Kansas-based American Century Investments, the privately-held asset manager, has launched a global real estate fund, as the firm claims it is seeing growing investor demand for non-domestic securities.

The fund, American Century Global Real Estate, seeks to outperform the MSCI AC World IMI Real Estate Index. At least 75 per cent of the portfolio's weight will be invested in developed market real estate-related securities and up to 25 per cent in emerging markets.

The fund is managed by senior portfolio manager Steven Brown with the support of investment analysts Steven Rodriguez and Vishal Govil.

"In the last five years, we have seen a shift in preference to global investing as clients seek higher returns and ways to possibly reduce the impact of inflation," commented Brown, who before joining the firm in 2008 spent six years at Neuberger Berman.

Last month it transpired that Canada-based CIBC is planning to acquire a 41 per cent interest in American Century, in a deal worth about $848 million. In taking over the minority interest, CIBC is buying out JP Morgan Chase & Co’s share in ACI, which manages around $112 billion in assets.