Calstrs to put $500 mln in infrastructure fund-WSJ

Feb 6 (Reuters) - The California State Teachers' Retirement System will invest $500 million in infrastructure assets, the Wall Street Journal said, citing officials of the second-largest U.S. public pension fund.

Calstrs will invest through the Global Infrastructure Fund of Melbourne, Australia-based Industry Funds Management Pty Ltd, a firm that manages about $32 billion.

IFM's Global Infrastructure Fund comprises a portfolio of assets in North America and Europe.

The fund's $500 million investment in infrastructure assets will be one of the largest one-time investments in an area that has at times been among the hottest in the financial world, but has had mixed results over the past few years, the newspaper said.

The pension fund is increasing its focus on the area and eventually will make its own investments, rather than through funds, Diloshini Seneviratne, a portfolio manager at Calstrs told the paper.

Calstrs was not immediately available for comment.