Investment Objectives
The Fund aims to maximise the total level of return for investors through investment, primarily, in debt securities and money market instruments issued by the Government of Malta. The Investment Manager may also invest directly or indirectly via eligible ETFs and/or eligible CISs) up to 15% of its assets in “Non-Maltese Assets” in debt securities and/or money market instruments issued or guaranteed by Governments of EU, EEA and OECD Member States other than Malta. The Investment Manager will not be targeting debt securities of any particular duration, coupon or credit rating.
The Fund is actively managed, not managed by reference to any index.
Investor Profile
A typical investor in the Malta Government Bond Fund would be one who is seeking to gain exposure to the local Government Bond Market whilst seeking to accumulate wealth and save over time in a product that re-invests coupons received on a gross basis. Furthermore, investors in the Malta Government Bond Fund are those who are planning to hold on to their investment for the medium-to-long term so as to benefit from the compound interest effect whilst also participating in the interest rate cycle.
Fund Rules
The Investment Manager will invest primarily in a portfolio of debt securities and money market instruments issued or guaranteed by the Government of Malta. The Investment Manager may invest directly in eligible collective investment schemes whose investment objective and policies are consistent with those of the Sub-Fund. The Investment Manager may also invest directly (or indirectly via eligible exchange traded funds and/or eligible collective investment schemes) up to 15% of its assets in “Non-Maltese Assets” as per below:
- Debt securities and/or money market instruments issued or guaranteed by Governments of EU, EEA and OECD Member States other than Malta, their constituent states or their local authorities; and/or
- Debt securities and/or money market instruments issued or guaranteed by supranational bodies of EU, EEA and OECD Member States other than Malta, their agencies, associated financial institutions or other associated bodies.
The Investment Manager will not be targeting debt securities (including, money market instruments, bonds, notes and other debt securities) of any particular duration, coupon or credit rating. The Sub-Fund may also invest in term deposits held with credit institutions regulated in Malta and other EU, EEA and OECD Member States.
For temporary and/or defensive purposes, the Sub-Fund may invest in other short-term debt securities or fixed income instruments, money market funds, cash and cash equivalents. The Sub-Fund may also at any time hold such securities for cash management purposes, pending investment in accordance with its Investment Policy and to meet operating expenses and redemption requests.
In pursuing its Investment Objective and Investment Policy, the Sub-Fund will be subject to the Investment, Borrowing and Leverage Restrictions set out in the Prospectus and the Offering Supplement. Furthermore, this Sub-Fund shall not invest, in the aggregate, more than 10% of its assets in units or shares of other UCITS or other CISs. The Investment Manager may make use of listed and OTC FDIs (including, but not limited to, futures, forwards, options and swaps) linked to bonds, interest rates and currencies for efficient portfolio management, hedging purposes and the reduction of risk only. The Sub-Fund will not make use of FDIs for investment purposes.
A quick introduction to our Malta Government Bond Fund.
Key Facts & Performance
Fund Manager
Jordan Portelli
Jordan is CIO at CC Finance Group. He has extensive experience in research and portfolio management with various institutions. Today he is responsible of the group’s investment strategy and manages credit and multi-asset strategies.
PRICE (EUR)
€
ASSET CLASS
Bonds
MIN. INITIAL INVESTMENT
€2500
FUND TYPE
UCITS
BASE CURRENCY
EUR
5 year performance*
-11.14%
*View Performance History below
Inception Date: 21 Apr 2017
ISIN: MT7000017992
Bloomberg Ticker: CCMGBFA MV
Distribution Yield (%): N/A
Underlying Yield (%): 3.33
Distribution: N/A
Total Net Assets: €27.14 mn
Month end NAV in EUR: 97.66
Number of Holdings: 36
Auditors: Grant Thornton
Legal Advisor: Ganado Advocates
Custodian: Sparkasse Bank Malta p.l.c.
Performance To Date (EUR)
Top 10 Holdings
11.6%
9.2%
8.7%
6.4%
4.8%
4.6%
4.2%
4.1%
3.6%
3.5%
Maturity Buckets*
Risk & Reward Profile
Lower Risk
Potentialy Lower Reward
Higher Risk
Potentialy Higher Reward
Top Holdings by Country*
83.3%
2.5%
1.9%
1.6%
1.1%
0.9%
0.9%
0.8%
0.8%
0.8%
Asset Allocation
Performance History (EUR)*
1 Year
5.14%
3 Year
-5.62%
5 Year
-11.14%
Currency Allocation
Interested in this product?
