Daman funds continue to show steady performance as 2011 begins

Daman Second Emirates

The Daman Second Emirates Fund, a UAE-registered open-ended fund regulated by the United Arab Emirates Central Bank and focused on UAE equity markets, concluded the month of January 2011 with a Net Asset Value of Dhs105.18, posting a decline of 0.58% from December 2010's figures, as against a General Index drop of 3.97%. The fund's total performance since its inception is now pegged at -51.83%.

The fund concluded the previous year by declaring fourth quarter dividends of Dhs0.75 per share, bringing its 2010 dividend payout up to Dhs2.75 and total dividends paid since its inception up to Dhs15.25.

Daman Islamic Fund

The Daman Islamic Fund, a Shari'ah principle-based, UAE-registered open-ended mutual fund, started the year with a drop of 0.89% from the previous month's NAV, which stood at Dhs98.23 as of January 31, 2011. The fund's benchmark, NBAD Islamic Index, meanwhile saw a decline of 5.08% in the corresponding period.

Total performance since inception, reflects a decline from -51.55% in December 2010 to -56.26% this month. During the course of the previous year, the Daman Islamic Fund distributed a total of Dhs1.75 per share in dividends.

Daman Speculator Fund

The Daman Speculator Fund, launched in July 1, 2008, clocked in a month-on-month percentage change of -4.08% as against the ESCA Index movement of -4.82% during the same period, closing the first month of the year at a NAV of Dhs84.56. Total performance since the fund's inception is now gauged at -12.69%. The Daman Speculator fund announced dividends of Dhs0.50 per share during 2010.

Daman Fifth Fund

The Daman Fifth Fund, an Dhs200m closed-ended fund focused on investments within the GCC markets, entered the year 2011 at a NAV of Dhs95.77, indicating a month on month percentage change of -0.81% from the December 2010 closing results. As of the end of January 2011, the fund clocked in a year-to-date growth of -0.81%