Tuesday, 19 January 2021

Exclusive: #Qatar fund put pandemic bets on distressed debt, high-grade bonds - sources | Reuters

Exclusive: Qatar fund put pandemic bets on distressed debt, high-grade bonds - sources | Reuters

Qatar Investment Authority is generating strong returns on a multi-billion dollar bet it made on distressed debt and highly rated bonds at the start of the COVID-19 crisis, two sources familiar with its move said.

QIA, a sovereign wealth fund with assets of $300 billion, owns department store owner Harrods and stakes in Barclays and prime properties such as Canary Wharf in London, bet that investment grade bonds would rebound from lows hit in March, investing in both sovereigns and corporates, they said.

It was not alone in such a shift, as sovereign wealth funds invested a net $4.5 billion across U.S. fixed income in the third quarter of 2020, the most since at least the end of 2017, latest data from eVestment shows.

The S&P 500 Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index has gained about 20% since hitting a low of 417.88 in mid-March.

And in a departure from its previous portfolio purchases, QIA also put significant sums into so-called distressed credit, including funds that help struggling companies.

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