ING Direct Streetwise Balanced Income Fund

I thought I'd blog about the Balanced Income Mutual Fund today. I've always veered away from bond-based funds myself, possibly for no good reason. I've always thought that you could get the same risk diversification simply by investing in savings accounts and lower-risk mutual funds. However, given recent financial events, I've been looking at them in a more favorible light. Given that I'm a satisfed ING Direct customer, I took a closer look at their bond-based mutual fund.

The Balanced Income Fund has grown by 4.75% in the 12 months ending September 30th 2010.  Not a bad return given the 1.5% I'm getting in my BMO savings account. It's a fine fund if you're risk averse, but want greater growth than the dismal returns from bank savings accounts

These are the top 25 holdings of the Streetwise Balance Income Fund.   It's largley invested in Canadian Bonds (70%) but the rest is largely equities.

Holding	Percent of Portfolio
Government of Canada	3.70%
Government of Canada	3.00%
Canada Housing Trust	2.70%
Government of Canada	2.60%
Government of Canada	2.40%
Canada Housing Trust	2.30%
Government of Canada	2.10%
Province of Ontario	1.50%
Province of Ontario	1.40%
Province of Ontario	1.30%
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1.30%
Government of Canada	1.30%
Government of Canada	1.20%
Government of Canada	1.00%
Government of Canada	1.00%
Canadian Credit Card Trust	1.00%
Government of Canada	1.00%
Canada Housing Trust	0.90%
Canada Housing Trust	0.90%
Province of Quebec	0.80%
iShares S&P 500 Index Fund	0.80%
Government of Canada	0.80%
Government of Canada	0.80%
Canada Housing Trust	0.80%
Province of Newfoundland	0.80%
TOTAL	37.40%

Geographically, the fund is invested 80% in Canada. Accordingly, you're not in danger of considerable currency fluctuation.

If you're new to ING Direct, use any of these reader-submitted Orange Keys to open an account (just enter the key at the appropriate point on the online application form). You'll get $25 (so will the owner of the Orange Key).

35372105S1

32994525S1

35386449S1

You'll also get your own Orange Key so you can get your own referalls (simply visit this site again, post it in a comment, and I'll feature it in a blog post)