AXA Investment Manager's new bond strategy
AXA Investment Managers has this week announced the launch of a series of corporate bond strategies.
The company said the 'SmartBeta' strategies have been designed specifically for investors seeking low-cost credit exposure without the drawbacks of market capitalisation-weighted, index-based strategies.
According to the company, the SmartBeta strategies "take an active approach to define the investment universe and therefore aim for a more attractive risk/return profile than that offered by passive index-tracking strategies".
Commenting on the new approach, AXA IM's head of consultant relations Tim Gardener said the company had seen significant interest from institutional investors and their consultants, who want a more intelligent and pragmatic approach to capture the market return within the corporate bond segment.
"SmartBeta offers a middle ground for those clients looking to harvest the return of the market whilst still avoiding the inefficiencies of a purely passive approach.
"It is a strategy that is designed with the aim of protecting portfolios from both systemic and event risk and to deliver a less volatile return," he said.
Recommended for you
ASIC has released the results of its first adviser exam to be held in 2025, with 241 candidates attempting the test.
Quarterly Wealth Data analysis has uncovered positive improvements in financial adviser numbers compared with losses in the prior corresponding period.
Holding portfolios that are too complex or personalised can be a detractor for acquirers of financial advice firms as they require too much effort to maintain post-acquisition.
As the financial advice profession continues to wait on further DBFO legislation, industry commentators have encouraged advisers to act now in driving practice efficiency.
