NZ Super Fund loses money in Jan, up for year

The New Zealand Superannuation Fund recorded a 1.97 per cent loss in January, bringing its performance in the first seven months of its financial year to 15 per cent.

The fund's investment income has added $2.12 billion to the

$13.53 billion of taxpayer payments since 2003/2004, an equivalent annual return of 5.8 per cent. These figures represent an estimated 13.5 per cent better return from the fund's managed investments compared to what would have been a passive investment in Treasury Bills.

Other than the profit or loss figures, the fund does not comment on its release of the monthly performance statistics. Last month's loss was minor compared to its worst month, September 2008, when the fund lost 7.96 per cent of its value.

Almost 37 per cent of the fund's investments are in large capitalisation international equities, and another 17 per cent in international fixed income. Timber makes up 7.6 per cent of the fund's investment.

Currently the fund has over 10 per cent of Auckland International Airport's shares and more than 5 per cent of trucking and distribution company Mainfreight.