The current First State Emerging Markets Bond Fund Class A Hedged fund is run by Helene Williamson and was launched in October 2011, one month after she joined from F&C.
At a roadshow to promote the fund last week, portfolio manager Philip Fielding talked about the new fund although planning is still at an early stage.
The company’s official position is that it is “reviewing opportunities to develop a local currency emerging markets debt strategy to complement its existing hard currency capability. This new capability would expand the range of products managed by the emerging markets debt team led by Helene Williamson, and take advantage of rapidly maturing local currency markets.
“The local currency asset class offers attractive yields and good diversification across regions and countries.”
Graham Fox, head of wholesale, UK & Europe, at the firm said that they certainly have the expertise within the team to run such a proposition though any new offering will not be launched until much later in the year.