-
Investment Objectives
The Fund aims to maximise the total level of return for investors through investment, primarily, in debt securities and money market instruments issued by the Government of Malta. The Investment Manager may also invest directly or indirectly via eligible ETFs and/or eligible CISs) up to 15% of its assets in “Non-Maltese Assets” in debt securities and/or money market instruments issued or guaranteed by Governments of EU, EEA and OECD Member States other than Malta. The Investment Manager will not be targeting debt securities of any particular duration, coupon or credit rating.
The Fund is actively managed, not managed by reference to any index.
-
Investor profile
A typical investor in the Malta Government Bond Fund would be one who is seeking to gain exposure to the local Government Bond Market whilst seeking to accumulate wealth and save over time in a product that re-invests coupons received on a gross basis. Furthermore, investors in the Malta Government Bond Fund are those who are planning to hold on to their investment for the medium-to-long term so as to benefit from the compound interest effect whilst also participating in the interest rate cycle.
-
Fund Rules
The Investment Manager of the CC High Income Bond Funds – EUR and USD has the duty to ensure that the underlying investments of the funds are well diversified. According to the prospectus, the investment manager has to abide by a number of investment restrictions to safeguard the value of the assets
-
Commentary
February 2025
Introduction
In 2024, Malta’s economy sustained its growth trajectory, driven by strong domestic demand and solid export performance. Tourism arrivals to Malta remained on the rise, while employment stayed robust, with unemployment falling to 3.1%.
Malta’s economy grew by 2.8% (annualized) in the fourth quarter of 2024, slowing from a 4.9% gain in the previous three-month period. This marked the weakest expansion since Q1 of 2021, influenced by a slowdown in household consumption. At the same time, government spending (2.2% vs 1.4%) increased at a faster pace. On net external demand, exports remained unchanged while imports ticked lower.
Inflation pressures on consumers also eased, with the annual inflation holding steady at 1.8% in January from 2.1% in the previous month. This was the lowest inflation rate in over three years, as prices for food & non-alcoholic beverages, housing & utilities, and recreation all moderated.
Market environment and performance
In Europe, the economic picture is brightening after stagnation in Q4 2024. February’s PMI reading remaining steady at 50.2, unchanged from the previous month, and indicating a marginal economic growth in the bloc. Spain led the expansion with a strong and accelerating rise in business activity, while Ireland also saw faster growth, and Italy returned to expansion for the first time in four months. In contrast, Germany experienced only modest growth, and France’s activity continued to decline.
On the price front, Inflation eased to 2.4%, down from a six-month high of 2.5% but slightly above market expectations of 2.3%, as price growth slowed for services and energy. Core inflation which excludes volatile energy, food, alcohol & tobacco prices, fell to 2.6% in February, the lowest since January 2022.
The labour market, remained healthy, with the unemployment rate revolving at notable lows (6.2% in January), and significantly below the 20-year average.
Fund performance
The CC Malta Government Bond Fund rose by 0.51% in February, mirroring the trend of decreasing yields in European government bonds. This resulted in an 18bps gain over its internally compared benchmark.
Market and investment outlook
The credit market narrative at the start of the year remained largely unchanged, with investor attention focused on the dynamic political landscape, central bank policies, and economic data. Economic indicators, both leading and lagging, continue to emphasize a regional divergence. The US, despite the Federal Reserve’s “higher for longer” stance, continues to demonstrate resilient broad-based strength, underpinned by a robust labour market that has thus far supported consumer spending. Meanwhile, Europe has shown tentative signs of growth acceleration following a Q4 2024 stagnation, with private sector activity in expansionary territory for the second consecutive month.
Locally, we expect Malta’s economy to continue performing well. The sustained decline in inflation, coupled with recent tax cuts, shall bolster domestic consumer spending. Additionally, the strong influx of tourists in 2024 is a positive sign. Optimism within the tourism sector is expected to grow, benefiting the economy further if this upward trend continues.
In line with recent portfolio adjustments, we will continue to modify the portfolio’s duration as deemed necessary and appropriate. Additionally, we aim to maintain the fund’s exposure to other European sovereigns, utilizing the permitted 15% maximum allocation.
-
Key facts & performance
Fund Manager
Jordan Portelli
Jordan is CIO at CC Finance Group. He has extensive experience in research and portfolio management with various institutions. Today he is responsible of the group’s investment strategy and manages credit and multi-asset strategies.
PRICE (EUR)
€
ASSET CLASS
Bonds
MIN. INITIAL INVESTMENT
€2500
FUND TYPE
UCITS
BASE CURRENCY
EUR
5 year performance*
-11.14%
*View Performance History below
Inception Date: 21 Apr 2017
ISIN: MT7000017992
Bloomberg Ticker: CCMGBFA MV
Distribution Yield (%): N/A
Underlying Yield (%): 3.33
Distribution: N/A
Total Net Assets: €27.14 mn
Month end NAV in EUR: 97.66
Number of Holdings: 36
Auditors: Grant Thornton
Legal Advisor: Ganado Advocates
Custodian: Sparkasse Bank Malta p.l.c.
