The fund generated a positive performance, outperforming its reference indicator, which posted a negative return over the period.
Our cautious stance on modified duration and our inflation strategies enabled the portfolio to show a degree of resilience in an environment marked by a general rise in interest rates. However, our steepening strategy suffered as yield curves flattened over the period.
In addition, the portfolio benefited from its carry strategies on our credit bonds, slightly offset by our hedges aimed at reducing our exposure to the riskiest part of the market.
Finally, the portfolio continues to benefit from the good performance of our selection of Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs) and our exposure to money market instruments.
The relative resilience of the various economies, with a soft landing for the European and US economies and inflation gradually returning to target, should enable the ECB and the Fed to continue their rate-cutting cycles.
However, given the political and geopolitical risks and the increasingly tight valuations on certain markets, the portfolio is maintaining a balanced positioning with a modified duration that has been kept below 2 over the period.
On the one hand, a significant allocation to credit, mainly invested in short-term, highly-rated corporate bonds and CLOs, which offer an attractive source of carry and a low beta relative to market volatility.
On the other hand, a long position on short maturities and a yield curve steepening strategy in the eurozone, which should benefit from a flight to quality in an unfavourable scenario, but also from the central banks' rate cutting cycle and upward pressure on the long end.
We are also retaining protection on the credit market (iTraxx Xover), with markets trading at tight levels in an uncertain geopolitical environment.
Finally, we have allocated part of the portfolio to money market instruments, which represent an attractive source of carry with limited risk.
Market environment