A total of 11 funds from July make it into August's selection, which is just less than half of them. Below I list this month's selection in full with the 11 funds that regained their place in green while the new additions are in black.
Just as last time, I have included the full list sorted by both alphabetical name and then by risk category.
August's Best of the Best Selection - (A-Z by fund name)
(funds unchanged from last month are in green while new additions are in black)
| Fund | Sector | ISIN Code | Risk |
| Aberdeen - European High Yield Bond | Sterling High Yield | GB00B77QLR32 | Low risk |
| Aberdeen - High Yield Bond | Sterling High Yield | GB00B5968F40 | Low risk |
| Aberdeen - Property Share | Property | GB00B0XWNM59 | High risk |
| Argonaut - FP Argonaut European Enhanced Income | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B7M3XX95 | Medium risk |
| Artemis - Pan-European Absolute Return | Targeted Absolute Return | GB00BMMV4J16 | Medium risk |
| AXA - Framlington American Growth | North America | GB0003509212 | High risk |
| AXA - Framlington Global Technology | Technology & Telecom | GB0006598998 | High risk |
| BlackRock - UK Absolute Alpha | Targeted Absolute Return | GB00B06L9G55 | Medium risk |
| Cavendish - Technology | Technology & Telecom | GB00B60SMN24 | High risk |
| CF - Miton UK Value Opportunities | UK All Companies | GB00B8KV0M06 | Medium risk |
| FP - Apollo Multi Asset Balanced | Mixed Investment 20%-60% Shares | GB00B3FPF276 | Low risk |
| FP - Miton Undervalued Assets | UK All Companies | GB00B3BSKG91 | Medium risk |
| GLG - Continental Europe | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B0119370 | High risk |
| GLG - Technology Equity | Technology & Telecom | GB00B0119H13 | High risk |
| Henderson - Japan Opportunities | Japan | GB0007683203 | High risk |
| Invesco Perpetual - European Opportunities | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B28J0N53 | High risk |
| JPM - Cautious Managed | Mixed Investment 0%-35% Shares | GB00B09RGK38 | Low risk |
| Marlborough - High Yield Fixed Interest | Sterling High Yield | GB00B03TN153 | Low risk |
| Marlborough - Multi Cap Income | UK Equity Income | GB00B5L8VH15 | Medium risk |
| Natixis - Loomis Sayles U.S. Equity Leaders | North America | GB00B8L3WZ29 | High risk |
| Old Mutual - Bond 1 | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB0033476184 | Low risk |
| Old Mutual - Equity 1 | UK All Companies | GB00B0364W40 | Medium risk |
| PFS - Chelverton UK Equity Income | UK Equity Income | GB00B1FD6244 | Medium risk |
| PFS - TwentyFour Dynamic Bond | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB00B566LX69 | Low risk |
| Schroder - Monthly High Income | Sterling High Yield | GB0009505693 | Low risk |
| SF - Metropolis Value | Flexible Investment | GB00B3LDLX86 | Medium risk |
| SJP - International Corporate Bond | Global Bonds | GB00B62VYF56 | Low risk |
| Unicorn - UK Income | UK Equity Income | GB00B00Z1S94 | Medium risk |
August's Best of the Best Selection - (grouped by risk)
Here is August's shortlist grouped by their risk category (funds unchanged from last month are in green while new additions are in black):
| Fund Name | Sector | ISIN Code | Risk |
| Aberdeen - European High Yield Bond | Sterling High Yield | GB00B77QLR32 | Low risk |
| Aberdeen - High Yield Bond | Sterling High Yield | GB00B5968F40 | Low risk |
| FP - Apollo Multi Asset Balanced | Mixed Investment 20%-60% Shares | GB00B3FPF276 | Low risk |
| JPM - Cautious Managed | Mixed Investment 0%-35% Shares | GB00B09RGK38 | Low risk |
| Marlborough - High Yield Fixed Interest | Sterling High Yield | GB00B03TN153 | Low risk |
| Old Mutual - Bond 1 | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB0033476184 | Low risk |
| PFS - TwentyFour Dynamic Bond | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB00B566LX69 | Low risk |
| Schroder - Monthly High Income | Sterling High Yield | GB0009505693 | Low risk |
| SJP - International Corporate Bond | Global Bonds | GB00B62VYF56 | Low risk |
| Argonaut - FP Argonaut European Enhanced Income | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B7M3XX95 | Medium risk |
| Artemis - Pan-European Absolute Return | Targeted Absolute Return | GB00BMMV4J16 | Medium risk |
| BlackRock - UK Absolute Alpha | Targeted Absolute Return | GB00B06L9G55 | Medium risk |
| CF - Miton UK Value Opportunities | UK All Companies | GB00B8KV0M06 | Medium risk |
| FP - Miton Undervalued Assets | UK All Companies | GB00B3BSKG91 | Medium risk |
| Marlborough - Multi Cap Income | UK Equity Income | GB00B5L8VH15 | Medium risk |
