Two Austrian managers handle 0.7% of GDP

9 sep 2010 Autor: Roxana Pricop

The mutual fund market has almost come to be equivalent with the names of the two biggest managers Erste Management and Raiffeisen Asset Management that handle total net assets worth 3.9bn RON, accounting almost 80% in the investment market.

"We want that not only the markets we invest in should see competition, but the mutual fund market, as well. While there are just two forces dominating the fund market at present, I expect competition to increase starting next year amid improving stock market conditions," said Dragoş Neacşu, chairman of Erste AM manager with 2.2bn RON assets.
Mihail Ion, chairman of the second biggest manager, adds that what the mutual fund market lacks to really witness competition is investors' confidence in the economy, in the capital market, but also in a longer-term investment horizon.
Both admit that a mutual fund market divided among four or five players is more valuable for investors than a market where two managers control 80% of assets and the rest of 17 players share 20%.