NBD offers four new investment funds

The four funds, offered to investors through National Bank of Dubai's strategic alliance with Russell, Russell World Equity Fund, Russell Currency Fund, Russell Global Real Estate Securities Fund and Russell Alpha Fund, were developed in the light of ongoing market and economic developments to complement traditional forms of investment. These innovative solutions can be used within a portfolio as part of a strategic investment approach aiming to achieve stable returns with reduced risk. Since the turn of the century, National Bank of Dubai has seen greater investor demand for alternative investment solutions to help investors avoid the potential for the large negative returns that can result from over exposure to a single asset class or geography.

"The investment market is constantly evolving and as a result, the needs of our clients continue to change," stated Faranak Foroughi, Head of Private Banking, National Bank of Dubai. "It is up to us to provide an investment platform which responds to changing client requirements. This, in turn, can help achieve satisfactory long term performance, increase diversification and reduce risk exposure."

To this end, the Private Office now offers investors exposure to a variety of new investment strategies through this alliance including:

• Russell World Equity Fund. An international approach to investing, using global investment managers who take a worldwide view, analyzing industries holistically and comparing companies to their competitors on a global basis.
• Russell Currency Fund. Offers investors access to a new and exciting asset class. Active Currency management is a 'pure alpha' strategy, seeking to deliver 'cash plus' returns by using the skill of specialist currency managers. These managers seek to exploit inefficiencies in the world's currency markets, which arise because many market participants -e.g. central banks, corporate treasuries and tourists - have objectives which are not profit motivated.
• Russell Global Real Estate Securities Fund. This fund offers a level of geographic diversification absent from most direct property investment strategies, through a liquid, regionally diversified vehicle. This approach offers investors the opportunity to significantly reduce single market risk and volatility by diversifying out of their domestic market.
• Russell Alpha Fund. Combining Russell's multi-manager investment approach with a portable hedging strategy, the Alpha fund is another exciting innovation from Russell. By hedging out the market return, the out performance of some of Russell's highest conviction managers is isolated. This 'alpha' is then added to Libor, to create a 'cash plus' return.

"At the National Bank of Dubai, we are committed to providing ultimate solutions and ideal investment opportunities specific to clients' individual needs and circumstances,"

continued Mrs. Foroughi "With the launch of these new investment products, we aim to increase investor demand within the Gulf markets and in return, position ourselves as leaders in wealth management throughout the region."

NBD partnered with Russell Investment Group in 2004 to offer NBD Multi Manager Solutions as well as offer access to various Russell funds and global investment products.