The SMSF sector experienced the third fastest rate of growth out of the total superannuation sector, with industry super fund assets increasing by 13.14 per cent, while public sector super funds jumped by 7.31 per cent.

Assets held within industry super funds increased from $598.8 billion in March 2018 to $677.5 billion at the end of March this year.

Among APRA-regulated super funds, the industry-wide rate of return for the year ending March 2019 was 6.9 per cent. The five-year annualised rate of return to March 2019 was 6.9 per cent.

Over the March 2019 quarter, total assets increased by 5.7 per cent or $106.6 billion, APRA said in its report.

“As at the end of the March 2019 quarter, 50.5 per cent of the $1.8 trillion investments were invested in equities, with 24.4 per cent in international listed equities, 22.1 per cent in Australian listed equities and 4.0 per cent in unlisted equities. Fixed income and cash investments accounted for 31.4 per cent of investments, with 21.2 per cent in fixed income and 10.1 per cent in cash,” it noted.

“Property and infrastructure accounted for 14.2 per cent of investments while other assets, including hedge funds and commodities, accounted for 3.9 per cent.”