- Home
- Fund Strategy
- Fund of funds
Fund of Funds
Pendulum swings towards cash
The high valuation on defensive stocks has persuaded Cazenove Multi-Manager Diversity fund managers Marcus Brookes and Robin McDonald to raise cash as a means of de-risking.
Keeping faith with emerging markets
John Husselbee, the manager of the City Financial MultiManager Growth fund, pursues growth with a hefty bias to emerging markets and good-quality large-cap income managers.
Opportunist stays head of the game
Margetts Venture Strategy outpaced its peers, despite market volatility, performance which is attributed to deft moves and good timing in asset allocation – away from cash and into equities.
Five-prong strategy reaps rewards
Absolute Insight aims to provide positive returns over 12-month rolling periods, a strategy that has showed its strength in an ability to preserve investors’ capital in falling markets.
Home advantage with top-10 player
Four large holdings in the HSBC Income Fund of Funds are core HSBC portfolios, including its flagship MultiAlpha Sterling Bond, whose underlying performance has driven returns.
Architas keeps a long-term focus
The Architas MM Balanced fund had a difficult year in 2011 as it was hit by the Greece fallout and correlations between assets classes rose, but the three-year figures are more positive.
Fleet-footed moves keep fund on top
The managers of Cazenove Multi-Manager Diversity Tactical embraced a risker strategy by rotating allocations from a defensive position, which propelled the fund to the top of the table.
World turmoil hits all global sectors
Market volatility exacted its toll on performance of all funds in the IMA Global, Global Bonds and Global Emerging Markets sectors. Only one portfolio bucked the trend over the past year.
Mixed reviews for renamed sector
Performance of the 75 funds in the IMA Mixed Investment 20-60% Shares sector suffered last year, with the average fund posting a negative return – the effects of reclassification have yet to be seen.
Difficult to balance on shaky ground
Volatile markets and uncertainty about the global economy combine to aggravate the quest for stable investments, prompting the top performers to eschew risk and adopt a defensive stance.
Lean pickings in sector’s fallow year
IMA Active Managed funds struggled to stay in positive territory over one and three years as events hit most asset classes, although cash and fixed income buttressed some portfolios.
One-stop-shop with emerging bias
Richard Martin runs T Bailey Growth and favours emerging markets, which he says is a good defensive position. He is also bullish on Britain, but eschews the ’structurally flawed’ eurozone.
Unbowed after game of two halves
Rob Burdett, co-manager of Thames River Cautious Managed, concedes that a decision to “sit through the volatility” misfired, but remains confident of the team’s buy-and-hold strategy.
Judging the mix of risk and chance
The manager of PSigma Dynamic Multi Asset is sanguine about fallout from the eurozone crisis and finds opportunities in equity markets and bonds, while maintaining a cash safety net.
Investec sits tight and gains ground
The turmoil in the equity markets hit Investec Managed Growth, but the portfolio has since outperformed its benchmark, a result of high conviction and patience, says a co-manager.
Tentacles reach to cover all bases
The managers who run Octopus International Equity thrive on market volatility and aim to generate alpha from different types of investments, including exchange traded funds.
Cautious team controls wide remit
Jon Rebak runs HSBC Open Global Return and relies on a team of analysts to mitigate the risks inherent in a multi-asset portfolio, which includes a large exposure to absolute return funds.
Aggression in defence is paying off
Martin Gray has steered CF Miton Special Situations to near the top of its sector through low exposure to equities and commodities along with large weightings to cash and sovereign debt.
Strong performer strives for gold
The joint managers of Legal & General Multi-Manager Growth adopt a defensive, quality stance on investment and aim to outperform the portfolio’s benchmarks before applying charges.
Two-pronged drive for trust profits
Patrick Harrington runs the Jupiter Fund of Investment Trusts with a firm conviction towards emerging markets and focuses on two main factors: good asset allocation and discount plays.
