Products September 5, 2007

SPARX Asia Fund Family Expands

SPARX Asia Funds has launched three new funds; the SPARX Asia-Pacific Opportunities Fund, the SPARX Asia-Pacific Equity Income Fund, and the SPARX Japan Smaller Companies Fund.
Reported by

Those funds complement the SPARX Japan Fund (ticker: SPXJX), which debuted in 2003. The new funds are managed by Hong Kong- and Tokyo-based teams with “years of experience and a keen understanding of Asia’s diverse economies, markets and cultures that informs their investment decisions,” according to a company press release.

  • SPARX Asia-Pacific Opportunities Fund (ticker: SPAPX): Seeks growth-oriented companies’ shares
  • SPARX Asia-Pacific Equity Income Fund (ticker: SPAIX): Focuses on high-dividend yielding shares
  • SPARX Japan Smaller Companies Fund (ticker: SPJSX): Targets Japan’s small- cap growth stocks

The investment adviser to SPARX Asia Funds is New York-based SPARX Investment & Research USA, Inc., a wholly-owned unit of SPARX Group Co., Ltd.

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Founded in 1989, SPARX Group employs more than 280 people at its offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, London, New York and Tokyo and oversees some $15.3 billion in total assets under management (as of July 31, 2007). SPARX Group stock trades on the Jasdaq Securities Exchange.

More information is available online at http://www.SparxAsiaFunds.com

Products September 5, 2007

Vanguard Extends Financial Planning Services to More Investors

Vanguard announced it is extending its enhanced services previously available to investors with $250,000 or more invested at Vanguard to Vanguard shareholders who invest at least $100,000 in the firm’s no-load, low-cost mutual funds.
Reported by

Vanguard’s enhanced services now feature three tiers based on a shareholder’s total assets in Vanguard investments: Voyager ($100,000–$500,000), Voyager Select ($500,000–$1,000,000), and Flagship (more than $1,000,000). According to the announcement, a financial plan with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) costs $250 under the Voyager program and is complimentary for Voyager Select and Flagship investors.

Flagship investors also are provided with a free CFP consultation anytime. Flagship shareholders will also be permitted to open new accounts and make additional purchases of five previously closed funds, including Vanguard Explorer Fund, Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund, Vanguard Capital Opportunity Fund, Vanguard Health Care Fund, and Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining Fund, the announcement said.

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Other services provided, based on level of investments, include discounted online commissions and access to a VanguardAdvantage account.

The membership levels are based on total household assets invested in Vanguard funds and ETFs, 529 plans, small-business plans, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and annuities held through Vanguard.

More information is available at www.vanguard.com, or by calling 800-662-7447.

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