Our approach to short-dated bonds
Aviva Investors’ ReturnPlus Strategy draws on a range of credit spread premia to optimise returns from strategic cash while mitigating risk and maintaining liquidity.
Potential benefits of capital efficient short-dated bonds
The strategy is structured to deliver better risk-adjusted returns than cash and a highly liquid exposure in a capital-efficient format.
Enhancing returns
Attractive investment for strategic cash assets.
Capital efficiency
Investments with low solvency capital charges.
Investing in high-quality, short-dated debt; keeping risk low using a variety of tools.
Liquidity
Allocating investments to highly liquid instruments.
Daily redemptions, settled T+3.
Key risks of ReturnPlus
Investment risk & Currency risk
The value of an investment and any income from it can go down as well as up and can fluctuate in response to changes in currency and exchange rates. Investors may not get back the original amount invested.
Credit and interest rate risk
Bond values are affected by changes in interest rates and the bond issuer's creditworthiness. Bonds that offer the potential for a higher income typically have a greater risk of default.
Illiquid securities risk
Some investments could be hard to value or to sell at a desired time, or at a price considered to be fair (especially in large quantities), and as a result their prices can be volatile.
ReturnPlus team
Todd Cutting
Head of Enhanced Liquidity and ReturnPlus
Explore our fixed income range
Fixed income views
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Bond Voyage: Emerging markets have changed: why markets shouldn’t price them like its 2013
11 May 2026
Emerging markets have increasingly forged for themselves a path less dependent on external conditions, making local currency debt one of the most mispriced narratives in global markets.
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The week in markets: Markets chase the headlines
8 May 2026
Markets were driven by fast‑moving headlines this week, swinging between rising tensions and hopes of a lasting resolution in Iran. But strong company earnings kept equities near record highs despite the volatility.
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Contemporary alchemy
5 May 2026
Precious metals such as gold and silver, rare earth minerals, and industrial metals such as copper have been making headlines in recent months. We talked to a team of experts to discover what’s been driving investors’ appetite.
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The case for ReturnPlus: A capital efficient enhanced liquidity strategy
30 Apr. 2026
The ReturnPlus strategy invests in a broad range of liquidity sub-asset classes, while consuming limited regulatory capital. Our ReturnPlus team explains why investors should consider an allocation to the strategy.
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Bond Voyage: Oil shocks without the drama
9 Apr. 2026
The reaction to the latest oil price shock provides further evidence that those countries which have taken steps to strengthen their financial position are being rewarded by bond investors.
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Bond Voyage: Dancing to a new tune: How Japan’s Lifers are adapting to a market in flux
9 Feb. 2026
Japan’s bond markets enter 2026 transformed and recent structural shifts have changed the behaviour of the country’s powerful life insurers.
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Bond Voyage: Industrialised alpha meets fixed income fragility
13 Jan. 2026
Could the proliferation of short-term leverage strategies be the next hidden challenge for fixed income markets?
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Rethinking risk in EMD: The great inversion on emerging markets
28 Nov. 2025
Market and economic trends are challenging the idea that emerging market (EM) bonds should trade at a discount to developed economy debt.
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Bond Voyage: SHIELD: Refining downside protection in fixed income
9 Oct. 2025
In this month’s Bond Voyage, we introduce SHIELD – the downside protection framework used by our fixed income division. SHIELD is designed to ensure our portfolios remain resilient in challenging market conditions while maintaining capital efficiency.
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From niche to core: Asset-based finance emerges as a driving force as private debt markets continue to evolve
7 Oct. 2025
Asset-based finance is capturing the attention of institutional investors – from pension schemes to insurers – thanks to its diverse risk-return drivers and its growing role as a strategic building block in investors’ portfolios.
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Bucking the trend: Emerging market debt shows its mettle amid wider market turbulence
19 May 2025
Emerging-market debt has proved a rare bright spot so far this year as investors struggle to assess the impact of US political upheaval. In this article, Carmen Altenkirch and Nafez Zouk advance reasons why the market is well placed to weather ongoing market turbulence.
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Sovereign engagement: Driving positive change while delivering long-term value
14 May 2025
Investor engagement with governments on their climate commitments can be a powerful complement to other forms of stewardship. It can also help investors identify opportunities and mitigate risks, says Thomas Dillon.
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Bond Voyage: Heading into the unknown
6 May 2025
In May, our EMD team discusses the most effective way to manage fixed income through episodes of heightened uncertainty.
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Future proofing fixed income
16 Apr. 2025
Advances in data analytics and AI-driven insights are changing the landscape in fixed income investing, and the pace of change in innovation and technological adoption is remarkable.
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Bond Voyage: Ready, set, watch
10 Mar. 2025
This month, our fixed income teams discuss the boom in hybrid issuance and weigh up the risks and opportunities of potential tariffs, interest rate moves and fiscal dynamics.
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Bond Voyage: The resilience factor
10 Feb. 2025
As we negotiate an uncertain landscape, our fixed income teams reflect on potential sources of resilience.