Systematic Fixed Income: An Investor's Guide(Wiley Finance)

Understand the role and potential of fixed income as an asset class Systematic Fixed Income: An Investor’s Guide offers readers a powerful, practical, and robust framework for investors and asset managers to preserve the diversifying properties of a fixed income allocation, and add to that unique sources of excess returns via systematic security selection. In other words, this framework allows for efficient capture of fixed income beta and fixed income alpha. Celebrated finance professional Dr. Scott Richardson presents concrete strategies for identifying the relevant sources of risk and return in public fixed income markets and explains the tactical and strategic roles played by fixed income in typical portfolios. In the book, readers will explore: The implementation challenges associated with a systematic fixed income portfolio, including liquidity and risk The systematic return sources for rate and credit sensitive fixed income assets in both developed and emerging markets An essential read for asset managers and institutional investors with a professional interest in fixed income markets, Systematic Fixed Income: An Investor’s Guide deserves a place in the libraries of advanced degree students of finance, business, and investment, as well as other investment professionals seeking to refine their understanding of the full potential of this foundational asset class.

Table of Contents:
Preface xiii Acknowledgments xv About the Author xvii Chapter 1 Setting the Stage 1 1.1 What is fixed income? 1 1.2 How big are fixed income markets? 3 1.3 What does it mean to be systematic? 8 1.4 Which fixed income markets will this book focus on? 15 1.5 Commonly used fixed income analytics 17 1.6 Other fixed income considerations 24 References 28 Chapter 2 Fixed Income – Strategic Asset Allocation 29 2.1 What are the key drivers of fixed income security returns? 29 2.2 What traditional risk premia can be harvested in fixed income? 36 2.3 The strategic diversification benefit of fixed income 50 2.4 Is the strategic diversification benefit of fixed income threatened in a low-interest-rate environment? 54 References 55 Chapter 3 Fixed Income – Tactical Asset Allocation 57 3.1 Market timing – term premium 57 3.2 Market timing – credit premium 70 3.3 Other considerations 83 References 88 Chapter 4 Incumbent Active Fixed Income Managers 89 4.1 Framework for active fixed income management 89 4.2 US Aggregate (Core Plus) benchmarked fixed income managers 94 4.3 Global Aggregate benchmarked fixed income managers 97 4.4 Unconstrained Bond Funds 100 4.5 Emerging Market fixed income managers 102 4.6 Credit long/short managers 104 References 108 Chapter 5 Security Selection – Rate-Sensitive Assets 109 5.1 What is the investment opportunity set for developed market government bonds? 109 5.2 Reducing the dimensionality 112 5.3 A framework for security selection of government bonds (investment themes) 119 5.4 A framework for security selection of government bonds (level, slope, and curvature) 123 5.5 Extensions 131 References 135 Chapter 6 Security Selection – Credit-Sensitive Assets 137 6.1 What is the investment opportunity set for developed market corporate bonds? 137 6.2 Dimensions of active risk taking within corporate bonds 145 6.3 A framework for security selection of corporate bonds (investment themes) 149 6.4 A framework for security selection of corporate bonds (performance) 158 6.5 Extensions 163 References 170 Chapter 7 Security Selection – Emerging Markets (Hard Currency) 173 7.1 What is the investment opportunity for emerging market fixed income? 173 7.2 A framework for security selection of hard currency emerging market bonds (investment themes) 178 7.3 A framework for security selection of emerging market hard currency bonds (performance) 182 7.4 Extensions 184 References 186 Chapter 8 Portfolio Construction Considerations 187 8.1 Choices in the investment process (design and investment universe) 187 8.2 Choices in the investment model (expected returns) 191 8.3 Choices in the portfolio construction process (optimization, rebalancing, trading) 199 8.4 Other topics 207 References 208 Chapter 9 Liquidity and Trading Considerations 209 9.1 Some context for the liquidity challenges of fixed income assets 209 9.2 Basics for trading credit-sensitive assets 210 9.3 Electronification of trading for credit-sensitive assets 219 9.4 Primary markets – liquidity provision 221 9.5 Secondary markets – liquidity provision 226 9.6 Ancillary topics 228 References 232 Chapter 10 Sustainability 233 10.1 Interest in ESG/sustainability 233 10.2 Sustainable investing with credit-sensitive assets 235 10.3 Sustainable investing with rate-sensitive assets 249 References 256 Chapter 11 Putting It All Together 259 11.1 What might a successful systematic fixed income investing process look like? 259 11.2 Some final thoughts 272 Reference 277 Index 279

About the Author :
SCOTT A. RICHARDSON, PhD, is a Director at Acadian Asset Management, leading the systematic credit business. He is a professor at London Business School and has held senior positions at AQR Capital Management and BlackRock (Barclays Global Investors). He is an editor of the Review of Accounting Studies. Dr. Richardson earned his Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.