The median superannuation fund returned 2.2 per cent in February, according to the latest Morningstar Australian Superannuation Survey.
Longer-term annualised results for the median growth fund were 14.1 per cent over one year, 7.1 per cent over three years, 3 per cent over five years and 7.1 per cent over the 10 years to 28 February 2013.
The returns were the result of growth assets performing strongly in February, according to Morningstar. The ASX300 rose by 5.3 per cent, international shares were up 1.9 per cent, Australian property securities rose 3.5 per cent, and global property securities were up 1.7 per cent in February.
The best-performing growth superannuation fund over the three years to 28 February this year were the Legg Mason Balanced fund and the REST Super Core fund, which both returned 9.2 per cent.
Over the five years to 28 February 2013 the best-performing funds were Schroder Superannuation (6.1 per cent), REST Super Core (5.8 per cent) and Perpetual Balanced Growth (4.5 per cent).
Morningstar also conducted its Australian Institutional Sector Survey, which found that the median Australian share fund manager outperformed the index by 0.3 per cent for the month of February, returning 5.6 per cent.
The median Australian share fund manager returned 24.1 per cent over one year, 8 per cent over three years and 3.9 per cent over five years.
The best performing Australian share strategies over the 12 months to 28 February 2013 were Dalton Nicol Reid (38.4 per cent), Hyperion 300 (37.5 per cent) and Hyperion (34.9 per cent).
The median international share fund manager returned 1.9 per cent over February, 16.2 per cent over the year and 5.2 per cent over the three years to 28 February 2013.
A major super fund has defended its use of private markets in a submission to ASIC, asserting that appropriate governance and information-sharing practices are present in both public and private markets.
A member body representing some prominent wealth managers is concerned super funds’ dominance is sidelining small companies in capital markets.
Earlier this month, several Australian superannuation funds fell victim to credential stuffing attacks, which saw a small number of members lose more than $500,000.
Small- to medium-sized funds have become collateral damage in an "imperfect" model for super industry levies, a financial institution has said.