International Investment Funds

A beginner's guide to investment funds.

A beginner's guide to investment funds.

Watch the video to find out the basics of investment funds and how they work.

At Citibank, we offer you a myriad of wealth management options including global asset management services operating from Singapore. Whether your goal is to capitalize on market opportunities, save for a comfortable retirement, secure your children's education or just to accumulate wealth, Citibank's wide array of wealth management options can help you diversify your investments and achieve your financial goals.

Partnered with the best fund managers around the globe, Citibank has the knowledge and experience to bring you appropriate wealth management, investment fund options and asset management in Singapore to best suit your individual needs.

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Global Investment Funds

Benefits

Why invest through Citibank?

You will have access to our extensive range of international investment products. And with approximately more than 14,000 financial advisors and private bankers in over 100 countries, our established network can provide both breadth and depth of experience, global research and financial advice. With Citibank as your partner, you can make your investment decisions with confidence.

  • We offer a broad range of Equity Funds and Bond Funds
    • By country / region:

      Global, Europe, Asia, Japan, Singapore, North America, Emerging Markets

    • By industry:

      Telecommunication & technology, life and health sciences, financial services, industries, gold & mining

    • A range of funds to suit individual investor profiles, tolerance for risk and different investment needs
      • Income accumulation
      • Capital appreciation, through global allocation in various equity markets around the world
    • Specially-designed portfolios for those who want to maximize their potential returns, who can accept some risk of capital loss but may be unsure of what is the best way to go about investing. These portfolios are designed for those who don't want to worry, or who can't spare the time that managing investments so often involves
Features

When you purchase units in an investment fund, fund managers are able to pool all the investors' money together to invest into a range of stocks, bonds and other financial instruments. Investment Funds are cost-effective financial instruments. with the following added benefits:

Professional Management

Investment Funds are managed by professionals who work full-time analyzing potential investments. Their research includes in-depth analysis of the markets and individual financial instruments for investment.

Diversification

Investment Funds allow you to access a larger number of securities, industries and even countries than if you were to invest in any single investment. This will offer you the benefit of diversifying your investment risks.

Convenience

Investment Funds are a simple and hassle-free way to invest. You do not need to handle the large amount of paper work usually associated with investing in individual securities. It is also easier to monitor the value of one fund instead of a large number of individual stocks and bonds.

How to invest

Investing is now simple with various channels to place/execute your investment orders. You may choose to trade on Citibank Online, Citi Mobile, or just be a phone call away by contacting your Relationship Manager for a more personal approach when investing.

Online

If your preference is to execute your own investment orders, start investing online, by simply logging-on to Citibank Online and following the steps below.

Open an Investment Account

Logon to Citibank Online and click on "Services" > "Investment Services" > "Open an Investment Fund Account" to open/link an Investment Account.

Click here for an illustration of the process.

Possess a valid Investment Risk Profile

Click on "Services" > "Investment Services" > "My Risk Profile" - to establish or update your Investment Risk Profile instantly.

Click here for an illustration of the process.

Submit a valid Customer Knowledge Assessment (CKA) form

Complete this form and submit it to us at:

CITIBANK SINGAPORE LTD
International Personal Bank Robinson Road
P.O. Box 0361, Singapore 900711

ATTN: Client Support Services (CSS)

Logon to Citibank Online to Start Trading.

Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to trade online.

Offline

If you would still prefer a personal approach with the execution of investments deals, you may contact your Relationship Manager or our 24 Hour CitiPhone Banking at +65 6224 5757+65 6224 5757 or more information .

Investing Online

Investments Online

Investment Funds can be made available on Citibank Online where you can view, trade or switch your investments online anytime, anywhere. Simply logon to www.ipb.citibank.com.sg to,

View your portfolio of investments funds with details online,
View the prospectus of your desired investment fund conveniently online,
Place an order online to buy an investment fund of your choice at your convenience,
Sell your investments online at an instance, any time of the day,
Switch your investments funds whenever you want to - online,
Subscribe to a Regular Savings Plan online and,
View all the details your past transactions and Profit & Loss online for that extra assurance.

If you do not have an existing investments account, please click here for more information on how to get one today.

Alternatively, you may contact your Relationship Manager for more information.

Risks

Risks

No Guarantees

  • Returns are not guaranteed and costs will still be incurred even if the fund performs poorly.

Lack of Control

  • By investing in an Investment Fund, you give up control over the choice of individual bonds, shares and other assets that go into the fund, as the fund manager will make these decisions for you.

Impact of Fees on Returns

  • The total cost of sales charge and expenses can be higher than investing in individual securities. Investors should be cautious with funds that charge high fees as they can potentially reduce the investment returns.

