RaboPlus Adds Eight Vanguard Index Funds to its Online Managed Funds Platform

RaboPlus today announced the addition of eight index funds from Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd to add to the 75 funds already available to investors.

Sydney, NSW (PRWEB) June 27, 2009 -- RaboPlus today announced the addition of eight index funds (http://www.raboplus.com.au/managed_funds/funds/default.aspx) from Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd to add to the 75 funds already available to investors.

RaboPlus is also reducing the brokerage on Vanguard's funds from 0.50% to just 0.25% until July 31, 2009.

RaboPlus Investments Manager Tim Hewson said: "Indexing has always been regarded as an important way for investors to gain cost effective exposure to the markets and also achieve portfolio diversification with the benefit of professional investment management."

"Vanguard is a well credentialled fund manager with a long history of delivering on their investment objectives. In February, Morningstar awarded Vanguard the Fixed Interest Fund Manager of 2008, and we are delighted to include this and other funds in our line-up."

As a global pioneer of indexing, Vanguard's wholesale funds generally charge investors less than half the fees normally charged by retail funds. So the more cost effective the investment, the greater likelihood that savings on fees will be returned to investors in the form of better returns on their portfolios.

"Investing in Vanguard's wholesale funds via Raboplus also has the added benefit of lower minimum investments and free administration and reporting."

The new funds on offer are:

•    Vanguard® Australian Shares Index Fund (http://www.raboplus.com.au/managed_funds/funds/default.aspx)

•    Vanguard® Australian Shares High Yield Fund

•    Vanguard® International Shares Index Fund

•    Vanguard® International Shares Index Fund (Hedged)

•    Vanguard® Australian Fixed Interest Index

•    Vanguard® International Fixed Interest Index Fund (Hedged)

•    Vanguard® Australian Property Securities Index Fund

•    Vanguard® International Property Securities Index Fund (Hedged)

Mr. Hewson said: "Many of our investors use a core and satellite approach to managing their investment portfolios, and we expect to see some actively managed funds being replaced by index funds as investors try to strip out fees in order to achieve better long-term net performance. We have already had significant interest in index funds from SMSF investors (http://www.raboplus.com.au/diy_super/default.aspx), so we expect Vanguard's funds to be very well received.

"In addition to the lower fees offered by index funds, until July 31 2009, RaboPlus is also reducing our usual brokerage on Vanguard's funds from 0.50% to just 0.25%, making them a very attractive option for investors looking to include index funds in their portfolios."

Vanguard Head of Retail Robin Bowerman said: "Vanguard is very enthusiastic about our new partnership with RaboPlus which will offer retail investors a unique access point to Vanguard's wholesale index management expertise."

He also said that "the relationship with RaboPlus is an important one and allows Vanguard to diversify its distribution strategy as investors generally seek strong and reputable investments managers with stable investment management during volatile market periods.".

RaboPlus customers can access wholesale managed funds (http://www.raboplus.com.au/managed_funds/default.aspx) online 24/7 with a minimum investment of only $250 with the benefits of consolidated administration, reporting and taxation, the type of administrative technology usually only available to financial advisers.

Recent research completed by Investment Trends also rated RaboPlus as the most cost-effective platform over two, three and five-year periods, when compared to wraps, discount brokers and other online platforms such as InvestSmart, CommSec, 2020 Funds and E*Trade.

RaboPlus is the online savings (http://www.raboplus.com.au/savings/default.aspx) and investment service, launched by Rabobank Australia Limited in 2007.

Media Contact: Tony Rasman, 0418 208770.

RaboPlus is a division of AAA rated Rabobank Australia Limited, part of the international Rabobank Group, the world's leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 110 years' experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness.

Rabobank operates in 43 countries, servicing the needs of more than nine million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1600 offices and branches. Rabobank is among the 20 largest banks in the world based on tier one capital.

About Vanguard Investments Australia

Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group which is based in the US and currently manages over US$1 trillion (A$1.4 trillion*) for more than 23 million individual and institutional accounts.

In Australia, Vanguard has established a reputation as a specialist indexer, managing almost A$60* billion in index funds, for both institutional and retail investors.

*Figures quoted as at 31 March 2009

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