Important: Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. The returns that super funds achieve will change over time and readers should continue to monitor their super’s performance.
This information is factual information only, provided by Chant West, and SuperGuide doesn’t warrant the accuracy of Chant West’s information. All information on SuperGuide is general in nature only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether any information on SuperGuide is appropriate for you before acting on it. If SuperGuide refers to a financial product you should obtain the relevant product disclosure statement (PDS) or seek personal financial advice before making any investment decisions.
As the retirement phase in our superannuation system becomes increasingly important, we are bringing you monthly pension fund returns in addition to our monthly super fund performance update.
Thanks to Chant West, we are providing returns for their five diversified pension fund categories – Conservative, Balanced, Growth, High Growth and All Growth. These are the same categories Chant West uses for accumulation funds and generally hold the same underlying investments. This means pension fund returns are driven by the same factors as accumulation fund returns.
See also: Monthly super returns and Annual pension performance.
After delivering a stellar 11.5% return for the 2024–25 financial year, pension funds have continued their positive momentum, with the median Growth fund (61 to 80% in growth assets) up 1.4% in August. This takes the return for the first two months of the financial year to 3.0%.
Once again, shares were the main driver. The Australian market hit a new high after jumping 3.2% for the month, thanks to a strong rebound in the resources sector.
Chant West Head of Super Investment Research, Mano Mohankumar, says: “Despite ongoing uncertainty around where tariffs will land, international shares also performed well, supported by a robust US corporate earnings season and increasing expectations of an interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve at its September meeting.”
Developed market international shares rose 2.1% (hedged) in August but just 0.9% unhedged, due to the stronger Australian dollar, up from US64c to US65c. Emerging market shares fell 0.4% unhedged.
Australian and international bonds also performed well, up 0.3% and 0.5% respectively.
The table below shows median pension fund performance across various timeframes for five investment categories to the end of August 2025.
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