Winners rationale

In the face of multiple interest rate hikes and testy US-China trade relations in 2018, the US$41 trillion US bond market displayed extraordinary resilience and retained its position as the largest market of its kind despite failing to deliver returns comparable to the previous year.

Backed by proprietary research and a seasoned team with a formidable track record, PIMCO’s multi-sector approach to diversifying risk exposures between investment grade and high yield bonds distinguished the asset manager from its peers during the year under consideration.

Further, PIMCO has demonstrated unrivalled breadth and versatility in catering to Asian clients’ rising demand for flexible, unconstrained strategies that help hedge against growing inflation risks without compromising returns.

Ranking among the asset manager’s standout products, the Mortgage Opportunities strategy
enables investors to gain greater exposure to credit-sensitive, non-agency mortgages, versus comparable products on the market. Further, the fund’s unconstrained approach to gaining exposure to the mortgage market enables it to generate consistent and absolute returns across full market cycles.

Meanwhile, PIMCO’s Global Fixed Income strategy, which places heavy emphasis on the US market, is also popular amongst Asia’s private banking investors who seek exposure to US bonds. As of end-November 2018, the fund outperformed the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index by 27 bps.

Given PIMCO’s ability to deliver risk-adjusted returns in the midst of protracted market volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty, Asia’s private banking and wealth management gatekeepers named it Asian Private Banker’s Best Fund Provider – US Bond for 2019.