Franklin Templeton strengthens the shelf with global fixed-income strategy
The Franklin Western Asset Core Plus Bond Fund is now available for purchase, and the Franklin Western Asset Core Plus Bond Active ETF, which invests primarily in the shares of the Core Plus Bond Fund, will be listed on the TSX under the ticker symbol FWCP . 24 January.
According to Ken Leach, Chief Investment Officer at Western Asset: “By identifying inefficiencies in fixed income markets, we are able to capitalize on undervalued securities and sectors that have delivered superior long-term risk-adjusted returns over the past few decades. The key component is our reliance on substantial yield gains on our benchmarks or targets.”
Leach said the strategy is designed to achieve what Western Asset has predicted, a long but ultimately successful slog toward a more “normal” economic environment less affected by COVID.
“In this vein, well-chosen high-yield fixed-income securities should outperform US Treasury and DM sovereign bonds,” he said.
Western Asset’s portfolio managers use a top-down macro view to make decisions about value, credit sector, credit quality and tenor. Being proactive managers, they also use extensive research experience and bottom-up analysis to select a security to implement, along with a strict risk management process.