Market Risk

  • The major source of risk and volatility with Investment Funds comes from the underlying assets held by the fund.

Liquidity Risk

  • Investment Funds are relatively liquid with most funds allowing access to funds within a reasonable short time frame. In times of severe economic downturns, however, funds can reduce this liquidity, and potentially even freeze all redemptions for a period of time, so as to protect the holdings of the fund and not disadvantage investors who want to stay in the fund.

Manager's Risk

  • The performance of the fund may be affected by the skill or reputation of the fund manager. This may give rise to "key person risks" should the particular fund manager leave the organization.

Exchange Rate Fluctuations

  • Investors investing in Investment Funds denominated in non-local currency should be aware of the risk of exchange rate fluctuations that may cause a loss of principal when the foreign currency is converted back to the investors’ home currency.

Risk is an inherent aspect of every form of investment. Investors should be advised that past performance is not indicative of future results and be prepared for fluctuations in the market price of their Investment Funds, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.

* The above is only a summary of some of the key risks in investing in the product. Detailed risk disclosures are set out in the documentation relating to the specific product. Prior to entering into a transaction, you should ensure that you have read and understood the nature of all of the risks associated with the investment in order to determine whether the investment is suitable for you in light of your experience, objectives, financial position and other relevant circumstances. You should consult with your legal, regulatory, tax, financial and/or accounting advisors to the extent you consider it necessary in making your own investment decision.

Faqs

Click on    to expand and on    to minimise the details.

We've put all the most frequently asked questions about the investment funds that we offer at Citibank International Personal Bank here to help you make the best investment decisions.

No. Investment Funds are typically not insured and the unit price will fluctuate. An investor's shares may be worth more or less than their purchase price at the time of the sale. It is recommended that you read the Prospectus carefully before investing.

While traditional market wisdom says "buy low, sell high", that is easier said than done. As people tend to be optimistic in good times and pessimistic in bad times, many do just the opposite. The best time to invest depends more on your goals and financial situation than on market conditions.

You may start by investing a minimum amount of US$10,000 (or equivalent). Investment Funds offer you convenience at a lower cost, cover a spectrum of investments and are run by professional managers.

Simply, asset allocation means choosing the right mix of equities and bonds (we call them "asset classes") to give you the best possible chance of achieving your financial objectives.

The rationale behind asset allocation is that different assets perform differently, even in response to the same economic event. For instance, when equities are not performing well in one country or even globally due to economic uncertainties, bonds may be performing well. With asset allocation, you are actually trying to reduce the fluctuations in the value of your investments.

There is no ideal number. What is important is how diversified your portfolio is. If you are currently holding only one-fund (e.g. an asset allocation fund) that covers the global stock and bond market, it can be better diversified than if your portfolio has multiple funds that are overweight in one particular sector.

Assuming that your portfolio is aligned to a well-defined strategy that is appropriate for your personal situation, you should review it at least once a year.

If you are not following a specific investment plan attuned to your goals, time horizon, risk tolerance and financial situation, then you should review it immediately. A good way to start is to complete a Personal Investment Risk Profile from Citibank.

  1. Dollar Cost Averaging

    This is a long-term strategy, in which, a fixed amount of money is invested on a regular schedule, regardless of market fluctuations. The investor buys more shares of an investment when the price is low and fewer shares when the price is high; the overall cost is lower than it would be if a constant number of shares were bought on a regular schedule.

  2. Compounding Interest

    Compounding interest is paid on the original principal and on the accumulated past interests. As such, a person age 25 who invests $500 per month till age 60 will receive $568,046*. However, a person at age 45 who invests the same amount till age 60 will only receive $133,645*. Thus, the longer you hold an investment, the more it is likely to grow, simply through the effect of compound interest.

* Assume interest rate is 5% p.a. (inflation-adjusted)

Some factors for consideration include:

  1. Reputation of the fund manager
  2. Track record of the fund manager's performance and risk management
  3. Your risk appetite
  4. The financial goals you hope to achieve in both the short term and the long term

An Investment Fund allows a group of investors who share a common financial goal to pool their money together and invest in a portfolio of financial instruments.

The Investment Fund has a fund manager who is responsible for investing the gathered money into specific securities (equities, bonds and money market instruments) to meet the predefined investment objective. When investors invest in an Investment Fund, they are buying units of the Investment Fund and thus become unit holders of the fund.

Professional Management

  • Investors may not have the resources or the time to buy individual stocks on their own.
  • By contrast, fund managers wake up each morning dedicating their professional lives to researching and analyzing current and potential holdings for their Investment Funds.

