Citi launches innovative investment fund

MANILA, Philippines - Citibank (Citi) is offering a new investment product that allows clients to customize their investment goals.

With Citi Regular Savings Plan (RSP) for Investment Funds, clients can enroll to invest in specific funds and indicate how much they are willing to set aside monthly. 

Citi will arrange for automatic fund transfers to the client’s investment fund of choice for a pre-determined period. Investments will be coursed or booked though Citicorp Financial Services and Insurance Brokerage Philippines Inc. (CFSI).

In fact, Citi Philippines Retail Banking director Vipin Agrawal said that the product was launched late last year.

“We invited clients to designate a destination account, which could be a savings or checking account, and based on their instructions, we arranged for automatic funds transfer monthly. Many appreciated how we helped them meet a savings goal,” Agrawal said.

With the early success of RSP for Savings, Citi trained its sights on making Investment Funds just as accessible. 

“What makes RSP even more attractive for Investment Funds is that it offers the benefits of cost-averaging strategy,” explained Agrawal. “You can invest a fixed amount at regular intervals and enter the market not once but at different times, riding highs and lows and potentially earning better yields.”

Cost-averaging is recognized as one of the most successful strategies to overcome the effects of market fluctuations, particularly for volatile markets. 

RSP for Investment Funds will allow clients to harness this strategy to their advantage and possibly enhance their returns compared to investing in lump sum.

“A programmed monthly investment plan like this also neutralizes the danger of emotional investing that may otherwise affect your investment decisions adversely,” the Citi official said.

By being able to customize their own investment plan, clients are given varied options on how to make their money grow. 

They decide how much funds they want to invest in the type of investment fund they want, and for how long. 

Clients can choose from several Investment Funds through CFSI, depending on their risk appetite. 

Choices include peso and US dollar bond funds, peso and US dollar income funds, Philippine equity funds and Asia Pacific equity funds. 

RSP is available to clients of both Citibank and subsidiary Citibank Savings.