n.p.: not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated

Inquiries

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.

Data downloads

Table 1. Summary managed funds industry, consolidated assets, total funds under management at end of period

Table 2. Summary managed funds institutions, assets at end of period

Table 3. Life insurance offices, unconsolidated assets, amounts outstanding at end of period

Table 4. Superannuation funds, unconsolidated assets, amounts outstanding at end of period

Table 5. Public unit trusts, unconsolidated assets, amounts outstanding at end of period

Table 6. Friendly societies, unconsolidated assets, amounts outstanding at end of period

Table 7. Common funds, unconsolidated assets, amounts outstanding at end of period

Table 8. Cash management trusts, unconsolidated assets, amounts outstanding at end of period

Table 9. Investment managers, source of funds, unconsolidated assets, amounts outstanding at end of period

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