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Liontrust GF Strategic Bond Fund

January 2022 review

Past performance does not predict future returns. You may get back less than you originally invested. Reference to specific securities is not intended as a recommendation to purchase or sell any investment.

The Liontrust GF Strategic Bond Fund returned -1.9%* in US dollar terms in January. The average return from the EAA Fund Global Flexible Bond (Morningstar) sector, the Fund’s reference sector, was -1.4%.

 

Market backdrop

 

In 2021 there was a huge debate in financial markets about inflation; those that sided with the high and sticky inflation camp proving to be correct. US consumer price inflation is likely to be peaking around its current 7% level, but last time we had 7% inflation interest rates in the US were at 13%! Eurozone inflation is presently 5.1%, with the peak still to come. But the inflation debate is a 2021 story; the focus in the first month of 2022 has been about how G7 central bankers will now react.

The Federal Reserve’s response has been to announce an end to quantitative easing in March. They have also strongly guided to rates being increased then too. There is debate about whether the first hike will be 25 or 50 basis points, consensus currently favouring the former. Quantitative tightening, the shrinking of the Fed’s balance sheet, is anticipated in 2022. The bond market was already expecting higher rates, but the timing has been brought forward; by the end of January 5 hikes were priced in to markets for 2022. It has indeed been a brutal start to 2022 for bond investors.

The ramifications of higher rates have been felt across all financial markets. It has been over 20 years since I worked on equities, but even I can spot the obvious performance differential between value and growth over the last few months. At index level this is epitomised by the FTSE100 outperforming the NASDAQ index by over 10%.

Back in the comfort zone of fixed income assets, credit spreads came under pressure in both investment grade and high yield. Focusing on the latter, both US and global high yield indices had their worst ever January total returns, down 2.75% and 2.42% respectively. European high yield was down 1.53%, which was the second worst January in its 25-year history (2008 was the worst). I would attribute most of this to the fears around the proverbial monetary tide going out. However, a secondary impact is the bond markets’ fears of outflows; historically these frequently follow periods of market weakness even though valuations have improved. We have maintained the Fund’s high yield weighting but rotated some holdings within this to increase the Fund’s exposure to a rebound in prices.

Regarding sovereign bond valuations, the short end of the US Treasury market is now discounting a normal tightening cycle. Compared to the expected path of rates, or just the likelihood of making a positive nominal return, 5-year US Treasuries now look OK. We retain a low duration approach, but have rebalanced to increase weightings at the short end of the yield curve during January. Obviously, in real terms bonds remain hideously expensive, but that’s simply financial repression by monetary authorities.

The ECB is still easing policy, but the markets are also now testing its resolve. 10-year Bund yields turned positive during January. Spreads of peripheral European countries (peripheral is the market’s term, not mine, as I personally find it demeaning to over a hundred million people in those nations) started to come under pressure. The re-election of Mattarella as Italian president at the end of the month helped to stem this move though. The continuity of Draghi as prime minister should enable the necessary domestic policies to be implemented to access large European disbursements.

I should also mention the Bank of England. At the time of writing this commentary, it has yet to have its February meeting, but a rate rise is completely anticipated. In a recent podcast with a journalist, I stated I would eat my metaphorical hat if they don’t raise rates at their February meeting so I’d already declared. The gilt market has then priced in a further four hikes this year. Maybe the UK parties aren’t as much fun after all.

Rates

The Fund still has its core strategic position of having a low beta duration exposure with headline duration unchanged over the month at approximately 3.25 years. Underneath this has seen a high level of activity in the Fund. The US yield curve 5-year versus 30-year flattened intra-month to 50 basis points, at that level we said we would reduce the long-end exposure and we did by selling 30-year futures into their 5-year equivalents. The Fund retains some long dated credit in the US and, if the curve flattens further, we will hedge out any duration contribution from this too. Furthermore, we also switched some 10-year US Treasury exposure into the 5-year; this shorter-dated bucket now clearly being our favourite part of the US market with over 1.25 years of the Fund’s total duration contribution emanating from it.

On a cross market basis, we closed out the successful short of Canadian bond futures relative to the US. A new position was established in Europe: long French 10-year debt relative to German 30-year debt, as the relationship had reached very stretched levels. It is rare to be able to pick up yield undertaking this switch.

Allocation

 

The Fund’s high yield weighting was effectively unchanged over the month, finishing January at 25.2%, overweight compared to our 20% neutral position but with a strong bias for quality. The volatility did afford us the opportunity to rotate within the holdings.

Investment grade exposure remains in the 40% ballpark, underweight compared to a 50% neutral positioning stance. Valuations improved markedly during January, so we will look to move toward neutrality soon if spread widening continues.

Selection

 

Within high yield, we trimmed some of the Fund’s better performers during the month. These tended to be call-constrained higher-quality bonds such as AMS, Drax and CACC. Proceeds were reinvested by small increases in weightings in other holdings, and the CDS index overlay was adjusted (risk increased) too.

Other stock level activity included a purchase of a new issue from Axa in euros and a sale of one of the few sterling denominated bonds in the Fund, Welltower. SFR 2027 debt was switched into a 2029 maturity bond for a decent yield increase and a cash price over 10 points lower.

