Our approach to short-dated bonds
Aviva Investors’ ReturnPlus Fund draws on a range of credit spread premia to optimise returns from strategic cash while mitigating risk and maintaining liquidity. The fund invests in liquid, short-maturity, highly rated fixed-income securities while hedging interest rate and currency risks. Our approach benefits from our extensive experience managing assets to meet clients’ liabilities and risk-based capital requirements to optimise return and capital efficiency.
Potential benefits of capital efficient short-dated bond funds
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.
Targeting Sonia1 +75bps, ESTR2 +50bps and SOFR3 +75bps p.a.*
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.
ReturnPlus strategy
Aviva Investors ReturnPlus Fund
The strategy targets a stable return over cash by investing in short-maturity, highly rated fixed income securities while mitigating risk and maintaining liquidity.
The case for ReturnPlus: A capital efficient enhanced liquidity strategy
A strategic cash allocation strategy seeking yield, liquidity and security, aiming to deliver a higher return than cash.


Aviva Investors ReturnPlus: Strategy in brief
A holistic liquidity solution providing access to stable returns above cash in a liquid, diversified format.
Key risks of ReturnPlus fund
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
Senior Portfolio Manager, Liability Driven Investment

Rakesh Girdharlal
Head of Liability Driven Investment and Liquidity
Need more information?
For further information, please contact our investment sales team.
Explore our fixed income range
Fixed income views
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
10 Feb 2025
As we negotiate an uncertain landscape, our fixed income teams reflect on potential sources of resilience.
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The cash conundrum: Five things to know about cash, saving and investing
7 Feb 2025
In this article, we explore the logic behind holding assets in cash, the difference between saving and investment, and why a longer-term focus may help investors achieve their objectives.
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Can credit hold firm in 2025? The outlook for investment grade credit and climate transition
24 Jan 2025
Credit spreads remained largely immune to turbulence in 2024 despite concerns for a reacceleration in inflation, an unprecedented scale of global elections and volatility on economic data and changing rate cut expectations. Where to in 2025?
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Liquidity outlook for 2025: Credit, yield, regulation, positioning – what to expect for the year ahead
22 Jan 2025
The conditions for investing in liquidity look broadly favourable for 2025, but that’s not to say it will be plain sailing.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
13 Jan 2025
With a new US president poised to take office, central banks diverging and ongoing political uncertainty, how are the key fixed income asset classes positioned for the year ahead?
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Sovereigns’ state: Analysing the new challenges facing global sovereign bonds
13 Dec 2024
The expected policies of a Republican administration in the US bring added uncertainty to the global growth cycle. Steve Ryder and Daniel Bright examine the probable impacts of a world with more tariffs and political strains.
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40 years of lending lessons: How four decades in real estate debt has shaped Aviva Investors’ approach
12 Dec 2024
From navigating market crashes to embracing ESG and technology, Adrian Poole and Gregor Bamert reveal how 40 years of real estate debt investing have moulded Aviva Investors’ strategy – and what it takes to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.
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Buy-and-maintain credit: Taking the road to net zero
10 Dec 2024
Long-term trends like climate change are particularly important for buy-and-maintain investors. How can they integrate climate objectives, such as net zero by 2050, into their portfolios?
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
9 Dec 2024
This month, we explore how US Treasuries are taking a breath, why 2025 could be the year of carry for high yield, what increasing dispersion means for emerging markets, and how surging M&A activity could affect investment-grade bonds.
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The case for ReturnPlus: A capital efficient enhanced liquidity strategy
29 Nov 2024
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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From tactical to strategic: Investing in emerging-market hard currency debt in your fixed income portfolio
18 Nov 2024
Investors should consider EMD hard currency for a long-term strategic allocation within fixed income portfolios to boost portfolio returns, rather than just a short-term tactical play.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
4 Nov 2024
This month, our fixed-income investment teams discuss US elections, IMF meetings, US versus European high yield, managing declining rates for cash, and what the future might hold in store for gilts.
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Resisting the lure of beta: A differentiated approach to portfolio construction in investment grade
18 Oct 2024
Global head of investment-grade credit James Vokins explains how a differentiated approach to portfolio construction can help credit investors avoid the pitfalls of being reliant on beta.
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Power play: Why political risk matters for emerging-market debt investors
11 Oct 2024
In this article, we explore why measuring and continually monitoring geopolitical risks is essential for investors in EM debt.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
10 Oct 2024
In our October edition of Bond Voyage, our fixed-income teams reflect on US elections, US rates, France’s slide towards the periphery of EU issuers, and ESG considerations in Asia.
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Multi-asset allocation views: Where next for markets after the summer storms?
9 Oct 2024
Volatility returned to markets in the third quarter of the year. While the short-term drivers are not unduly worrying, Sunil Krishnan argues multi-asset investors will need to be watchful over the medium term.
* Over a three-year rolling period, regardless of market conditions.
1 GBP Strategy Targetting Sterling Overnight Index Average, a widely used interest rate benchmark and reference rate for sterling overnight Indexed Swaps (OIS).
2 EUR Strategy Targetting Euro Short Term Rate, the alternative euro risk free rate and replacement for EONIA. ESTER will be published from October 2019.
3 USD Strategy Targetting Secured Overnight Financing Rate, the alternative USD risk-free rate and replacement for LIBOR.