Franklin Templeton Investments announced on Sept. 13th the Franklin Global Listed Infrastructure Fund, providing investors with access to investments in the securities of infrastructure-related companies.

Wilson Magee, the fund's co-lead portfolio manager and director of Global Real Estate and Infrastructure Securities for Franklin Templeton Real Asset Advisors (FTRAA), said:

"We believe the fund offers investors a compelling opportunity to participate in the current growth potential of the global listed infrastructure market. Many developed countries have aging infrastructure that requires repair or complete replacement. In emerging markets, by contrast, there is a need for new infrastructure to meet population growth, economic expansion and urbanization trends. And, across all regions, we are seeing that growing public fiscal constraints are opening the door for private listed infrastructure involvement."

Franklin Global Listed Infrastructure Fund seeks total investment returns, consisting of income and capital appreciation, by investing in the securities of infrastructure-related companies whose principal business is the ownership, management, construction, operation, utilization or financing of infrastructure assets around the world.

Magee and his co-lead portfolio manager Jack Foster, head of Real Assets for FTRAA, are supported by an experienced team of five regional research analysts focused on Europe, Asia, Australia, the US and the Americas.

According to Franklin Templeton Investments, investments in infrastructure-related securities involve special risks, such as high interest costs, high leverage and increased susceptibility to adverse economic or regulatory developments affecting the sector.

Franklin Templeton Investments also said that investors should be comfortable with fluctuations in the value of their investment, as small and mid-sized-company stocks can be volatile, especially over the short term.

The launching of the fund had been announced in May 2013 by other sources.