Our thought-provoking monthly analysis of markets, economies, and investment opportunities and risks in particular sectors
Why invest in the Strategic Bond Fund?
- Exposure to the whole global fixed income market, with limited currency risks
- A blend of areas with more risk and reward, such as high yield and emerging markets, and safer assets such as government bonds and high-quality corporate bonds
- The managers aim to beat the IA Sterling Strategic Bond sector with lower-than-average volatility
- Identifying big, long-term themes about new technologies, consumer trends or macroeconomic changes and investing accordingly
Fund Overview
We buy bonds issued by companies, governments and non-governmental organisations all over the world. We aim to deliver a better return than the average UK-based strategic bond fund, after fees, over any five-year period. We also aim to limit our fund’s volatility to less than that of the average UK strategic bond fund by investing across all types of bond and interest-rate markets, both at home and overseas.
When picking corporate bonds, there are three assessments we make. First, we look at the economic environment to determine which industries we want to own and the duration, or sensitivity to interest rate changes, of our investments. Then we use the Four Cs Plus approach to evaluate creditworthiness. We assess:
- Character: Whether a company's managers have integrity and competence
- Capacity: Ensuring a company isn't over-borrowing and has the cash to pay its debts
- Collateral: Are there assets backing the loan, which reduces the risk of a loan
- Covenants: These loan agreements set out the terms of the bond and restrictions on the company
- The Plus: We think differently to the market; sometimes contrarian, sometimes sceptical of orthodox thinking, but always opinionated
Fund details
Fund Overview
Costs and charges
MiFID II charges
I class
Ongoing charges figure (OCF) as at 31.12.2022
0.76%
Transaction costs
0.07%
Total MiFID II charges
0.83%
The MiFID II charges include the Ongoing Charges Figure (OCF) and transaction costs.
Performance
Prices and dividends
Breakdown
In Conversation September 2023
Manager Bryn Jones explains how his fund has been faring and outlines some of the key strategies that have helped returns. He discusses exploiting differences in global interest rate dynamics; ‘truffle hunting’ in high yield and more.
Meet the team
52 mins
27 May 2026
Dr Daniel Hulme: AI and the entrepreneur - Inspired Sounds Episode 19
Serial entrepreneur and globally recognised AI expert, Dr Daniel Hulme, joins us for our latest Inspired Sounds episode to share insights from a 27-year journey at the forefront of artificial intelligence. In conversation with Chris Noble, Financial Planning Director, Daniel reflects on growing Satalia from the initial idea to its acquisition by global marketing powerhouse WPP in 2021.
Daniel highlights that earning client confidence in the early days isn’t always about scale. It’s about thinking creatively, leaning on your network, and seizing opportunities.
Tune in to hear from one of the world’s leading voices in AI.