Insight Investment Funds Report February 2023—Product Developers Target Income Opportunities

Modernizing the product shelves by introducing new management styles, strategies and asset classes remains a high priority for fund companies. Product developers were busy in 2022. Total launches for calendar year 2022 totalled 336 funds in various fund formats, a figure which fell between the 2020 ramping up of the early cycle of the pandemic at 323 launches, and the high-water mark of 2021 at 394 launches, when remote work or education was fully embraced.  Insurers also kept active, introducing 39 segregated funds during the period. Income generation, alternatives and ESG remained dominant themes, and many of the new funds, with the glow of 2021 still fresh in their memories, experienced successful sales result out of the gate. What evolved deeper into 2022, however, was a challenging year for most fund companies.

The February 2023 Insight research feature presents a review of product development trends across product types, sponsor categories and asset classes. The Trendlines article focuses on new segregated funds. A companion workbook in SIMFUND Canada is also available with more details on the new mutual funds and ETFs introduced over the period.