Objective

Seeks sustainable income with modest capital appreciation. Focuses primarily on investment-grade sovereign, supranational, corporate and mortgage debt securities, including securitizations, worldwide.

Strategy

Emphasizes worldwide country and issuer exposure to companies with improving financial health relative to their peers; combines quantitative and fundamental analysis in seeking to optimize portfolio structure across country, currency, duration and yield curve exposures — uses top down/ bottom up approach to determine sectors and issuers

Fund Facts
Asset Manager
  • Degroof Petercam Asset Management, Brussels, Belgium
Benchmark Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index
Fund Inception Date July 9, 2010
Mimimum Investment €50,000
Expense Ratio 0.85%

Annual Average Total Returns
(%) as of

Trailing 3 Months 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
World Bond Fund 4.32 3.30 -2.41 0.86 2.35
Benchmark 3.61 2.14 -2.23 0.37 2.62
Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index 1.42 0.26 4.32 1.37 3.37
Calendar Year 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
  • Returns are presented net of fees and include the reinvestment of income and past performance is not indicative of future results. Net of fees includes management fees, operating expenses, and fee reductions and/or expense reimbursements. See the fund prospectus for additional information.
  • Since inception performance for each benchmark index is calculated based on the inception date of each corresponding Fund share class and reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes.
  • 2Q 2021 Performance Review

    12-Month Review

    • The Fund outperformed the benchmark.
    • Interest rate strategies adversely impacted relative results during the year as rates have moved higher.
    • Sector allocation contributed due to the overweight allocation to Financial and Industrial corporate credit.
    • Security selection was the biggest contributor to relative results with most of the contribution coming from Treasury.

    3-Month Review

    • The Fund outperformed the benchmark.
    • Overweight allocation to Corporates and certain emerging market Sovereign Bonds helped relative results.
    • Selection decisions had the biggest positive impact on relative results.

    Current Positioning

    • Duration exposure increased due to belief that rates will remain lower for longer.
    • Exposure to develop market Government Bonds reduced and move into emerging market Sovereign Bonds for valuation reasons.
  • Fund Fact Sheet

    PDF
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