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GAM Commodity

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GAM Commodity aims to offer an enhanced commodity exposure by combining cost efficient access to systematic macro strategies and long only commodities. Through its use of diversified commodities strategies, the portfolio seeks to outperform a long only commodity exposure whilst the overall portfolio targets Sharpe ratio improvement versus the benchmark. A systematic approach allows for a highly structured, repeatable process that minimises human trading or behavioural biases. Sophisticated proprietary tools and trading systems enable access to high-class quantitative technology.

Our Edge

Diversified return drivers

Development of proprietary tools to visualise correlations and to highlight non-correlation over time.

Systematic, rules-based approach

A highly structured, repeatable process that minimises human trading or behavioural biases.

Sophisticated proprietary tools

To provide robust investment selection and portfolio construction methodologies.

Fully customisable

Designed to complement existing and alternative investment exposures.

Research

Creation of models that harvest systematic returns across commodities markets.

Investment Team

The management of the GAM Commodity strategy is led by Danny Dhingra, together with the wider GAM Systematic investment team.

The team is united in their belief in delivering value to investors through a rigorous scientific, systematic and predominantly rules-based approach that creates portfolios with limited correlation to traditional asset classes.  All investment decisions are made on a team basis.

An additional risk oversight function is performed independently by GAM’s risk teams.

The GAM Systematic team also manages a systematic macro strategy, led by Dr Chris Longworth, Head of GAM Systematic

We constantly invest in our research and development to ensure our strategies and systems stay at the cutting edge.
Danny Dhingra
Investment Manager, GAM Systematic
Dr Chris Longworth
Head of GAM Systematic
Farida Mustafazade
Senior Scientist, GAM Systematic
Dr Louie Cardone-Noott
Scientist, GAM Systematic
Chris Wilson
Scientist, GAM Systematic

Philosophy and Process

Investment philosophy

The team believes that persistent and recurring sources of excess return in the commodity markets can be harvested through a systematic, rules-based approach, to create a diversified portfolio targeting a Sharpe ratio improvement if compared to the long-only commodity asset class. The team’s approach is that of providing diversified commodity exposure with enhanced returns via a strategic systematic macro allocation across styles (value, momentum and carry). Systematic macro can be identified across asset classes, including commodities, and such strategies will be allocated to targeting a Sharpe ratio improvement if compared to a commodity long-only beta product. 

Investment process

The process uses clear and transparent investment methods. The majority of exposure is focused on long commodities. This exposure is complemented by systematic commodity investing, with commodity fundamentals at their base. The team uses original research to identify the highest quality systematic strategies across across the commodity universe, and structure and evaluate these strategies using robust models and a practitioner’s approach. It applies experience and tools to build optimised portfolios tailored to client-specific risk, correlation and drawdown targets. The team uses its trading expertise to manage total trading costs. Risk management is embedded throughout the process, as well as monitored by an independent team. The process results in a diversified portfolio that provides global exposure across core-satellite holdings and seeks to capture changing market dynamics. 

1

Research

  • Identify different rolling commodity contract windows
  • Create enhanced exposure to long commodities
2

Identification

  • Potential investment ideas
  • Monitor market opportunities
  • Use cluster maps to verify correlation profile
3

Structure & Evaluation

  • Optimal expected return to risk ratio
  • Parameterisation and signal options
  • Implementation for each premium
  • In-depth cost analysis
4

Creation

  • Portfolio optimisation tailored to individual needs
  • Focus on capital preservation
  • Active review & enhancement of exposures
5

Trading & Risk Management

  • Efficient execution & post-trade operations
  • Detailed risk reports
  • Focus on tail risk
  • Independent risk oversight

Reasons to Invest

Portfolio Diversifier

The intrinsic diversification inherent in systematic macro approaches via alternative sources of returns should mean less frequent substantial drawdowns than those seen in traditional investment styles.

Enhanced commodity exposure

Commodity strategies typically have low correlation to equity and fixed income market movements, and in a portfolio context, commodities exposure has traditionally proved a valuable hedge against inflation.

