AXA Investment Managers' Asian business is offering Hong Kong investors exposure to European listed property market securities.

AXA Investment Managers Asia has teamed up with DBS Bank's Hong Kong branch to open up its European real estate securities fund to investors in Hong Kong.

The AXA World Funds Framlington Europe Real Estate Securities Fund is available to retail investors in the city via DBS Hong Kong.

The €821 million ($897 million) fund, which was launched in 2005, seeks to generate long-term capital growth by investing in listed securities issued by companies that are active in the real estate market. It has delivered a cumulative performance of 26 per cent over one year and carries a five-star rating in Morningstar’s Property Indirect Europe category.

“Amid the complex and rapidly changing market environment, local retail investors are increasingly looking for diversified investment opportunities in Europe,” said Terence Lam, head of sales and marketing for Asia at AXA IM. 

“As Europe’s markets recover, demand is growing for European equities, real estate and REITs [real estate investment trusts], which offer the potential for attractive returns. Making the Framlington Europe Real Estate Securities Fund available to investors in Hong Kong showcases AXA IM’s commitment to providing different type of investment products in Asia that allow investors to access Europe’s growth.”

Using a bottom-up stock selection approach, the fund invests in 40-50 securities, as well as small and mid-cap real estate operating companies. Its main focus is listed securities in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden.

AXA IM has had a presence in Asia since 1998 with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo, as well as joint ventures in Shanghai, Seoul and Mumbai.