This article is part of Morningstar's Guide to Financial Education
Bond investors wanting to gain exposure to the four corners of the globe should find a highly-rated fund manager who can carve up the geographical exposure on their behalf.
These three global bond funds are highly rated by Morningstar analysts, and have posted positive returns this year against a tricky backdrop. Investors should be aware that not all global funds are traded in sterling and so you could be taking on currency risk when investing.
Loomis Sayles Multisector Income Fund
This Gold Rated fund’s charms were on full display in 2013. It might be tempting to pile into a fund that managed exceptional returns over the bond bull market and thrived in 2013 as well. But this is not an all-weather fund. For those with the requisite patience, this fund remains a star.
PIMCO Total Return Bond Fund
This Gold Rated fund's occasional stumbles may be disappointing to investors who have come to expect perfection from it, but they're otherwise bumps along a long road of great success. Gross has continued to show, in both bull (2012) and bear (2008) markets, that the fund can still excel. Its solid longer-term returns and moderate volatility have combined to form an excellent record.
Templeton Global Bond
Morningstar analysts think this Silver Rated fund is an attractive choice for investors who understand its risks. Manager Michael Hasenstab is experienced and has been at this fund's helm since 2002. The established investment process is robust, being driven by valuation and fundamentals. Hasenstab invests in areas he believes are undervalued given the team’s global macroeconomic analysis and detailed country-level expectations. He then implements his views in the portfolio through a currency trade, by taking on credit risk, or through both.