Portfolio manager comments — Q4 2025
The fund delivered positive absolute performance during the fourth quarter of the year, but returns were weaker than the benchmark index*. The single most important reason for the fund’s relative underperformance was its underweight exposure to mining and construction materials, where many stocks performed very strongly, particularly companies with exposure to precious metals and cement.
Among the most important currencies for the fund, the Chilean peso strengthened slightly against the Swedish krona, the Mexican peso was broadly unchanged, while the Brazilian real weakened noticeably.
Looking ahead, we believe domestic drivers will become increasingly important. After Argentina held mid‑term elections during the previous quarter, Chile elected a president and congress during the final quarter of the year. José Antonio Kast, a right‑leaning candidate, was elected president. The outcome was expected, but the Chilean equity market has performed well. The market foresees reduced bureaucracy, adding to an already strong market for key commodities such as copper.
On the political theme, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro nominated his son Flávio Bolsonaro as a candidate for next year’s presidential election. Fragmentation on the right relative to incumbent president Lula was received negatively by the market, which continues to be concerned about strained public finances and the scope for interest rate cuts.
The largest negative impact on active performance came from the underweight in the lithium producer SQM, as well as from the construction materials sector, including Cemex.
The strongest positive contributions came from the Chilean bank Santander Chile and the Argentine bank Galicia, both of which benefited from political changes in the region.
* Solactive Latin America Large, Mid & Small Cap UCITS Index NTR