Thames River has confirmed that it plans to launch a global emerging markets absolute return fund on 1 June.
Thames River has confirmed that it plans to launch a global emerging markets absolute return fund on 1 June. The equity l/s UCITS is to be managed by Kristof Bulkai (pictured) and Hugo Roberts. A top-down macro approach will be used in tandem with value-driven company analysis to identify stock positions. It is believed that the fund, which will like most newcits provide investors with daily liquidity provisions, aims to deliver target annual returns in the “high teens” net of fees. Lead manager Bulkai said that unlike other absolute return funds that oscillate between being fully invested and having a high cash weighting, the fund will be just as active in its short book as its long book. “That approach has enabled us to make a positive return on the Water & Agriculture Absolute Return fund over the last two years in spite of the challenging market backdrop,” said Bulkai. He added that the “increasing divergence in performance between sectors” in emerging markets makes it more appropriate to have an absolute return approach going forward. F&C bought Thames River last year. Their head of emerging equities, Jeff Chowdhry, said: “We are delighted Kristof and Hugo are joining the team. Emerging markets is part of F&C’s DNA and the build-out of our product set into the absolute return space is a landmark development.” The new UCITS will be a sub-fund of Traditional Funds plc, a Dublin-domiciled OEIC. Its shares will be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange.
