Commentary
As explained in May's monthly newsletter, by the end of May equity investors were left wondering whether the bond market was right all along. Ultimately May will be remembered as the month that Trump escalated the trade war with China and then started a new one with Mexico. This sparked an equity market sell-off (and stocks endured their worst May since 2010). With such a turnaround in fortunes it's perhaps unsurprising that only 11 funds from last month's list of 30 remain the same. Having said that most of those that didn't make it only just missed out and remain in the BFBS tables.
Within the BOTB, bond funds and equity funds containing bond proxies outperformed. The BOTB's cautious equity exposure also aided its outperformance. As a whole the BOTB was down 1.52% versus -1.73% for the average fund in the Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares sector.
From last month's BOTB selection, the best performers during May were Standard Life Investments Emerging Market Debt, Fidelity Global Property and Newton Real Return which made 3.44%, 2.85% and 1.46% respectively. The biggest losers were Emerging market equities and Asian equity funds, with Fidelity China falling 8% which triggered a stop loss alert on the way down.
Unsurprisingly any exposure to Emerging market equities and Chinese equities has been removed from June's BOTB while gilt funds made a return. UK equities continue to receive a boost from the falling pound which explains why there's an increased exposure in this month's BOTB. In fact, the FTSE 100 is one of the best performing major stock market indices over 1 month and 6 month periods. European equity funds have continued to play catchup with their US counterparts and there is now a European equity fund in the BOTB.
At the foot of this article you can see how the 80-20 Investor selection has outperformed the professional fund managers as well as the market since its launch four and a half years ago.
Below I list this month's selection in full with the 11 funds that regained their place in black while the new additions are in green. As usual, I have included the full list sorted alphabetically by name and then by risk category.
June's Best of the Best Selection - (A-Z by fund name)
(funds unchanged from last month are in black while new additions are in green)
Name | Sector | ISIN Code | Risk |
Aberdeen Emerging Markets Bond | Global Emerging Markets Bond | GB00B5L9HN22 | Medium risk |
Aberdeen European Equity | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B0LG6P37 | High risk |
Aberdeen Property Share | Property Other | GB00B0XWNN66 | High risk |
Aberdeen Sterling Bond | Global Bonds | GB00BWK27087 | Low risk |
Aberdeen UK Smaller Companies Equity | UK Smaller Companies | GB00B07T4859 | High risk |
AXA Sterling Index Linked Bond | UK Index Linked Gilts | GB00B02Y6B22 | High risk |
BlackRock UK Absolute Alpha | Targeted Absolute Return | GB00B5ZNQ990 | Low risk |
Fidelity Asian Dividend | Asia Pacific Excluding Japan | GB00B8W5LX86 | High risk |
Fidelity Global Property | Property Other | GB00B7K2NZ09 | High risk |
First State Global Listed Infrastructure | Global | GB00B24HJL45 | High risk |
HSBC UK Gilt Index | UK Gilts | GB00B4581C50 | Low risk |
Janus Henderson Fixed Interest Monthly Income | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB0001920486 | Low risk |
Jupiter Strategic Bond | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB00B2RBCS16 | Low risk |
LF Blue Whale Growth | Global | GB00BD6PG563 | High risk |
LF Macquarie Global Infrastructure Securities | Global | GB00B1W27X27 | Medium risk |
Liontrust Sustainable Future Cautious Managed | Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares | GB00BMN90304 | Medium risk |
Liontrust Sustainable Future Defensive Managed | Mixed Investment 20-60% Shares | GB00BMN90635 | Low risk |
M&G Global Listed Infrastructure | Global | GB00BF00R928 | Medium risk |
McInroy & Wood Balanced | Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares | GB00B7RRJ163 | Medium risk |
MI Chelverton UK Equity Growth | UK All Companies | GB00BP855B75 | High risk |
Newton International Bond | Global Bonds | GB0006779655 | Medium risk |
Newton Real Return | Targeted Absolute Return | GB0001642635 | Low risk |
Royal London UK Government Bond | UK Gilts | GB00B881TW52 | Low risk |
Slater Growth | UK All Companies | GB00B0706C66 | High risk |
Standard Life Investments Emerging Market Debt | Global Emerging Markets Bond | GB00B8K56P77 | Low risk |
Standard Life Investments Global Index Linked Bond | Global Bonds | GB00B7C0H946 | Low risk |
TB Evenlode Global Income | Global Equity Income | GB00BF1QMV61 | Medium risk |
Threadneedle Emerging Market Bond | Global Emerging Markets Bond | GB0002365608 | Medium risk |
VT Seneca Diversified Growth | Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares | GB00B7FPW579 | Medium risk |
VT Seneca Diversified Income | Mixed Investment 20-60% Shares | GB00B7JTF560 | Medium risk |
June's Best of the Best Selection - (grouped by risk)
Here is June's shortlist grouped by their risk category (funds unchanged from last month are in black while new additions are in green):
Name | Sector | ISIN Code | Risk |
Aberdeen Sterling Bond | Global Bonds | GB00BWK27087 | Low risk |
BlackRock UK Absolute Alpha | Targeted Absolute Return | GB00B5ZNQ990 | Low risk |
HSBC UK Gilt Index | UK Gilts | GB00B4581C50 | Low risk |
Janus Henderson Fixed Interest Monthly Income | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB0001920486 | Low risk |
Jupiter Strategic Bond | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB00B2RBCS16 | Low risk |
Liontrust Sustainable Future Defensive Managed | Mixed Investment 20-60% Shares | GB00BMN90635 | Low risk |
Newton Real Return | Targeted Absolute Return | GB0001642635 | Low risk |
