Manulife Asset Management and Trust Corp. launched an equity fund that will invest in Asian companies, BusinessWorld reported July 27, citing a statement from the company.

The Manulife Asia Best Select Equity Fund will invest in a portfolio of companies across 13 markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

Manulife Asset Management is a unit of Philippines-based Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.) Inc., which is ultimately owned by Canada-based Manulife Financial Corp.