Diversification

  • Diversification is an investing strategy that can be neatly summed up as "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." Spreading your investments across a wide range of companies and industry sectors can help lower your risk if a company or sector fails.
  • Some investors find it easier to achieve diversification through ownership of Investment Funds rather than through ownership of individual stocks or bonds.

Economies of Scale

  • Investment Funds buy and sell large amounts of securities at a time, thus helping to reduce transaction costs and bring down the average cost of the unit for their investors.

Liquidity

  • Most Open Ended Investment Funds are priced daily and are always willing to buy back units from investors. Investors can sell their holdings in Investment Funds investments anytime without worrying about finding a buyer at the right price.

Affordability

  • Investors can get started in an Investment Fund with as little as USD1,000 when they invest using Citibank Online. Offline investments are also available at a minimal amount starting from USD 10,000.

Access to International Markets

  • Investment Funds can provide investors a convenient access to invest in international markets and sometimes restricted markets.

Transparency

  • Prices of Open Ended Investment Funds are generally published daily. Disclosures of the portfolio holdings are available with the fund factsheets.

You will need to complete the following forms before you can purchase an Investment Fund.

  • Active Settlement account
  • Customer knowledge Assessment (CKA) Form
  • Investment Risk Profiling Form
  • Knowledge and Education - Investment Funds

Please contact your relationship manager for more details.

Each client should apply for an investment account (per currency) and have 1 settlement account which would be used to fund the investment purchase. No cross currency transaction is allowed for Investment Funds.

How do I open an account?

You may open an account online or through your relationship manager. Please proceed to the overview page and under the section - Investing with Citibank Online Investment Funds, and click on 'here' to get to the online account opening form

How many accounts can I open?

You can open ONE account with every banking relationship/account you have with us.

What is the settlement account used for?

The settlement account is a separate account maintained by Citi to facilitate settlement of purchased investments.

How long does it take for my account to be opened?

If you have opened an account online, your account will be opened instantaneously and you will be advised of your account number. Please contact your RM if you do not get your account number immediately.

Why can't I open an account?

You may not be able to open an investment account for the possible reasons:

  1. You do not have a cash account available.
  2. You do not have a cash account in the same currency as the trading account that you have applied for.
  3. Your account may be a Joint AND account.
  4. Investment products are not available in your country.

Please contact your relationship manager for more information.

CKA - What is CKA?

CKA is the Customer Knowledge Assessment Form which is used to assess a client's knowledge about investment funds and financial know-how.

Where can I submit the CKA form?

After completing the CKA form, you can send it to your RM who will submit it for updating into our database.

  1. Kindly note that the CKA cannot be completed online.
  2. CKA is only valid for a year from the date of assessment. In scenarios where your CKA has expired, no subscriptions can be performed. Please contact your relationship manager to perform a re-assessment in such a scenario.

Risk Profiling - What is risk profiling?

Risk Profiling is a process where a client is assessed to calculate his/her risk appetite which will determine the type of Investment Funds each client can purchased.

Why do I need a risk class?

A Risk Class determines each client's risk appetite. Each investment fund is also allotted with a risk class level so that it will help customers decide if they are suited for the risks involved with a specific investment.

How do I obtain my risk profile?

The Investment Risk Profile Form is available online (Logon to Citibank Online and click on Investments / Investment services / My Profile and answer the questions to update your Investment Risk Profile).

Alternatively you may seek assistance from your relationship manager for more information.

Where can I view my risk class?

Your Risk Class level is available at the Risk Profile Module when you login to Citibank online www.ipb.citibank.com.sg.

My risk profile does not align with my risk appetite? How can I update it?

You will need to update your risk profile if it has expired.

Offline:

Your Risk profile can only be updated once a year if you are being assessed offline with your relationship manager. You have unlimited number of tries within a day but can only redo the assessment one year after the last assessment date once u have finalized it within that one day.

Online:

Please note that you may take the investment risk profile assessment twice a day if you are taking it online and you may redo the assessment only after 1 month of the last date of the assessment.

For more information, please seek assistance from your relationship manager.

How do I place an order?

You may logon to www.ipb.citibank.com. Go to the 'investments' tab and select Investment Funds. Select the 'buy' tab and select an account number.

What are the available channels to place an order?

You may place an order with your relationship manager or online at www.ipb.citibank.com.sg

When can I place an order?

After setting up the account, you may purchase a fund anytime and anywhere, as long as you are logged onto Citibank online. Please note that some customers may experience difficulties when placing an order. In the event that this happens, please seek assistance from your relationship manager for more details or to make a purchase for a particular fund.

What are the charges incurred when I place an order?

Investment Amount Fee %
For all investment amounts 3.00%

How will I know if my order is confirmed and processed?

