CAPE TOWN, 31 Jan. 2014-Morningstar Research Limited - South Africa, a subsidiary of leading independent investment research provider Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), today announced the finalists of its 2014 South Africa Fund Awards.

Morningstar annually recognises unit trusts that have delivered excellent risk-adjusted returns for investors. The Morningstar Awards are designed to help investors identify the country's most exceptional funds and fund managers for the previous year.

"Each year, Morningstar identifies retail funds and fund groups that have delivered impressive performance not only in the past year, but also excellent risk-adjusted returns for their investors over the longer term," Tal Nieburg, managing director for Morningstar South Africa, said. "The 2014 finalists have delivered outstanding relative performance against a backdrop of uncertain equity, currency, and bond markets."

The finalists for the 2014 Morningstar South Africa Fund Awards are, in alphabetical order:

Award Category and Finalists

Best Aggressive Allocation Fund: Coronation Global Managed and Southern Charter MET Growth

Best Bond - Short Term Fund: Coronation Strategic Income and Nedgroup Investments Flexible

Best Cautious Allocation Fund: 27four Stable Prescient and Nedgroup Investments Stable

Best Diversified Bond Fund: Allan Gray Bond and Prescient Bond QuantPlus

Best Flexible Allocation Fund: ClucasGray Future Titans Prescient and Coronation Optimum Growth

Best Global Bond Fund: Prescient Global Income and Prudential Global High Yield Bond

Best Global Equity Fund: Old Mutual Global Equity and RE:CM Global

Best Moderate Allocation Fund: 27four Balanced Prescient and Investec Global Strategic Managed

Best Property - Indirect Fund: Coronation Property Equity and Nedgroup Investments Property

Best Regional Offshore Equity Fund: Franklin European Growth and Templeton European

Best Sector Equity: Investec Commodity and Nedgroup Investments Mining and Resources

Best South Africa Equity Fund: Mazi Capital MET Equity and PSG Equity

Best South Africa Small-Cap Equity Fund: Nedgroup Investments Entrepreneur and Old Mutual Small Companies

Best Fund House--Larger Fund Range: Allan Gray, Coronation Fund Managers, Prudential Portfolio Managers (SA)

Best Fund House--Smaller Fund Range: A.S. Sure Investment Services, Foord Asset Management, Southern Charter Wealth Management

On 19 Feb. 2014, Morningstar South Africa will announce the winners at a gala dinner and ceremony at The Table Bay Hotel, VandA Waterfront in Cape Town. For event information and the awards methodology, please contact Awards.ZA@morningstar.com or visit http://awards.morningstar.com.

Notes to Editors:
 The Morningstar fund category awards and fund house awards are based on Morningstar fund data for the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013.

About Morningstar Research Limited - South Africa and Morningstar, Inc.
 Morningstar South Africa is a subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc., a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, and retirement plan providers and sponsors. Morningstar provides data on approximately 437,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 10 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its registered investment advisor subsidiaries and has approximately $176 billion in assets under advisement and management as of Sept. 30, 2013. The company has operations in 27 countries.

The references above should not be considered a solicitation by Morningstar to buy securities.

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