Investment - Articles - GARS hits the spot in Sweden

 Global Fund Manger, Standard Life Investments is pleased to announce that its distribution partnership with Länsförsäkringar has secured over €30m sales in the first five months.

 Länsförsäkringar, Sweden's only customer owned and locally based banking and insurance group started offering the award-winning Standard Life Investments Global Absolute Returns Strategies Fund (GARS) to customers in January this year.

 The fund is now in excess of €30million, well ahead of initial sales targets, and held by Länsförsäkringar clients across Sweden.

 Gunilla Forsmark Karlsson, CEO for Länsförsäkringar's unit linked business, said:

 "I'm very happy with our co-operation with Standard Life Investments so far. GARS is an excellent addition to our fund offering, and allows retail investors to access this unique strategy which is an ideal investment solution for these uncertain times."

 Åsa Norrie, Standard Life Investments Joint Head of European Business and Head of Nordic Region, said:

 "Länsförsäkringar has been hugely supportive with the roll out of GARS to their customers in Sweden. In a volatile world, the benefits of GARS are definitely resonating with investors, offering them reduced risk, more stable returns, along with transparency and liquidity. It's excellent that our partnership with Länsförsäkringar has allowed us to widen this investment opportunity to retail customers across Sweden."

 Launched as a UK Institutional Fund in 2006 and as a SICAV in 2011, the GARS fund aims to offer customers long term equity-like returns but with lower levels of volatility. GARS invests in a broad range of investment opportunities, covering both traditional and advanced asset classes.