Baring Asset Management has set out to challenge the absolute return market’s big hitters with the launch of the Dynamic Absolute Return fund.
The Ucits long-short market neutral strategy will be managed by James Ind, who will target a positive absolute return and 7% volatility over a three-year rolling period.
The fund can invest in any asset class, country or sector, including equities and emerging market currencies, and its investment team will seek to identify both absolute value and relative value opportunities. There is no performance fee, and an annual management charge of 0.55%.
The fund marks the firm’s first absolute return venture, and the latest addition to its expansive multi-asset range, which includes the flagship £1.7 billion (€2.05 billion) Dynamic Asset Allocation fund, aimed at institutional investors.
Ind, who joined Barings last September from Man GLG’s Total Return fund, was specifically hired to head the new strategy. Prior to Man GLG, he spent five years at Russell Investments as managing director of the multi-asset division.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Barings said the firm moved to launch the fund in response to significant client demand for low risk products, and it could appeal to both liquid alternative and conservative or defensive investors.
©2016 funds europe