| Old Mutual - Equity 1 | UK All Companies | GB00B0364W40 | Medium risk |
| PFS - Chelverton UK Equity Income | UK Equity Income | GB00B1FD6244 | Medium risk |
| SF - Metropolis Value | Flexible Investment | GB00B3LDLX86 | Medium risk |
| Unicorn - UK Income | UK Equity Income | GB00B00Z1S94 | Medium risk |
| Aberdeen - Property Share | Property | GB00B0XWNM59 | High risk |
| AXA - Framlington American Growth | North America | GB0003509212 | High risk |
| AXA - Framlington Global Technology | Technology & Telecom | GB0006598998 | High risk |
| Cavendish - Technology | Technology & Telecom | GB00B60SMN24 | High risk |
| GLG - Continental Europe | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B0119370 | High risk |
| GLG - Technology Equity | Technology & Telecom | GB00B0119H13 | High risk |
| Henderson - Japan Opportunities | Japan | GB0007683203 | High risk |
| Invesco Perpetual - European Opportunities | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B28J0N53 | High risk |
| Natixis - Loomis Sayles U.S. Equity Leaders | North America | GB00B8L3WZ29 | High risk |
The funds that dropped out of the Best of the Best Selection
For reference the funds from last month that dropped out of the 80-20 Best of the Best list are listed below. Many of them remain in the Best funds by Sector selection:
| Fund name | Sector | ISIN Code | Portfolio |
| 7IM - Moderately Cautious | Mixed Investment 0%-35% Shares | GB0033953497 | Low risk |
| Aberdeen - Property Trust | Property | GB00B036Z329 | Low risk |
| BlackRock - Asia Special Situations | Asia Pacific Excluding Japan | GB00BJGZYG57 | High risk |
| BlackRock - Continental European | Europe Excluding UK | GB0005804728 | High risk |
| CF - Seneca Diversified Income | Mixed Investment 20%-60% Shares | GB0031467961 | Low risk |
| Franklin - UK Smaller Companies | UK Smaller Companies | GB00B7FFF708 | High risk |
| Invesco Perpetual - Hong Kong & China | China/Greater China | GB0033028332 | High risk |
| Jupiter - Japan Income | Japan | GB00B0HZTZ55 | Medium risk |
| M&G - Short Dated Corporate Bond | Sterling Corporate Bond | GB0031110397 | Low risk |
| Neptune - UK Mid Cap | UK All Companies | GB00B3D7FD61 | Medium risk |
| Premier - Multi-Asset Distribution | Mixed Investment 20%-60% Shares | GB0031107799 | Low risk |
| Schroder - European Alpha Plus | Europe Excluding UK | GB0033302877 | High risk |
| Scottish Widows - UK Smaller Companies | UK Smaller Companies | GB0031644197 | High risk |
| Threadneedle - UK Mid 250 | UK All Companies | GB0033547604 | Medium risk |
Commentary
Perhaps unsurprisingly the 80-20 Investor Best of the Best Selection has completed its exit from Asia and China, albeit last month's exposure was only 4%. What is interesting is that as the immediate concerns surrounding the Greek debt crisis have receded an undertone of caution is still reflected in the fund selection. The selection is much more diversified covering a range of sectors including a number of funds which themselves either invest in a range of assets or have an eye on downside protection.
The biggest shift is that US equities and technology stocks enter the high risk end of the selection after spending a few months in the doldrums. This is largely a result of positive economic data in the US, some strong company results as well as a reduced exposure to the ongoing Greek debt saga.
The Asset mix
The current asset mix of the new Best of the Best Selection is shown below with last month's figures in brackets:
- UK Equities 22% (29%)
- Global Fixed Interest 15% (14%)
- North American Equities 14% (0%)
- European Equities 11% (15%)
- Japanese Equities 3% (8%)
- UK Corporate Fixed Interest (i.e UK bonds) 9% (7%)
- Asia Pacific Emerging Equities (including China) 0% (4%)
- Property (mostly shares) 4%
The remainder is made up of other international equities. Overall the asset mix has reduced its UK, European and Japanese exposure in favour of US equities. Meanwhile it has completely axed any direct exposure to Asia & China.
80-20 Investor Best of the Best fund performance – since inception August 2014
The 80-20 Investor Best of the Best fund selection is officially 1 year old. As you know we've been tracking the Best of the Best Selection of funds, as picked by our unique algorithm, since August 2014. I will shortly publish the full analysis of how has the 80-20 Investor algorithm has done versus the market and those professional fund managers out there. But just to give you a hint, even after just a year the 80-20 Investor algorithm is winning!
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