The Fund invests predominantly in shares and unit trusts listed or about to be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Derivatives may be used to obtain or reduce exposure to securities and markets, to implement investment strategies and to manage risk.

To provide a total return, before costs and tax, higher than the Fund’s benchmark over the long term by providing exposure to a diversified portfolio of predominantly Australian shares.

Benefits of investing in the Russell Investments Australian Shares Fund - Class A

• Actively managed investment strategy: The Fund offers broad exposure to Australian shares, across a range of industry sectors. The investment strategy emphasises performance above the benchmark, while aiming to control risk. It is based on the same deep insights, high standards and stringent research we use working for many of the world's largest investors.

• Deep global insights: The majority of investment opportunities reside outside of Australia. We operate a global business with specialists in the major markets around the world. We value local knowledge, building a dedicated team of over 300 professionals in 21 countries. We base our portfolio managers and manager researchers in the markets in which they work allowing them to better understand their portfolios, enabling quicker and more decisive action.

• Best of breed approach: Embedded within our funds is an open architecture selection process, scouring the globe for investment opportunities, wherever they reside. Our analysts seek to identify superior investment manager talent through a proprietary research process based on objective analysis. This includes monitoring more than 4,000 investment manager firms. We combine decades of consulting experience, proprietary analytics and our renowned manager research to bring the optimal combination of managers in each asset class.

Risk level

High

Investor suitability

Suitable for investors seeking share-like returns, who have a long investment horizon. Investors must be willing to accept the possibility of negative returns over the short to medium term.

About the Fund

The Fund provides a core exposure to Australian shares. The Fund invests across all key sectors of the Australian sharemarket, and you'll have the peace of mind knowing that some of Australia's best investment managers are working to manage your clients' assets.

The Fund invests predominantly in shares and unit trusts listed or about to be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Derivatives may be used to obtain or reduce exposure to securities and markets, to implement investment strategies and to manage risk.

How we invest your money

The Fund invests predominantly in shares or unit trusts listed or about to be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. The Fund is kept as close to fully invested as is practical.

No particular number of managers or strategies is targeted; the current number provides good diversification and coverage of the market. Should other compelling managers and strategies be identified, we may further increase them to enhance the alpha prospects for the Fund. Allocations to each manager and strategy reflects both their structural importance (e.g. capitalisation or growth/value bias) as well as our confidence in their alpha generating capability and consistency.

The key style factor controlled for is growth versus value, with exponents of each style included in the Fund, with a slight bias towards value. For example, some managers focus on growth stocks, while others have valuation-based approaches. The Fund achieves further diversification within these value and growth sub-sets. Within the growth segment, the Fund utilises the strengths of a secular, industry-focused growth manager, as well as one focusing on relative growth opportunities. The Fund also employs value managers with distinct sub- styles, including value plus momentum, deep value and relative value.

Another important factor controlled for is capitalisation. The inclusion of managers with distinct biases toward both small and large capitalisation stocks provides a balanced exposure across the capitalisation spectrum, while ensuring that the Fund will tend to be broadly neutral on market capitalisation over time.

Asset allocation

• The Fund may invest up to 100% in Australian shares and unit trusts.

• The Fund may also invest up to 10% in cash.