MANULIFE Investment Management and Trust Corp. has launched a unit investment trust fund (UITF) designed to tap into the global semiconductor sector, a key driver of artificial intelligence, automation and next-generation technologies.
“The Manulife Global Semiconductor Opportunities Equity Feeder Fund empowers Filipino investors to participate in one of the most transformative technology trends shaping the global economy,” Manulife Investment Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Aira Gaspar said in a statement on Wednesday.
The fund invests in a collective investing scheme, or target fund that allocates at least 70% of its net assets to equities and equity-related securities of leading semiconductor companies worldwide.
It adopts an active management strategy to navigate market cycles, focusing on both mega-cap companies and smaller, under-researched companies with differentiated technologies.
“Semiconductors serve as the foundation of modern innovation and power AI (artificial intelligence), automation and digital connectivity,” Ms. Gaspar said. “This UITF provides access to leading companies driving progress across the semiconductor and AI value chain.”
The fund is aimed at long-term capital appreciation, offering investors diversified exposure to high-growth tech firms.
Manulife cited McKinsey & Co. data projecting the semiconductor market to surpass $1 trillion by 2030, highlighting the sector’s growth potential.
The fund can be accessed for as little as $100 or P1,000, with accounts opened online via Manulife iFUNDS, the company’s digital platform for managing UITF investments.
Manulife Investment, a wholly owned unit of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.) Inc., obtained a standalone trust corporation license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 2017.
As of 2024, the trust firm reported assets of P1.88 billion, liabilities of P215.88 million and total equity of P971.77 million. Net income surged 55.3% to P372.16 million from the previous year.
Its parent company, Manulife Philippines, posted P15.83 billion in premium income and a net income of P2.78 billion last year, underscoring the group’s growing presence in insurance and investment management in the country. — Aaron Michael C. Sy