You may check the tab 'transaction history' to know the status of the fund that you have just purchased/sold/switched. Please choose between the 'settled' and 'unsettled' tabs.

Where can I view my orders?

You may proceed to the 'portfolio' tab to view your purchases investments the following working day. Investment orders purchased online takes 1 day to be reflected in a client's account.

May I cancel an order that has been made?

Confirmed online orders cannot be cancelled. Please contact your relationship manager for assistance.

I am unable to view a particular fund. Why is that so?

Your risk profile might not match the investment fund that you have selected.

Or, the fund that you are looking for is not offered with us.

Please seek assistance from your relationship manager.

I am unable to proceed with my order. Why is that so?

Please check if you have you have signed the CKA, W-8BEN and Risk Profile Form. Other reasons could include insufficient funds or the fund that you have chosen is not available.

If you have met the above criteria, please contact your relationship manager for more information.

What is 'Switch' tab used for?

The switch tab is an option if you would like to switch between investment funds offered by a particular fund house. Each switch transaction is subject to the fund houses' approval and should only be within the same house.

What are the charges?

Fund House Switch Fee(Up to)
Allianz Global Investors 1.00%
Blackrock 0.50%
Deutsche Bank Global Markets 0.50%
Fidelity Worldwide Investment 1.00%
First State Investments 1.00%
PIMCO 1.00%
Schroder Investment Management 1.00%
PIMCO 1.00%
Templeton Asset Management 1.00%

Can all funds be switched?

Switching is only available for funds within the same fund house. This is subject to each Fund houses' approval.

What is a regular savings plan?

A regular savings plan is a powerful investment approach with Dollar Cost Averaging. By contributing a fixed amount each month to invest into investment fund, you can buy more units when the prices are low and less when prices are high. Citibank Regular Savings Plan (RSP) adopts this approach which can help to average out the market's peaks and troughs.

Fund Materials

To access Fund Materials:

If you would like to update or establish your Investment Risk Profile, please go to the tab called "Service" (on the top banner) and select "Investment Services". To view your current Investment Risk Profile, click on "My Risk Profile".

In "My Risk Profile", the page "Personal Investment Risk Profile" will let you select your account number and corresponding Risk Profile - where you will be required to key in OTP if you have not done so previously.

If your Risk Class shows "NIL", please click on "Profile Now" to determine your Investment Risk Class.

If you have completed your Investment Risk Profile session previously but have an expired Risk Class, you may choose to click on "Update my Profile" to update your Investment Risk Profile.

To start your Investment Risk Profile session, please read the important notes and click on "Next" if you have read and understood the content.

In order for you to complete the Risk Profile session, you will be required to go through the 5 steps as shown below.

Step 1: Financial and employment information.

When you have completed the question, please click on "Next".

Step 2: Assessing your risk appetite and Liquid net-worth for investments.

When you have completed the questions, please click on "Next".

Step 3: Your Risk Attitude

Step 4: Your knowledge and Experience in Investments.

When you have completed the questions, please click on "Next".

Step 5: Summary of answers in the Risk Profile questions.

Please review your answers to the questions from Step 1-4. If you are satisfied with the corresponding answers, place a tick in the checkbox and click on "Know Your Profile".

Your Investment Risk Profile will be calculated and presented as shown below.

If you are satisfied with your given Risk Profile, please click on "Update My Profile".

Trading Steps for Investment Funds

Sign on to Citibank Online.

Select the "Investments" tab, then click on "Investment Funds".

Enter your One-Time PIN Authentication.

To view your portfolio, click on the "Portfolio" tab. From the dropdown list, select your Investment Fund Account Number.

To buy an investment fund, click on the “Buy” tab, then select your Investment Fund Account Number.

Click "Next" to continue.

Enter the Fund Name or Fund Code you wish to purchase before clicking on the "Search" icon.

To sell an Investment Fund, click on the "Sell" tab. Select your Investment Fund Account Number, then click on the Fund Name you wish to sell.

Key in the No. of Units you wish to Redeem and select your Credit Account Number. After doing so, click on the "Submit" button.

Review and verify your Sell Investment Funds details before clicking on "Confirm".

Your transaction has now been completed and you may now view your record.

To switch your Investment Funds, click on the "Switch" tab and select your Investment Fund Account Number.

Click on "Next" to continue.

Select the Investment Fund Name that you wish to switch from (sell).

Select the Investment Fund Name you wish to switch to (buy). Then, click on the "Search" icon.

Select the Source of Fund Account and the No. of Units you wish to redeem.

Tick icon after you have read our Terms and Conditions carefully. Then, click on the "Submit" button.

Your transaction has been completed and you can click on the "Transaction History" tab to view your transaction history details.