Another positive month for super returns

Super funds are on track for their first positive quarter since the March quarter last year, with the median balanced and growth funds up close to 2 per cent in February 2012.

The results came on the back of a 2 per cent increase in the Australian share market and a 4.9 per cent increase in global shares in hedged terms for the month, while Australian and global real estate investment trusts returned 2.3 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively, according to data from Chant West.

That brings the cumulative return for the first two months of 2012 to 4.4 per cent for the median growth fund, but the same fund would be up only 0.6 per cent overall for the financial year to date, according to Chant West.

"It's worth noting that the negative returns we saw during the GFC - which extended from the end of October 2007 to the end of February 2009 - have now completely worked their way out of the three-year returns," Chant West director Warren Chant said.

Master trusts again outperformed industry funds in February, returning 2.2 per cent against 1.8 per cent, due to their higher weighting to listed shares and property at a time when those markets are rising strongly, Chant West found.

Master trusts are also ahead over three years by 10.5 per cent to 9.0 per cent due to rising markets, but industry funds remain in front over 10 years by 1.2 per cent per annum, according to Chant West.

SuperRatings estimated the median balanced fund was on track for a quarterly return of around 4.5 per cent for the March quarter, making it the first positive quarter since the March quarter last year. However, the median balanced fund was up just 0.3 per cent for the financial year to 29 February 2012, and 0.1 per cent on a rolling one-year basis.