Credit investing – bias beware as the cycle turns

9 October 2018
| By partnerarticle |
image
image image
expand image

A sound portfolio construction process is critical to avoiding the pitfalls of behavioural biases, which will become all too apparent as the credit cycle turns, argues Josh Lohmeier, Aviva Investors’ Head of North American Investment Grade.

 

Has the decades-long bull market in bonds made some credit managers look better than they really are? In the favourable market environment of the past 30 years, many managers found success simply by taking on additional risk and not necessarily adding much value.

When evaluating credit managers, it is necessary to measure how their strategies are likely to perform over the course of a full credit market cycle. If a manager maintains a long credit risk position at all times, through periods of both tightening and widening credit spreads, its ability to add alpha is questionable. The true test of a credit portfolio strategy comes when the trend shifts - an increasing possibility as interest rates rise from historically low levels and credit spreads begin to show much higher levels of spread volatility.

Read more.

AUTHOR

Recommended for you

sub-bgsidebar subscription

Never miss the latest developments in Super Review! Anytime, Anywhere!

Grant Banner

From my perspective, 40- 50% of people are likely going to be deeply unhappy about how long they actually live. ...

1 year 8 months ago
Kevin Gorman

Super director remuneration ...

1 year 9 months ago
Anthony Asher

No doubt true, but most of it is still because over 45’s have been upgrading their houses with 30 year mortgages. Money ...

1 year 9 months ago

APRA has warned retail super trustees that financial adviser involvement in recommending platform products does not diminish their obligations, as regulators turned the s...

20 hours ago

The super fund announced that Gregory has been appointed to its executive leadership team, taking on the fresh role of chief advice officer. ...

21 hours ago

The deputy governor has warned that, as super funds’ overseas assets grow and liquidity risks rise, they will need to expand their FX hedge books to manage currency expos...

21 hours ago

TOP PERFORMING FUNDS

ACS FIXED INT - AUSTRALIA/GLOBAL BOND