BY ROBERT MEAD
Yet Australian investors continue to have one of the lowest allocations to bonds in the world. According to the Willis Towers Watson Global Pension Assets Study 2016, the average Australian pension portfolio allocated only 14% to bonds, well below other developed market counterparts like the U.S. (23%), the UK (37%), Canada (31%) and Japan (57%).
Since the global financial crisis, the number of Australians age 65 and over has increased by more than 750,000, a rise of 27% in just seven years.² With this dramatic shift in demographics comes an important need for retirement income; given the investment horizon is shorter, retirement income sources should generally obtain exposure to assets with lower levels of volatility.
Australia’s Economy Pivoting
History is one thing, but what about the future?
The growth engine of the Australian economy is pivoting from mining to housing, which can be characterised as moving from a sector where Australia had a legitimate comparative advantage to a sector where it has a comparative disadvantage. The mining sector benefitted from ample sources of high-quality ore and close proximity to China, whereas the housing sector will likely eventually be weighed down by Australia’s highly levered consumer, expensive house prices and no limit on the supply response.
This “unbalanced rebalancing,” combined with investors’ increasing focus on stable retirement income, bodes well for a healthy dose of bonds in Australian investors’ portfolios in the years to come.
To learn more about the macroeconomic factors affecting markets and investors, click on the PIMCO blog. You can also read more insights fromRobert Mead on the blog.
Robert Mead is a managing director at PIMCO in Sydney and head of portfolio management in Australia.
¹Source: Bloomberg. Data from 30 June 2008 to 30 June 2016. Indices: ASX200 Accumulation Index and Bloomberg AusBond Composite Bond 0+Index.
²Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Data from 30 June 2008 to 30 June 2015 (latest available demographics data).
Past performance is not a guarantee or a reliable indicator of future results. All investments contain risk and may lose value. Investing in the bond market is subject to risks, including market, interest rate, issuer, credit, inflation risk, and liquidity risk. The value of most bonds and bond strategies are impacted by changes in interest rates. Bonds and bond strategies with longer durations tend to be more sensitive and volatile than those with shorter durations; bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise, and the current low interest rate environment increases this risk. Current reductions in bond counterparty capacity may contribute to decreased market liquidity and increased price volatility. Bond investments may be worth more or less than the original cost when redeemed. Diversification does not ensure against loss. Investors should consult their investment professional prior to making an investment decision.
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