Continuing high energy prices helped push natural resources funds to a second straight month of solid performance in July, according to performance data released today by Morningstar Canada.

The natural resources fund index gained 8.2% during the month, best among the 31 Morningstar Canada fund indices. All but four of the fund indices were in positive territory during July – and those money losers barely were in the red, each losing less than 1%.

Natural resources also was June’s top performer, gaining 7.4%, and is the runaway year-to-date leader, with a 24.3% gain since January 1.

The worst performing fund index during the year’s first seven months was Precious Metals, down nearly 6%.

“Although the price of oil retreated somewhat from highs of over US$62 a barrel during July, the continued strength in prices has helped many oil-related companies post record earnings,” said Morningstar Canada analyst Mark Chow. “As well, many large energy producers reported big profit gains during July, including natural-gas producer Encana Corp., which more than tripled its second-quarter earnings from the year-earlier period.”

July’s second best one-month return was posted by the emerging markets fund index, which rose 6.8%, followed by the Canadian small cap equity fund Index, up 6.2%.

The month’s worst performers were precious metals and foreign bond, each down 0.7%, while Canadian bond lost 0.3% and Canadian short term bond and mortgage fell 0.2%.

Strong natural-resources commodity prices also lifted the performance of all five domestic equity fund indices. The Canadian income trust fund index rose 5.5%, and the Canadian equity (pure) fund index, which includes funds that are least 95% invested in Canadian stocks, was up 5.3%. Canadian equity, which requires just 70% in Canadian stock content, lagged slightly, gaining 4.5%, while Canadian dividend rose 3.6%. Domestic equity funds have outperformed most foreign funds so far this year.

Small-cap stocks south of the border also fared well, as the U.S. small and mid cap equity fund index rose 5.8%.

Most global-sector fund indices also had a good month, as science and technology was up 5.3%, healthcare 4.6% and financial services 4.2%. The broader foreign equity fund indices lagged slightly, as global equity and international equity rose 3.7% and 3.6% respectively.

The Asia Ex-Japan Equity Fund Index also fared well, gaining 5.4%.

Final performance figures will be published at mid-month.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2005/03/c6524.html