Hrvoje Krstulovic, president of the Association of Investment Fund Management Companies at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), said that investment funds' total assets in 2017 grew by 6.5% on the year to 18.6 billion kuna.
More than 220,000 Croatians invest in investment funds, and those are either one-off or periodical investments, Krstulovic said, noting that the number of investors in 2017 grew by 6% on the year.
"People are increasingly prudent with their investments and increasingly aware of investment risks. The assets are growing, more and more citizens are investing and the value of their investments is growing as well," said Krstulovic.
The assets of investment funds in Europe have grown three times compared to 2007, Krstulovic said, adding that this, too, showed that the presence of the fund management industry would grow in Croatia as well.
He welcomed the arrival of foreign investment funds, noting that they would make domestic funds more competitive.
ZB Invest was awarded as the best investment fund management company.
Of the open-end investment funds with a public offering, ZB Europlus was awarded as the best euro money fund while Locusta Cash was awarded as the best kuna money fund. Intercapital Bond was named the best open-end bond investment fund with a public offering, PBZ Conservative 10 was named the best mixed fund, ZB Trend was named the best stock fund, while Raiffeisen Harmonic was named the best special open-end investment fund with a public offering.