GAM has entered into a partnership arrangement with Investcorp-Tages (“IVCT”) which sees the investment team of GAM’s Global Rates strategy moving to IVCT but continuing to manage the strategy for GAM as a delegated investment manager, similar to other successful relationships GAM has with external managers. Once the transition is completed, expected in the beginning of 2024, the fund will be co-branded and continue to be distributed by GAM, with IVCT also distributing the fund through its client channels. There will be no impact to GAM clients who will continue to be invested in a fund with a strong track record. The partnership with IVCT will also explore other opportunities for collaboration between GAM and IVCT.
GAM Star Global Rates is a discretionary global macro fund investing in sovereign fixed income and currencies to exploit market inefficiencies. The fund seeks to deliver absolute returns and targets high single digit returns net of fees, irrespective of market conditions. A focus on idiosyncratic and relative value themes has resulted in the fund exhibiting low correlation to traditional asset classes over short-term, long-term and crisis horizons.
Within our asset class, we're able to go long one market and short another against it. I think that helps to mitigate some of the risks, certainly from any exogenous shocks.
The Global Rates team is led by Adrian Owens, Investment Director, who has been involved in discretionary macro investing since 2004. Adrian’s 30-plus years as an economist and investment manager are at the heart of his ability to understand how macro factors drive market behaviour and are central to his aim to generate attractive, risk-adjusted returns across all market conditions.
Adrian is supported by Rahul Mathur and Scott Watson who are Investment Managers dedicated to the strategy. Rahul and Scott provide background research and support. Scott is the primary link with the execution desk and brings his understanding of market positioning and expectations to the investment process.
The team operates independently and has autonomy over its investment process, while being supported by GAM Investments’ risk team, which provides independent risk oversight, as well as investment administration and operations teams.
Our eclectic approach to investment, though driven by economic fundamentals, does at times place more weight on an array of other factors. We believe successful evaluation of the importance of such factors comes only from experience
The manager believes that fixed income and currency markets are ultimately driven by economic fundamentals. However, prolonged periods of mispricing occur when other drivers, such as market sentiment, dominate. Therefore, managers who can identify the real market drivers and capture their shifts can successfully add alpha.
The manager’s top-down, thematic process is embedded with a combination of ex-ante and active risk management. Having determined the market backdrop, the team uses original economic research – focused mainly on developed and liquid emerging markets – to identify strong ‘economic stories’ which offer value. It seeks to capture these opportunities by analysing market valuations and building metrics for currency and rates ideas. The outcome is a set of fair valuations and stop loss limits for each market or currency. Trades are based on conviction, while technical analysis is used to size and time trades. Typically, the team’s 8-12 themes account for 60-80% of the portfolio’s risk capital. The remaining 20-40% is allocated to short-term, tactical trades, contingent on the market backdrop. Risk is actively managed throughout by monitoring correlation, diversification and liquidity, while hard stop loss limits are set for each trade at inception.
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.
Derivatives may multiply the exposure to underlying assets and expose the Fund to the risk of substantial losses.
A rise or fall in interest rates causes fluctuations in the value of fixed income securities, which may result in a decline or an increase in the value of such investments.
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.
Emerging markets will generally be subject to greater political, market, counterparty and operational risks.
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.
8 min read
At GAM Investments’ latest Active Thinking forum, David Dowsett reflects on why markets may have remained in relatively tight ranges in recent weeks, while Adrian Owens outlines his expectations for markets over the near- and medium-term, as well as where he sees opportunities going forward.
6 min read
Earlier this month, Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Jerome Powell said that US interest rates may need to rise by more than is currently priced by the market. In contrast, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey was explicit in stating that official interest rates in the UK were unlikely to rise as much as the market was expecting – despite, in his words, perhaps the largest upside risks to inflation in the Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) history.
If your query is urgent or you wish to talk to a member of the team, please click the button below for their contact details.
Please visit our Contacts and Locations page.
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.
The content you have requested is restricted in some jurisdictions.
Please select your investment profile to continue.
Your watchlist has been updated.
Your watchlist has been updated.