Absolute returns 60 years on

Against the backdrop of the credit crunch, absolute return funds have come the fore, but the investment strategies used are not a new phenomenon and have been around for six decades

After a year in which virtually all the major asset classes posted heavy losses, investors are now increasingly looking at alternative investment strategies. Since the start of the credit crunch, global equities have fallen by more than 40%, corporate bonds and commercial property are in negative territory and even cash has left savers nervous. Against this backdrop, absolute return funds have really come to the fore as investors have started to look further afield for products capable of delivering steady returns while aiming to provide a refuge from such extreme volatility. But the ...