Our approach to investment grade credit investing
Our portfolio construction process draws from the firm’s broad research resources to integrate investment ideas generated through in-depth analysis. Investment grade bonds are assessed using our custom sector framework to allocate risk efficiently, rather than through traditional benchmark classifications for sectors or industries. In this way, our investment grade strategy seeks to break down credit markets in a distinct manner, seeking to add value through the discovery of additional sources of return and risk reduction. Portfolio construction is enhanced by our global collaborative team-based approach and the integration of non-binding ESG factors into our investment process.
Potential benefits
Investment grade bonds offer the potential benefits of attractive yields and enhanced diversification. Our unique approach to portfolio construction helps capture these benefits and deliver consistent returns relative to the benchmark. We seek to achieve this with lower correlation to both the direction of credit markets and to peers, while still providing downside protection in bear markets.
Downside protection
Protecting portfolios to the downside should be part of any credit investment process given the asymmetry of returns. Our proprietary risk allocation process has downside protection embedded within it. The integration of ESG factors into the process is another, non-binding, step we take to protect to the downside.
Investment grade credit strategy
Aviva Investors Global Investment Grade Corporate Bond Fund
This strategy aims to deliver positive and consistent excess returns through all market cycles, irrespective of, and uncorrelated to, the behaviour of credit spreads by investing mainly in global investment grade corporate bonds.
Key risks
For further information on the risks and risk profiles of our funds, please refer to the relevant KIID and Prospectus.
Investment grade credit team

Colin Purdie
Chief Investment Officer, Liquid Markets

James Vokins
Global Head of Investment Grade Credit
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For further information, please contact our investment sales team.
Read more about the funds
Explore our fixed income range
Fixed income views
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Boxing clever: Portfolio construction in investment-grade credit
31 Mar 2023
Mark Miller and James Vokins explain how our portfolio construction process for investment-grade credit could benefit investors in the new market regime.
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Boom! Shake the gloom? Does China’s reopening mark a new beginning?
29 Mar 2023
China looks set for a rapid economic rebound in the first quarter after finally abandoning its zero-COVID policy. But will the recovery prove temporary as longer-term dynamics reassert themselves?
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The investment implications of peak fossil fuels
24 Mar 2023
Energy analyst Kingsmill Bond considers if peak fossil-fuel consumption has been reached and whether investors appreciate the implications.
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Climate adaptation and resilience: Preparing for a warmer, wilder world
22 Mar 2023
Millions of hours have been spent negotiating net-zero targets, but many human-led climate impacts are already locked in. Our credit and equities portfolio managers explain where they see opportunities in solutions providers that will help society adapt for the new reality.
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All change: Positioning for a new market regime and climate action in IG credit
17 Mar 2023
Justine Vroman and Tom Chinery discuss the opportunities in investment-grade credit to drive climate action.
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China, the Fed and fiscal buffers: What next for emerging-market debt
13 Mar 2023
While uncertainty around the US rate-hiking cycle is affecting appetite for emerging-market debt, discerning investors can still find attractive opportunities in 2023, say Aaron Grehan and Carmen Altenkirch.
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Gas versus renewables: Does natural gas have a future?
8 Mar 2023
The war in Ukraine has thrown up huge uncertainties around the role of gas in the energy system. Experts from our credit, ESG and real assets teams discuss the implications for traditional energy and renewables companies.
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What does the data say? Three charts multi-asset investors should know about
6 Mar 2023
We take a visual approach to explain what’s happening with bonds, equities and oil.
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Bank securities: Unloved, but why?
16 Feb 2023
Oliver Judd and Betty Sanchez Torres argue that despite a recovery in prices, banking sector securities continue to offer value so long as a deeper recession is avoided.
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Why fixed income, why now? Navigating a new era for bond markets
31 Jan 2023
Despite ongoing market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty, 2023 could bring attractive opportunities for fixed-income investors, says Barney Goodchild.
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Higher for longer: A new era for fixed income
26 Jan 2023
James Vokins and Chris Higham from our credit team believe the path of inflation will remain the central question for investors in 2023. Fixed-income investors should remain cautious until that path is more certain, but fundamental analysis can still uncover attractive opportunities.
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EMD outlook: Why 2023 could offer improved prospects as storm clouds lift
10 Jan 2023
After a bruising 12 months, our emerging-market debt team anticipates an improvement in the asset class’ fortunes in 2023 as declining inflation allows central banks to ease back on monetary tightening. But with many issuers still at risk of default, investors will need to tread cautiously.
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Focus on the fundamentals: The outlook for high yield in 2023
3 Jan 2023
Macroeconomic forces have been key drivers of performance in the global high-yield market in recent months, but 2023 is likely to bring a renewed focus on issuer fundamentals, say Sunita Kara and Brent Finck.
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Inflation, yield curves and energy prices: The outlook for buy-and-maintain credit
30 Nov 2022
Siddhartha Bhattacharyya, Iain Forrester and Matthew Raque from our buy-and-maintain credit team discuss the impact of the current environment on portfolios, where they are finding value, and how they are integrating these considerations in their net-zero plans.
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Nothing happened, twice: Addressing the key questions on recent volatility for sterling money market fund investors
10 Nov 2022
After the volatility that rocked UK markets in recent weeks, Alastair Sewell reflects on how this impacted money market funds and what’s next.
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The IMF/World Bank meetings in review: The key questions for emerging-market debt investors
2 Nov 2022
Pessimism was in the air at the recent IMF/World Bank meetings, with emerging markets looking vulnerable to a tightening of global financial conditions. However, their orthodox policy responses should put many countries in a stronger position to meet those challenges than previously, argue Carmen Altenkirch and Nafez Zouk.