Royal London UK Government Bond | UK Gilts | GB00B881TW52 | Low risk |
Standard Life Investments Emerging Market Debt | Global Emerging Markets Bond | GB00B8K56P77 | Low risk |
Standard Life Investments Global Index Linked Bond | Global Bonds | GB00B7C0H946 | Low risk |
Aberdeen Emerging Markets Bond | Global Emerging Markets Bond | GB00B5L9HN22 | Medium risk |
LF Macquarie Global Infrastructure Securities | Global | GB00B1W27X27 | Medium risk |
Liontrust Sustainable Future Cautious Managed | Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares | GB00BMN90304 | Medium risk |
M&G Global Listed Infrastructure | Global | GB00BF00R928 | Medium risk |
McInroy & Wood Balanced | Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares | GB00B7RRJ163 | Medium risk |
Newton International Bond | Global Bonds | GB0006779655 | Medium risk |
TB Evenlode Global Income | Global Equity Income | GB00BF1QMV61 | Medium risk |
Threadneedle Emerging Market Bond | Global Emerging Markets Bond | GB0002365608 | Medium risk |
VT Seneca Diversified Growth | Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares | GB00B7FPW579 | Medium risk |
VT Seneca Diversified Income | Mixed Investment 20-60% Shares | GB00B7JTF560 | Medium risk |
Aberdeen European Equity | Europe Excluding UK | GB00B0LG6P37 | High risk |
Aberdeen Property Share | Property Other | GB00B0XWNN66 | High risk |
Aberdeen UK Smaller Companies Equity | UK Smaller Companies | GB00B07T4859 | High risk |
AXA Sterling Index Linked Bond | UK Index Linked Gilts | GB00B02Y6B22 | High risk |
Fidelity Asian Dividend | Asia Pacific Excluding Japan | GB00B8W5LX86 | High risk |
Fidelity Global Property | Property Other | GB00B7K2NZ09 | High risk |
First State Global Listed Infrastructure | Global | GB00B24HJL45 | High risk |
LF Blue Whale Growth | Global | GB00BD6PG563 | High risk |
MI Chelverton UK Equity Growth | UK All Companies | GB00BP855B75 | High risk |
Slater Growth | UK All Companies | GB00B0706C66 | 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 Investor Best of the Best list are listed below. Many of them remain in the Best funds by Sector selection:
Name | Sector | ISIN Code | Risk |
AXA Framlington Emerging Markets | Global Emerging Markets | GB00B4490M25 | High risk |
Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Growth | Global Emerging Markets | GB0006020647 | High risk |
Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Leading Companies | Global Emerging Markets | GB00B06HZN29 | High risk |
Baillie Gifford Global Income Growth | Global Equity Income | GB0005772586 | Medium risk |
BlackRock Asia | Asia Pacific Excluding Japan | GB00B7VS8S56 | High risk |
Fidelity Asia | Asia Pacific Excluding Japan | GB00B6Y7NF43 | High risk |
Fidelity China Consumer | China/Greater China | GB00B82ZSC67 | High risk |
Fidelity Multi Asset Allocator Defensive | Mixed Investment 0-35% Shares | GB00B8YQD220 | Low risk |
Fidelity Strategic Bond | Sterling Strategic Bond | GB00B469J896 | Low risk |
First State Emerging Markets Bond | Global Emerging Markets Bond | GB00B6R3H571 | Low risk |
First State Greater China Growth | China/Greater China | GB0033874321 | High risk |
Janus Henderson Inst Global Responsible Managed | Mixed Investment 40-85% Shares | GB0031833402 | Medium risk |
L&G Multi-Asset Target Return | Targeted Absolute Return | GB00BD97XY71 | Medium risk |
Margetts Venture Strategy | Flexible Investment | GB00B6VBDR16 | Medium risk |
Neptune Income | UK Equity Income | GB00B8JCR452 | Medium risk |
Premier Global Infrastructure Income | Global Equity Income | GB0031637738 | High risk |
Royal London Sustainable Leaders Trust | UK All Companies | GB00B7V23Z99 | Medium risk |
Royal London Sustainable Managed Growth Trust | Mixed Investment 0-35% Shares | GB00B8H7XS88 | Low risk |
T. Rowe Price Global Technology Equity | Technology & Telecommunications | GB00BD446K01 | High risk |
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:
- Global Fixed Interest 9% (13%)
- Alternatives 22% (20%) - includes absolute return strategies & some bond exposure
- UK Corporate Fixed Interest (i.e UK bonds) 0% (6%)
- Emerging Market Fixed Income 9% (8%)
- North American Equities 10% (9%)*
- European Equities 8% (4%)
- Japanese Equities 0% (0%)
- Property 6% (4%)*
- UK Equities 17% (11%)
- Gilts 12% (0%)
- Cash 4% (0%)
- Emerging market equities 0% (15%)
- Other international equities 0% (4%)
- Asian Equities 3% (6%)
*of the property exposure most is invested in equities of property companies (such as REITs) around the globe. As such they are actually equities and around half of this is based in the US.
80-20 Investor's outperformance continues
As you know the Best of the Best Selection is the shortlist of the best funds highlighted by our 80-20 Investor algorithm split into high, medium and low-risk categories. This shortlist is updated at the start of every month.
The green line in the chart below (click to enlarge) shows how a portfolio would have performed since inception (in August 2014) if it had been split equally between the Best of the Best Selection funds and then switched each month when each new shortlist was published. I have also charted the performance against that of a FTSE 100 tracker fund (the black line) and the average cautious managed fund (blue line) and the average managed fund with up to 85% equity exposure (red line). In reality, the 80-20 Investor's asset allocation typically lies between these two as it usually has 60-85% exposure to equities at any one time. So they provide a good comparison of how fund managers with a similar remit have fared over the same period.
As you can see, since launch in August 2014 the 80-20 Investor portfolio has HUGELY outperformed the average managed fund and the market.
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