Asset Backed Securities

As the third quarter of 2024 comes to a close, TwentyFour Asset Management's Aza Teeuwen reflects on what this has meant for the Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) team. Not only were volumes across European ABS elevated throughout July and August, we also saw €34 billion in primary issuance – a significant increase from previous years.

Securitisation made its latest appearance in the mainstream financial press this week with the news that the European commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) market is set to experience its first losses on AAA bonds since the global financial crisis.

Quality investing in the fixed income sector is as much about making sure that we avoid the losers as it is about trying to pick the winners.

2023 proved to be a second year where European ABS gave investors the strongest returns in fixed income with the benefit of very low volatility. As risk-free rates grew to what we expect to be the peak, income was maximised whilst the various market pivots on rates came and went in the rear view mirror.

After a horrible year for financial markets in 2022, the macro-outlook for 2023 had a lot of consensus views, with most predicting a much better year ahead, helped by supportive rate cuts from central banks and positive returns from both government bonds and credit.  

European ABS proved to be a valuable allocation for fixed income investors last year and we think the asset class looks to be even stronger in 2023, with rates and spreads combining to create an attractive income landscape.

Strong performance across markets in January has left some investors feeling they’ve missed out on the rally in bonds. No need to worry, says Felipe Villarroel.

TwentyFour Partner and Portfolio Manager, Douglas Charleston, describes the developments of the ABS market in Q4 2022.

While European ABS was not immune to negative returns amid the considerable fixed income headwinds of 2022, it gave investors largely what they look to this allocation for – lower volatility and better performance than mainstream bonds. In our view, the forward-looking opportunity looks equally compelling.

In TwentyFour Asset Management’s annual fixed income outlook, Eoin Walsh says that with rates now offering both yield and downside mitigation, and credit yields at near-decade highs, fixed income investors could enjoy strong returns in 2023.

TwentyFour Partner and Portfolio Manager, Douglas Charleston, explains how ABS markets have performed in Q3 2022 and provides his outlook for the rest of the year.

European ABS issuers largely held off on printing new deals in Q2 as broader market volatility saw spreads widen, but we are already seeing more investor-friendly structures and many favoured names are likely to bring deals offering markedly higher yields when activity picks up again.