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. The strategy 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 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
The strategy targets a stable return over cash by investing in short-maturity, highly rated fixed income securities while mitigating risk and maintaining liquidity.
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 Strategy
The strategy targets a stable return over cash by investing in short-maturity, highly rated fixed income securities while mitigating risk and maintaining liquidity.
Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
Each month, our freewheeling fixed-income newsletter gathers insights from our high-yield, investment-grade, emerging-market and global sovereign bond teams.
Useful fund documents
Key risks of ReturnPlus Strategy
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, Fixed Income Solutions
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Explore our fixed income range
Fixed income views
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Beyond buyout: Why DB schemes are reconsidering their endgame
10 Dec 2025
Significant shifts in the defined benefit (DB) pension schemes landscape mean that as schemes mature, trustees and sponsors now face a broader spectrum of strategic choices. We explain why the choice between buyout and run-on is no longer binary.
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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: A journey into fixed income
10 Nov 2025
This month’s Bond Voyage looks at the Bulk Purchase Annuity (BPA) market in the UK – the quiet market making loud moves.
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Benchmarking cash: A survey of cash trends
14 Oct 2025
In this article, the first of a two‑part series, members of our liquidity team explore cash trends in a rapidly evolving financial landscape for corporate treasurers.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into 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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Energy-intensive industries: Unlocking low-carbon investment
16 Sep 2025
Vital industries for UK growth like steel or cement are also energy intensive, and their decarbonisation is essential. We convened a roundtable of experts to discuss barriers and solutions to unlocking low-carbon investment opportunities.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
9 Sep 2025
In this month’s Bond Voyage, our Solutions team investigates the reasons behind the widening gilt-swap spread and its implications for government bond investors, in particular for insurance companies.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
5 Aug 2025
In this month’s Bond Voyage, our solutions team explores the implications of a “higher for longer” US interest rate environment and what it could mean for investment grade (IG) investors.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
10 Jul 2025
In this month’s Bond Voyage, our emerging market (EM) debt team explains why, after a few false dawns, the stars seem to have aligned for EM local currency debt to outperform other global fixed income assets.
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Complementing cash: Optimising cash in a rate-cutting cycle
11 Jun 2025
As many central banks begin cutting interest rates, short-term bond strategies can offer a complement to cash holdings. Alastair Sewell explains.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
9 Jun 2025
In June, our credit teams look under the bonnet of the European industry’s growth engine.
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Money-market funds: An overview for corporate treasurers and investors
3 Jun 2025
Nana Antwi provides an overview of money-market funds (MMFs) and their importance in cash management for corporate treasurers and many other investor types.
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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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From tactical to strategic: Investing in emerging-market hard currency debt in your fixed-income portfolio
13 May 2025
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.
Important information
THIS IS A MARKETING COMMUNICATION
Except where stated as otherwise, the source of all information is Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (“Aviva Investors”). Unless stated otherwise any views, opinions and future returns expressed are those of Aviva Investors and based on Aviva Investors internal forecasts. They should not be viewed as indicating any guarantee of return from an investment managed by Aviva Investors nor as advice of any nature. The value of an investment and any income from it may go down as well as up and the investor may not get back the original amount invested.
Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Where relevant, information on our approach to the sustainability aspects of the strategy and the Sustainable Finance disclosure regulation (SFDR) including policies and procedures can be found on the following link: https://www.avivainvestors.com/en-gb/capabilities/sustainable-finance-disclosure-regulation/
In Europe this document is issued by Aviva Investors Luxembourg, with its registered office located 2 rue du Fort Bourbon, L-1249 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Aviva Investors Luxembourg is supervised by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier, R.C.S Luxembourg B25708.
In the UK this document is issued by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, registered in England and Wales No. 1151805, with its registered office located at 80 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4AE. Aviva Investors Global Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference No. 119178. In Switzerland, this document is issued by Aviva Investors Schweiz GmbH.
* 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.