There are more than 4,000 of these fish swimming in Asia's investment waters, mainly in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. Investors also benefit from a big push by banks into wealth management. Fund-management houses are themselves developing a slew of new products. For investors, the growing breadth and diversity of Asian funds increase the chances of constructing a portfolio that will perform well in good and bad times. A few caveats.
Mutual funds are long-term investments.
Don't use money you will need in six months your investment is unlikely to have made enough by then to cover even just the initial costs. Be clear about your tolerance for risk. But people close to retirement should have a higher share of their investment in bonds. And try not to buy at one go. The most important decision is the choice of which fund to buy.