FundCalibre - Investing on the go

Bob Kaynor, manager of the Schroder US Mid Cap fund, digs deeper into the US economy. We touch on the ‘Magnificent Seven’ and how they shed light on a wider issue: can the level of concentration in the S&P 500 continue? Or is the AI bubble set to bust? We navigate through the unique challenges posed by student debt, higher interest rates, the US consumer, the employment cycle and the potential impact of upcoming global election...

Murray Income manager Charles Luke highlights a trio of reasons why the UK market looks compelling at present, while also discussing the importance of focusing on quality companies when there is so much noise. We delve deeper into some of the companies in his portfolio, including a genetics company working on virus resistant pigs and a familiar FTSE 250 name that is set to benefit from an Amazon film and TV series. We also discuss ...

Samantha Gleave, co-manager of Liontrust European Dynamic, discusses the fund's investment process, including how a company can qualify for its 'cashflow champions' watch list. The interview also touches on the importance of the macroeconomic environment, concerns related to energy prices, the impact of recession in Germany and why the fund is tilting towards value. She concludes with a balanced outlook on European e...

Dr. Niall O’Connor, manager of SVS Brooks Macdonald Defensive Capital, gives a comprehensive overview of the financial landscape for investors, including the role of inflation, interest rates, asset valuations across various markets and, ultimately, where there may be opportunities. We delve into the dynamics of investment trusts - including the substantial discounts some are trading at - with Niall highlighting the potential for m...

Sophia Li, manager of FSSA Japan Focus, joins us to discuss the driving forces behind the strong performance of the Japanese stock market in 2023. We delve into the influence of foreign investors - particularly Warren Buffet - on the Japanese market and whether their growing confidence should serve a positive indicator for long-term investors. We discuss the consequences of Japan's aging population on the economy and how the i...

Darius McDermott and Juliet Schooling Latter return to discuss the fallout from an incredibly busy third quarter of 2023. The duo discuss whether interest rates have peaked, how inflation is evolving, and why the uncertainty in markets leaves them open to a number of very different economic scenarios. They also touch upon recent political developments, such as the UK's shift on net-zero goals, and how these changes might affec...

In this interview, Richard Parfect, co-manager of the VT Momentum Diversified Income fund, gives an overview of where he believes the opportunities in the market lie today, highlighting high yield, emerging market debt and specialist assets. We then shift to a broader discussion around inflation and how that impacts the fund’s inflation target of CPI plus 5%. Finally, the conversation touches on a critical issue within the investme...

Will Lough, manager of R&M Global Sustainable Opportunities, tells us more about the newly launched fund. We touch on the coexistence of value investing and sustainability, emphasising the importance of defining these concepts broadly rather than in narrow terms. Will explains how sustainability is evaluated through three pillars: people, innovation, and the environment, with varying importance depending on the business model. ...

The world's population is projected to become more urbanised, with 68% living in cities by 2050, according to our guests Kate Hewitt and Harriet Topham, ESG and Impact specialists at Montanaro Asset Management. We dive into this theme of the built environment, changing demographics and urbanisation's impact on investments. Harriet illustrates the point with examples from the Montanaro Better World fund such as Marshalls, ...

In this special bonus episode to mark ‘International Podcast Day’, the focus is on a unique FundCalibre event - fund manager speed dating. Seven journalists had the opportunity to interview seven fund managers in a fast-paced setting, delving into their views and investment philosophies. The team at FundCalibre also took the opportunity to find out more about the managers and this episode features highlights offering insights into ...

We touch on the UK stock market’s up and downs with Alessandro Dicorrado, co-manager of the Ninety One UK Special Situations fund, who questions whether recent performance has been driven by sentiment or the overall challenges faced by UK companies today. Alessandro emphasises the team's focus on contrarian investing as we look closer at the fund’s composition. 

This interview also covers “sin stocks” such as tobacco and oil co...

David Dudding, manager of the CT Global Focus fund, and newly appointed co-manager Alex Lee, share the fund’s investment philosophy of focusing on company-specific factors, competitive advantages, and long-term growth potential. We also consider global economic trends and thematic investment opportunities such as decarbonisation and energy efficiency. David and Alex also discuss the fund’s holdings in Apple, Pepsi, CRH, and current...

We start our interview with Tom Lemaigre, co-manager of Janus Henderson European Selected Opportunities, by getting an update on the fund’s future given the retirement of veteran manager, John Bennett. Tom emphasises that the investment process and core tenets will remain unchanged despite the change of leadership. 

Tom also covers the current economic environment in Europe, including the challenges for companies and why their long-...

Delve into Japan's economic landscape and its place in the world with Sam Perry, manager of the Pictet Japanese Equity Selection fund. Sam gives a critical examination of the perception of deglobalisation and its impact on Asia and Japan, before shifting to Japan's unique economic environment and newfound – and welcome - inflation. We also consider how Japan's recent economic stimulus and policies have shifted the na...

The VT Downing Unique Opportunities fund recently celebrated its third anniversary. With its life so far having been dominated by tumultuous global events such as the pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, and rising inflation, manager Rosemary Banyard joins us to discuss how she navigated these challenges and managed to outperform in spite of them.

The fund has a focus on small and mid-cap companies, which have faced headwinds in recen...

The Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainability fund marked its 5th anniversary in July. Manager David Harrison joins us to discuss how sustainable investing has changed over the past five years and predicts what is yet to come in the sector. We consider both the circular economy and artificial intelligence as emerging trends, but also delve into healthcare - a current opportunity within the fund. We also discuss the surprising resili...

Uzo Ekwue, co-manager of the Schroder British Opportunities Trust, gives an update on performance, the investment strategy and the current 30% discount to the market. Uzo emphasises the trust’s focus on both private and public assets, particularly in the mid and small-cap space, and tells us why they see a mispricing of private assets due to market sentiment. We touch on examples within the portfolio, illustrating the range of size...

Managed by Mike Riddell, the positioning of Allianz Strategic Bond fund is driven by the team’s view on the prevailing economic environment. In this interview, Mike outlines why he believes understanding the global economic direction and identifying mismatches between market pricing and actual risk, is so important for bond investors. 

He explains that while markets are currently pricing in minimal risk of recession, his fund remain...

Francesco Conte and Sara Bellenda, co-managers of the new Elite Radar JPM Climate Change Solutions fund, explain to us how an internally developed AI tool helps them to scan thousands of companies to find the most likely contributors in creating a more sustainable world.

The managers discuss the importance of identifying technology and innovation early, highlighting both hydrogen and carbon capture technology as two examples. While ...