iShares € Inflat Lnkd GovtBd ETF EUR Acc | IBCI |



by Jose Garcia-Zarate

This strategy is a compelling proposition for investors seeking a core holding in eurozone inflation-linked government bonds. The market that it replicates is small, and compared with other geographies, such as the UK, it doesn’t come with excessively high duration relative to conventional government bonds. There are limited opportunities to add value over a standard index-tracking approach in a consistent manner, and so this places low-cost passive funds in solid stead to deliver above-average returns over the long term. The strategy tracks an index that provides comprehensive coverage of the market. The eurozone inflation-linked government bond market is limited in size, and not all countries issue this type of bond. The average duration of this bond market would place this all-maturity fund at a disadvantage at times of rising interest rates relative to active peers with an ability to modulate duration or to passive funds in its Morningstar Category with a focus on the shorter end of the maturity spectrum. However, this is a classic core holding for a euro-denominated portfolio, so the ups and downs in returns relative to the gyrations of monetary policy would tend to even themselves out over the long horizons. This makes passive strategies well placed to outperform category peers over the long term with the fund's low fees relative to active funds providing a tailwind to returns. The strategy is efficiently run by a team with vast experience in managing passive funds. We also have a positive view of parent house BlackRock, particularly valuing the resources it allocates to improving technology. Overall, a low-cost index-based approach to this bond market should be seen as a default investment option. |
Morningstar Pillars | |
People | Above Average |
Parent | Above Average |
Process | High |