Title: Can global bond fund managers generate alpha using currency volatility?

Authors: Gueorgui Konstantinov

Addresses: LBBW Asset Management GmbH, Fritz-Elsas-Strasse 31, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany

Abstract: The management of global bond funds, and in particular their exposure to currency volatility, which deals with the complexity of both currency and fixed-income markets, is the main focus of this paper. Since bond managers are concerned with the management of both interest and currency risk, the analysis is focused on beta exposure, and in particular on currency volatility. Using quantitative models and derivative instruments, e.g., currency straddles, the results of the study point out that currency volatility management always matters in terms of exploiting inefficiencies in the currency markets, thus generating performance and successfully dealing with the complexity of both asset classes, which are integrated in global bond funds. Thus, global fixed-income managers are given an additional source of alpha return.

Keywords: bonds; derivatives; currencies; fixed-income portfolio management; alpha returns; international bond funds; currency volatility; style analysis; volatility management; volatility models.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBD.2014.067400

International Journal of Bonds and Derivatives, 2014 Vol.1 No.2, pp.111 - 133

Received: 05 Feb 2014
Accepted: 08 Apr 2014
Published online: 14 Feb 2015 *

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