Performance To Date (EUR)
Risk & Reward Profile
1234567Lower Risk
Potentialy Lower Reward
Higher Risk
Potentialy Higher Reward
Top 10 Holdings
1.00% MGS 203111.6%
5.25% MGS 20309.2%
4.50% MGS 20288.7%
4.45% MGS 20326.4%
4.00% MGS 20334.8%
4.30% MGS 20334.6%
5.20% MGS 20314.2%
5.10% MGS 20294.1%
4.10% MGS 20343.6%
4.65% MGS 20323.5%
Top Holdings by Country*
Malta83.3%
Belgium2.5%
Germany1.9%
Portugal1.6%
France1.1%
Slovenia0.9%
Poland0.9%
Hungary0.8%
Croatia0.8%
Italy0.8%
*including exposures to CISAsset Allocation
Cash 2.4%Bonds 95.8%CIS/ETFs 1.8%Maturity Buckets*
18.0%0-5 Years66.5%5-10 Years11.3%10 Years+*based on the Next Call Date (also includes cash)Performance History (EUR)*
1 Year
5.14%
3 Year
-5.62%
5 Year
-11.14%
* The Accumulator Share Class (Class A) was launched on 21 April 2017.** Returns quoted net of TER. Entry and exit charges may reduce returns for investors.*** The Annualised rate is an indication of the average growth of the Fund over one year. The value of the investment and the income yield derived from the investment, if any, may go down as well as up and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance, nor a reliable guide to future performance. Hence returns may not be achieved and you may lose all or part of your investment in the Fund. Currency fluctuations may affect the value of investments and any derived income.Currency Allocation
Euro 99.1%USD 0.9% -
Downloads
Commentary
February 2025
Introduction
In 2024, Malta’s economy sustained its growth trajectory, driven by strong domestic demand and solid export performance. Tourism arrivals to Malta remained on the rise, while employment stayed robust, with unemployment falling to 3.1%.
Malta’s economy grew by 2.8% (annualized) in the fourth quarter of 2024, slowing from a 4.9% gain in the previous three-month period. This marked the weakest expansion since Q1 of 2021, influenced by a slowdown in household consumption. At the same time, government spending (2.2% vs 1.4%) increased at a faster pace. On net external demand, exports remained unchanged while imports ticked lower.
Inflation pressures on consumers also eased, with the annual inflation holding steady at 1.8% in January from 2.1% in the previous month. This was the lowest inflation rate in over three years, as prices for food & non-alcoholic beverages, housing & utilities, and recreation all moderated.
Market environment and performance
In Europe, the economic picture is brightening after stagnation in Q4 2024. February’s PMI reading remaining steady at 50.2, unchanged from the previous month, and indicating a marginal economic growth in the bloc. Spain led the expansion with a strong and accelerating rise in business activity, while Ireland also saw faster growth, and Italy returned to expansion for the first time in four months. In contrast, Germany experienced only modest growth, and France’s activity continued to decline.
On the price front, Inflation eased to 2.4%, down from a six-month high of 2.5% but slightly above market expectations of 2.3%, as price growth slowed for services and energy. Core inflation which excludes volatile energy, food, alcohol & tobacco prices, fell to 2.6% in February, the lowest since January 2022.
The labour market, remained healthy, with the unemployment rate revolving at notable lows (6.2% in January), and significantly below the 20-year average.
Fund performance
The CC Malta Government Bond Fund rose by 0.51% in February, mirroring the trend of decreasing yields in European government bonds. This resulted in an 18bps gain over its internally compared benchmark.
Market and investment outlook
The credit market narrative at the start of the year remained largely unchanged, with investor attention focused on the dynamic political landscape, central bank policies, and economic data. Economic indicators, both leading and lagging, continue to emphasize a regional divergence. The US, despite the Federal Reserve’s “higher for longer” stance, continues to demonstrate resilient broad-based strength, underpinned by a robust labour market that has thus far supported consumer spending. Meanwhile, Europe has shown tentative signs of growth acceleration following a Q4 2024 stagnation, with private sector activity in expansionary territory for the second consecutive month.
Locally, we expect Malta’s economy to continue performing well. The sustained decline in inflation, coupled with recent tax cuts, shall bolster domestic consumer spending. Additionally, the strong influx of tourists in 2024 is a positive sign. Optimism within the tourism sector is expected to grow, benefiting the economy further if this upward trend continues.
In line with recent portfolio adjustments, we will continue to modify the portfolio’s duration as deemed necessary and appropriate. Additionally, we aim to maintain the fund’s exposure to other European sovereigns, utilizing the permitted 15% maximum allocation.