End of year 2023 investment update

Over the last 12 months, we have seen a significant shift away from minimal inflation and a low interest rate environment which have dominated investment markets for most of the last decade. While the signs are showing that inflation will soon peak, it has proved more persistent than some first thought, with the Reserve Bank of Australia continuing to lift interest rates to try and curb the impact.

Despite these conditions, superannuation returns for Crescent Wealth members have been resilient, even in the face of potential risks around a global recession and credit market tightening. While the market and economic outlook is always uncertain, it is in these kinds of conditions that the benefits of our Shariah-compliant investment strategy, can come to the fore.

Well-considered, diverse asset portfolios across halal industries in which we invest, are maximising opportunity to achieve consistently strong long-term returns for members.  

Our willingness to embrace new, emerging and alternative industries such as Australia’s water market, has helped us adapt to great change in the market, as well as in the wider world.

It is also important to recognise that what has been effective in the past may not be so in the future, which helps us to always be alert to new growth opportunities for the benefit of our members.

Short-term performance

Here are the investment performance for each of our fund's investment options for the 12-month period to 30 September 2023:

• The Crescent Wealth Super Balanced Global option delivered an impressive 10.2%.
• The Crescent Wealth Super Growth option achieved a remarkable 8.0% return.
• The Crescent Wealth Super Balanced option yielded a strong 7.2%.
• And the Crescent Wealth Super Conservative option delivered a steady 5.69% return.

Investment performance for each of our fund's investment options for the 6-month period to 30 September 2023:

• The Crescent Wealth Super Balanced Global option delivered 3.91%.
• The Crescent Wealth Super Growth option achieved a 1.42% return.
• The Crescent Wealth Super Balanced option yielded a 1.32%.
•  And the Crescent Wealth Super Conservative option delivered a 1.19% return.

Above performance is net of investment management fees and tax but gross of admin fees.

The returns for the six-month period to 30 September 2023 is indicative of the current volatile investment environment. The uncertainty of continued global interest rate hikes and the fears of an impending global economic slowdown in 2024 has weighed on listed and unlisted markets. The diversified spread of Shariah investments in our portfolio is positioned for the volatility in current markets that we believe will hold up well in the uncertain times ahead.

The chance that total market returns will be markedly different to that achieved in the past couple of years is increasingly likely.

Looking ahead, we remain agile and ready to capture new opportunities in the ever-evolving Shariah-compliant market landscape. Our goal is to continue delivering competitive positive returns for you, our valued super fund members. And we remain committed to ensuring that your investments align with your values.

We’re focused on investing for the long-term

With this in mind, it is important to remember that your superannuation is a long-term investment. Market downturns, whatever their trigger, come to an end. The volatility we are experiencing now is no different. We’ll continue investing in shariah-compliant future-building stocks in industries like healthcare, education and renewables that have the potential to thrive in a low carbon future.

While drops in performance can be uncomfortable, ups and downs are a normal part of investing and something our investment team is prepared for.

Please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The value of an investment may rise or fall with the changes in the market.