Portfolio manager comments — Q1 2025
Q1 2025 jumpstarted with rising risk appetite, narrowing credit spreads, higher interest rates and high issuing activity, to then be increasingly characterized by the newly appointed US administration’s policy-making. The fund slightly outperformed the benchmark index* during the quarter.
After an initial month of good returns in risk assets, the decline in inflation began to level off and in some cases even rise. This caused the central banks to change their rhetoric about upcoming interest rate cuts. Despite rising interest rates, credit spreads remained relatively unaffected, which benefited the fund’s overweight in the bank and financial sector. The holdings in Nordic real estate companies also continued to contribute significantly to the positive returns.
The fund’s shorter duration also contributed positively when the rising interest rates did not have the same negative impact on returns. The duration was gradually reduced during the quarter as inflation remained firm and president Trump’s fiscal policy agenda with trade tariffs, tax cuts and shorter working hours increased the inflationary expectations.
Geopolitics had a strong impact even on the fixed income markets where the increase in defense investments in Europe initially contributed to rising interest rates and had a negative impact on the fund’s absolute returns.
The fund participated in a significant number of new share issues at attractive levels, such as Swedavia, Traton, Cibus, Corem, Getinge, Storebrand, Heba, Nya SFF and Borgo, where a number of the issues were green or sustainable bonds. Toward the end of the quarter the fund increased its interest rate duration as a safeguard against an increased risk aversion in the event that the US trade tariffs are implemented.
*The fund’s benchmark index is Solactive SEK Fix Short IG Credit Index.