Franklin Asian Equity Fund - Direct - Growth

Franklin Asian Equity Fund - Direct - Growth sits in the middle of the pack for Large Cap funds, currently carrying a 2-star rating. TopFund's composite Health Score, which weighs rating, 3-year CAGR, expense ratio and fund size, puts it at 61/100.

Cost: At 0.3%, the expense ratio is meaningfully cheaper — about 62% below the Large Cap category average of 0.78% (based on 235 comparable funds). Lower costs compound in your favour over long holding periods.

Risk-adjusted performance: Over the trailing 1-year period, the fund shows a strong Sharpe ratio of 2.11 — the fund has generated solid returns relative to the volatility it exposed investors to. Separately, annualised volatility of 19.3% is fairly typical for actively managed equity funds.

Who should invest: This fund is best suited to conservative equity investors or those wanting a stable core holding, typically with a 3+ year horizon. The High risk rating means near-term volatility should be expected — this isn't a fund to check daily.