Market Review
Financial stocks continued to travel on a downward slope due to investor anxiety about Greek elections and the show-down between Sarkozy and Hollande in the final round of the French presidential election. A further deterioration in the asset quality of the Spanish banking system as well as inconclusive macro-economic data in the US constituted a burden on the financial sector. Expansive monetary policy action by the Australian and Brazilian central banks did not succeed in shifting around the largely negative market sentiment.
Fund Performance
In April, the Fund outperformed the index as defensive characteristics of the portfolio provided protection against the sell-off in risky stocks. Canadian insurer Intact Financial and German residential property company TAG Immobilien contributed most to the Fund’s performance. Brazilian lender Itau Unibanco and Dutch financial conglomerate ING were among the worst performing holdings as investors sold off large, liquid beta proxies.
Fund Positioning
With regards to activity, we purchased a starter position in Brazilian shopping centre developer and owner BR Malls, as we see ample opportunity to grow rental income over the coming years through both greenfield and brownfield expansion.
Michael Wasserrmann & Stephen Hall
30 April 2012