Longer-horizon debt funds bounce back in 2023 as bond yields soften

Timely calls on duration help fund managers make the most of interest rate volatility

Actively managed debt funds with the flexibility to go long on duration made a strong comeback on the returns chart in 2023, thanks to softening bond yields. The average one-year returns of floater, long-duration, gilt, and dynamic bond funds, which ranged between 2.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent at the end of 2022, now stand at over 7.2 per cent, with some schemes delivering over 8.5 per cent, according to data from Value Research.

Debt fund returns are inversely related to yields of underlying investments, meaning a decline in yields is positive for funds. Also, the longer the duration