fixed income

Schroders has launched the ISF Global High Income Bond fund, offering a high level of income by investing in emerging market sovereign, corporate and developed market high yield debt.

Bond sales have hit record levels in US markets in the first two weeks of the year, with about $67bn (£42bn) of new bonds sold, according to Thomson Reuters.

The managers of Cazenove's newly launched Diversity Income fund have warned they may prioritise downside capital protection during volatile markets, meaning they could miss their 4% yield target.

OMAM BOND BLOG

Investec's joint head of fixed income John Stopford says developed market sovereign debt, the search for yield, and inflation will be the three dominant themes this year.

Strong buying of government debt by the UK's banking sector is needed to prevent a rise in gilt yields as overseas demand wanes, says Simon Ward, the chief economist at Henderson Global Investors.

EUROZONE DEFAULT A CERTAINTY

Ignis' Chris Bowie believes total corporate bond returns will reach 5% in 2011 compared to the 10% highs achieved by the best performing funds this year.

PIMCO's co-CIO Bill Gross has poured $4.4m (£2.7m) of his own money into five municipal bond funds run by the group in anticipation of a rally, Bloomberg reports.

Aegon Asset Management has promoted Euan McNeil to the role of co-manager on its Ethical Corporate Bond fund, replacing high yield specialist Phil Milburn.