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Asian inflows, Wise’s ISA picks and a very bullish Japan manager: Our best stories of the week

19 September 2014

The FE Trustnet team round up their favourite articles of the week, including the funds Chris Wise has bought for his ISA.

By Daniel Lanyon,

Reporter, FE Trustnet

The week has seen a groundswell of debate, emotion and politics in the build-up and eventual result of the Scottish independence referendum.

While a No vote was largely expected by markets, narrow polls and a very uncertain environment in the event of a Yes vote meant the event was watched very closely by market stakeholders, evident in a 0.68 per cent uptick in the FTSE 100 in a few hours of morning trading after the result was announced.

FE Trustnet editor Joshua Ausden revealed the fund he was prepping to buy into in the event of a referendum led sell-off in the market but there was plenty of less bearish stories too.


The fund I’m getting ready to buy if there’s a Scottish independence-led sell-off

Ausden said that while his ISA portfolio had been having a good run he wanted to buy a manager with some dry powder and ready to strike if stocks suddenly became super-cheap. He highlighted Alastair Mundy's Investec UK Special Situations fund as a strong contender.

The fund has performed strongly over the past year despite building up a high cash weighting, currently at nine per cent. 

Performance of fund, sector and index over 1yr

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Source: FE Analytics


Hewitt: The best-in-class trusts you shouldn’t mind paying up for

Speaking of value, F&C’s Peter Hewitt revealed in this story three managers he will always want to hold, regardless of whether their trusts are on narrow discounts or even premiums.

Hewitt says he doesn’t mind paying whatever price for FE Alpha Managers James Henderson, Alexander Darwall and Mark Barnett.

The manager of the F&C Managed Income and Managed Growth Portfolios says the three managers have demonstrated a consistency that is becoming more relevant to the implementation of RDR.


Chris Wise: The four funds I’ve bought to max-out the new ISA

The AFI panellist and investment director at Gemmell Financial Services was quick to max out his new ISA under the hiked allowances and more flexible rules back in July.

He revealed to FE Trustnet he was taking advantage of value opportunities in emerging markets, Asia Pacific and global funds but had bought a an S&P 500 tracker for the first time for exposure to US equities.

Having previously held the Schroder US Mid Cap, he said he thinks it’s becoming increasingly difficult for active managers to add value against the S&P.



Neptune’s Taylor: If I’ve got it right, my fund could triple again

Chris Taylor, the manager of the Neptune Japan Opportunities fund was taking a currency bet that could see his fund triple its long-only equity returns.

A currency play contributed to returns in excess of 80 per cent in 2008 as well – a year in which the Nikkei 225 lost money.

Performance of fund, sector and index in 2008

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Source: FE Analytics

“If the currency goes the way I expect it will go, we might well see a repeat of that. [The fund’s outperformance] is partly from stock selection and partly from the hedge and I think that will continue,” he said.


Follow the money? Mass inflows boost First State Asia Pacific Leaders & co

Good news for First State where inflows into exceeding £100m have flowed into the First State Asia Pacific Leaders fund over the past three months.

The end of QE-tapering and the health of the Chinese economy contributed as a catalyst for huge outflows from Asia Pacific funds after the market suffered a strong market correction.

However, as the market has bounced back again in 2014, investors are once again piling back into the sector with Angus Tulloch’s fund one of the major beneficiaries of that trend.

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