Woolnough slashes duration on M&G Optimal Income

clock

M&G's Richard Woolnough has slashed duration to just 3.3 years on his £3.9bn Optimal Income fund in anticipation of a spike in gilt yields.

The manager, who has sold government bond futures to instigate the move, said duration had fallen from five years at the end of 2010, and was well below a neutral position of 5.4 years. Woolnough is expecting the UK economy to remain weak in 2011, with a stagnant housing market, high unemployment and fiscal austerity weighing on growth. As such, he expects the Bank of England will tolerate the current high level of inflation and keep rates accommodative in order to prevent further economic weakness. Woolnough has also added index-linked gilts to the top performing fund, taking the ...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Investment

Chaos is not a ladder: Navigating human behaviour at times of market stress

Chaos is not a ladder: Navigating human behaviour at times of market stress

'It is important to maintain perspective'

Sacha Chorley
clock 09 March 2026 • 4 min read
Four reasons why direct engagement can still make a difference

Four reasons why direct engagement can still make a difference

'Quantitative data arguably tells only half the story'

Simon Wood
clock 05 March 2026 • 4 min read
Darius McDermott: Is income under pressure?

Darius McDermott: Is income under pressure?

‘The period of abundant income is ebbing'

Darius McDermott
clock 04 March 2026 • 5 min read