The Offshore Group of Africa’s Standard Bank has launched two new structured products aimed at investors who feel relatively cautious in an uncertain market, but who want to take part in a recovery in the stock markets over the medium term.

Double Decker, the first of the launch products, is a structured growth deposit which offers either 90 per cent participation in the growth of the stock market, or a capital bonus of 5 per cent at maturity – investors receive whichever is higher after the five-year deposit term. Investors also have a choice between linking their returns to the FTSE 100 Index in sterling or the S&P 500 index in US dollars; minimum deposits for the plan are £10,000 and $20,000 respectively.

The second product, Unidex, which is offered as a tradeable security backed by an AA-rated issuer, generates a nominal return of 10 per cent for each year of the product’s term, paid at maturity.

As its investment term depends on index performance, Unidex could potentially mature early on any of its anniversaries, but if its lasts its full five-year term the product aims to pay a return of 50 per cent to investors along with their original capital. Capital is protected at maturity as long as stocks markets don’t fall by over 50 per cent from their start level, as recorded on 28 July. Unidex is available as a euro version linked to the Dow Jones EuroStoxx 50 index, or a sterling version linked to the FTSE 100; the minimum investments for each are €50,000 or £50,000 respectively.

“With much uncertainty about where markets are heading and whether the equity market lows in March marked the turning point, our products aim to offer both security and potential growth to investors,” said David Wilkinson, head of IFA Distribution.

“Our Double Decker product gives our investors the reassurance of a minimum return without detracting from the ability to participate in potential market growth over its term. Unidex is for those investors who have a greater risk appetite and wish to convert relatively flat market growth over the medium term into nominal returns of 10 per cent per annum.”

Both products are scheduled to remain open until 21 July and offer IFAs an introductory commission.