Fund Filings Reveal Details of Risky Holdings

In the past few weeks, fund companies have become far more candid than ever before about their holdings, particularly those that expose their funds to subprime holdings and other risk, The Wall Street Journal reports. Along with this, they are now going to great lengths to explain losses and to detail how they have cut back risky exposure.

Evidently, fund companies are hoping that by being upfront and honest, they will allay investors’ fears.

Jim Kelsoe, manager of the closed-end Regions High Income Fund, which has tumbled 30% so far this year, has laid out percentages of the fund exposed to subprime loan investments.

MFS Investment Management has let investors know that its MFS Bond Fund has 19% of its assets in mortgage-backed securities.

Whereas when the market tumbled in 2000 and 2001, fund companies were reticent to reveal losses, said Kathryn Morrison of financial public relations firm SunStar. But since then, due to the proliferation of online audio and video, companies are more inclined to join the movement with their own stories, rather than to leave it to other commentators.

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