Consistency

The ability to undertake thorough, repeatable analysis of statistical properties of large amounts of market data.

Full transparency

Management according to clear and transparent investment process and instrument restrictions.

Cost efficiency

Long-term experience in accessing exposures via multiple channels, minimising expected return erosion from factors such as trading and market impact.

Key Risks

Capital at risk

All financial investments involve an element of risk. Therefore, the value of the investment and the income from it will vary and the initial investment amount cannot be guaranteed.

Counterparty Risk / Derivatives

If a counterparty to a financial derivative contract were to default, the value of the contract, the cost to replace it and any cash or securities held by the counterparty to facilitate it, may be lost.

Credit Risk / Debt Securities

Bonds may be subject to significant fluctuations in value. Bonds are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk.

Commodity Risk

The portfolio invests in commodities which are considered alternative or non-traditional investments. In addition to the natural fluctuations of the market, they are subject in particular to liquidity and valuation risks.

Currency Risk

The value of investments in assets that are denominated in currencies other than the base currency will be affected by changes in the relevant exchange rates which may cause a decline.

Liquidity Risk

Some investments can be difficult to sell quickly which may affect the value of the portfolio and, in extreme market conditions, its ability to meet redemption requests.

Complex Financial Instruments

The portfolio invests in complex financial instruments (e.g. derivatives), the value of which is connected to underlying assets. Certain of these financial instruments may produce a leverage effect which may have a sharp impact on the portfolio's net asset value.

Leverage Risk

Derivatives may multiply the exposure to underlying assets and expose the portfolio to the risk of substantial losses.

Our Thinking

GAM Systematic

2 min read

Outlook 2023: Chris Longworth (GAM Systematic Core Macro)
December 2022

Systematic macro styles such as trend-following saw renewed interest in 2022 after delivering strong performance in a year when many traditional investments underperformed.

GAM Systematic

3 min read

Why small data is the new big data
07 December 2022

GAM Systematic’s Chris Longworth and Silvia Stanescu discuss the prevalence of small data problems in finance, how to identify them, as well as some of the approaches that can be applied to address them.

GAM Systematic

9 min read

Quants and Quandaries: The most asked questions about systematic investing
04 October 2022

Systematic investing has recently seen increased interest as many traditional investment styles have been challenged by adverse market conditions. We sat down with Dr Silvia Stanescu and Dr Chris Longworth, Investment Directors at GAM Systematic, to discuss some of the most asked questions about how systematic investing works, some common misconceptions, as well as the role a systematic investment style can play as a constituent of a well-diversified portfolio.

Our Thinking

Active Thinking

Video

7:56 min watch

Systematic Core Macro
28 July 2023

Chris Longworth, Farida Mustafazade and Guglielmo Mazzola discuss the major events of the second quarter, highlight how systematic strategies are well placed to take advantage of diverging interest rate policies and explain why they are closely following the Vix index.

Video

4:56 min watch

Systematic Core Macro – Dr Chris Longworth
24 April 2023

In this short video, Dr Chris Longworth highlights the uncertainty caused by market events in the early part of this year, stresses the key to systematic investing is effective diversification across markets and styles, the potential to benefit from trends in the commodities markets, and why he is monitoring the negative correlation between global equities and bonds.

Fund Information

Contact Us

If you would like us to contact you, or email you with further information, please complete the enquiry form below.

Speak to one of our client directors

If you wish to talk to a member of the team, please click the button below for their contact details.

 

 

Speak to a member of the team

Contacts

Please visit our Contacts and Locations page.

Multicooperation SICAV - GAM Commodity is domiciled in Luxembourg, registered office at 25, Grand-Rue, L-1661 Luxembourg.

Disclaimer: Past performance is not an indicator of future performance and current or future trends. The indications could be based on figures denominated in a currency that may be different from the currency of your residence country and therefore the return may increase or decrease as a result of currency fluctuations. Capital at risk: all financial investments involve an element of risk. Therefore, the value of the investment and the income from it will vary and the initial investment amount cannot be guaranteed. Any reference to a security is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security.

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