Finally, we often get asked about the “greenium” within credit; the premium at which bonds with a green label trade at compared to their conventional equivalents from the same issuer. The greenium is normally only a handful of basis points, but during January we switched a green VW bond into a conventional bond of very similar maturity for approximately 35 basis points of extra spread. We care about the ESG credentials of the issuer as a whole and are happy to take advantage of opportunities such as this as other bond managers clearly accept the greenium for their own reasons.

Discrete 12 month performance to last quarter end (%)**:

 

Past Performance does not predict future returns

 

 

Dec-21

Dec-20

Dec-19

Liontrust GF Strategic Bond B5 Acc

-0.29

7.71

10.24

EAA Fund Global Flexible Bond - USD Hedged

0.14

5.60

9.56

 

*Source Financial Express, as at 31.12.21, total return, B5 share class.

 

**Source Financial Express, as at 31.12.21, total return, B5 share class. Discrete data is not available for ten full 12 month periods due to the launch date of the portfolio (13.04.18).

 

Fund positioning data sources: UBS Delta, Liontrust.

 

Adjusted underlying duration is based on the correlation of the instruments as opposed to just the mathematical weighted average of cash flows. High yield companies' bonds exhibit less duration sensitivity as the credit risk has a bigger proportion of the total yield; the lower the credit quality, the less rate-sensitive the bond. Additionally, some subordinated financials also have low duration correlations and the bonds trade on a cash price rather than spread.

 

Key Features of the Liontrust GF Strategic Bond Fund

Investment policy summary

The investment objective of the Fund is to maximise total returns over the long term through a combination of income and capital. The Fund will invest in bond and credit markets worldwide (including developed and emerging markets). The Investment Adviser will seek to achieve the investment objective of the Fund by investing directly in bond and credit instruments or through the use of derivatives (specifically currency forwards, total return swaps, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, futures, options and embedded derivatives).

Allowable investment types

Government Bonds. Corporate Bonds. Financial Derivatives (Forwards, Credit Default Swaps, Futures, Embedded Derivatives). Collective Investment Schemes (including ETFs) up to 10% of the NAV of the Fund. Cash and cash equivalents such as deposits. For a full list of the types of investment allowable in the Fund please see the KIID/Prospectus.

Holding period

At least 5 years

Risk profile (SRRI)

4

Active/passive investment style

Active

Benchmark

Reference sector: EAA Fund Global Flexible Bond (Morningstar). The Fund is actively managed without reference to any benchmark meaning that the Investment Adviser has full discretion over the composition of the Fund’s portfolio, subject to the stated investment objectives and policies

Costs

0.63% Ongoing Charges Figure (B5 class): 0.55% Annual Management Charge and 0.08% Fixed Admin Fee (as at 31.12.21)

Sustainability profile

As part of its wider investment strategy, the Fund also promotes ESG characteristics and is therefore a financial product subject to Article 8 of the SFDR. The ESG characteristics that the Fund is seeking to promote are long-term sustainable business practices, through supporting issuers that adapt to environmental pressures such as climate change and energy management; as well as positive corporate and sovereign behaviours on social and governance topics such as employee relations, labour rights, board independence and diversity. Further information can be found here: https://www.liontrust.co.uk/sfdr.

 

Understand common financial words and terms See our glossary
Key Risks 
 
Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of an investment and the income generated from it can fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. You may get back less than you originally invested. The issue of units/shares in Liontrust Funds may be subject to an initial charge, which will have an impact on the realisable value of the investment, particularly in the short term. Investments should always be considered as long term.
 
Investment in Funds managed by the Global Fixed Income team involves foreign currencies and may be subject to fluctuations in value due to movements in exchange rates. The value of fixed income securities will fall if the issuer is unable to repay its debt or has its credit rating reduced. Generally, the higher the perceived credit risk of the issuer, the higher the rate of interest. Bond markets may be subject to reduced liquidity. The Funds may invest in emerging markets/soft currencies which may have the effect of increasing volatility. Some of the Funds may invest in derivatives. The use of derivatives may create leverage or gearing. A relatively small movement in the value of a derivative's underlying investment may have a larger impact, positive or negative, on the value of a fund than if the underlying investment was held instead.

 

Disclaimer
 
This is a marketing communication. Before making an investment, you should read the relevant Prospectus and the Key Investor Information Document (KIID), which provide full product details including investment charges and risks. These documents can be obtained, free of charge, from www.liontrust.co.uk or direct from Liontrust. Always research your own investments. If you are not a professional investor please consult a regulated financial adviser regarding the suitability of such an investment for you and your personal circumstances. 
 
This should not be construed as advice for investment in any product or security mentioned, an offer to buy or sell units/shares of Funds mentioned, or a solicitation to purchase securities in any company or investment product. Examples of stocks are provided for general information only to demonstrate our investment philosophy. The investment being promoted is for units in a fund, not directly in the underlying assets. It contains information and analysis that is believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but is subject to change without notice. Whilst care has been taken in compiling the content of this document, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by Liontrust as to its accuracy or completeness, including for external sources (which may have been used) which have not been verified. It should not be copied, forwarded, reproduced, divulged or otherwise distributed in any form whether by way of fax, email, oral or otherwise, in whole or in part without the express and prior written consent of Liontrust. Always research your own investments and if you are not a professional investor please consult a regulated financial adviser regarding the suitability of such an investment for you and your personal circumstances. 
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