Malta High Income Fund Distributor

The Fund aims to maximise the total level of return through investment, primarily in debt securities and money market instruments issued by the Government of Malta, and equities and corporate bonds issued and listed on the MSE.

The Investment Manager may also invest directly or indirectly up to 15% of its assets in “Non- Maltese Assets”. The Investment Manager will maintain an exposure to local debt securities of at least 55% of the value of the Net Assets of the Fund.

The Fund is actively managed, not managed by reference to any index.

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

• The Investment Manager will, at all times, maintain a direct exposure to local debt securities (issued or guaranteed by the Government of Malta and/or issued and listed on the Malta Stock Exchange) of at least 55% of the value of the Net Assets of the Fund.
• The Investment Manager may invest up to 10% of the net assets of the Fund in un-listed Maltese and/or Non-Maltese Assets rated B- or higher or in bonds determined to be of comparable quality by the Investment Manager
• The Fund may also invest in term deposits held with Banks regulated in Malta and other EU, EEA and OECD Member States
• This Fund shall not invest, in the aggregate, more than 10% of the Net Assets of the Fund in units or shares of other UCITS or other CISs

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

In February, the Malta High Income Fund registered a gain of 0.65% for the month, underperforming its internally compared benchmark which saw a gain of 1.49%. This underperformance was primarily due to the equity market’s strong 4.18% return.

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.