SGKB launches fund for Eastern Switzerland

SGKB is combining its long-standing expertise in Swiss shares with its proximity to the economy of Eastern Switzerland, as detailed in a press release. The bank has now established a fund for shares in Eastern Switzerland: SGKB Aktien Fokus Ostschweiz. According to SGKB, its aim here is to appeal to investors seeking to participate in the development of companies in Eastern Switzerland in a diversified manner. Thomas Stucki, Chief Investment Officer at St.Galler Kantonalbank, was quoted in the press release, explaining how the new fund will facilitate convenient access to an economic region, which is above average in terms of dynamic development and home to companies that operate on a global level, to investors looking to establish a local connection to Eastern Switzerland.

A subscription period for the new, actively managed fund will run up to March 31, 2020. The first trading day will be April 1, 2020. On the one hand, SGKB is using the funds to underline its connection with the economic region of Eastern Switzerland, while on the other, the bank is in a position to offer investors an attractive selection due to the numerous successful companies based in this area. Caroline Hilb, Head of Investment Strategy & Analysis at SGKB, commented that the economic region of Eastern Switzerland benefits from its location advantage, with its proximity to Germany and Austria ensuring short transportation distances and rapid connections to new markets. She further explained that a concentration of companies operating in similar industries has created clusters, for example in the areas of ICT and precision engineering.

An additional location advantage for firms in Eastern Switzerland is that renowned research institutes are located in the area as well. As Thomas Stucki puts it, tight-knit collaboration with the University of St.Gallen or the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) is a driving force behind the innovative power of companies in Eastern Switzerland, with attractive investment opportunities presented by a share portfolio containing a decent selection of firms from this region.