South Africa’s buoyant property investment sector has gained another unit trust. Catalyst Securities, the country’s top performing property investment manager in 2004, has launched the Catalyst SA Listed Property Fund.

Listed property had another good run in 2004 achieving average total returns of 41%, outperforming the JSE Securities Exchange’s all-share index, bonds and cash. Those who invested in listed property via specialist unit trust funds (offered by among others Coronation, Marriott, Old Mutual and Stanlib) would have achieved similar returns. Figures from Standard & Poor’s (see unit trust pages) confirm that flexible property unit trust funds achieved total returns over the past 12 months of between 30% and 38%. The top performer in this sector was Old Mutual’s SA Quoted Property fund.

The listed property index put in a bumper performance last year, outperforming the JSE Securities Exchange all share index, bonds and cash.

Last year saw the JSE Securities Exchange SA's listed property index record its best performance in five years, with total returns of 41,25% being reported for the full 2004 year.

With return of 33,62%, sector outperformed all share index

If the listed property sector is to grow, external asset managers of listed property funds have to ensure they are acting in the best interests of unitholders.

They prefer to play it safe with the commercial funds they know

IndustrialL-focused listed property fund Metboard Properties has exceeded its own expectations, reporting a 2,8% rise in distributions to unitholders for the six months ended September 30 compared with the same period last year.

Listed property performed well in September with the SA Listed Property Index showing that the sector delivered total returns of 3,41%, said a report by Catalyst Securities

Listed property loan stock heavyweight Hyprop Investments was the best performer of listed property groups in terms of returns to investors last month, says the latest overview by Catalyst Securities.