Is criticism of absolute return funds justified?

Gill Hutchison, head of investment research at The Adviser Centre, City Financial, explains why fund managers need to do more to improve the customer journeys of investors in these popular vehicles.

The IA requires funds in the Targeted Absolute Return sector to aim to achieve a positive return, over a timeframe not longer than three years. Over and above this outcome-based rule, funds can be invested in any asset classes and can operate in a host of different ways, generating a variety of customer journeys. Inevitably, investors become uncomfortable when negative returns are widely felt in this sector and it tends to attract more than its fair share of negative press during challenged times. Is the scrutiny and criticism justified? FCA probes absolute return funds as part of com...