Has Blackrock Absolute Alpha lost it's shine?

astrogeezer

Down again. 117.4

For this fund, it's a very strange situation. We know past performance is no guarantee etc etc (the usual mantra), but as investors we're entitled, yes entitled, to know the reason why.

purch

as investors we're entitled

I thought you'd 'bottled' out

As a non-investor you're entitled to nothing.......

I jumped out yesterday and now holding cash

wombat42_2

astrogeezer wrote: »

I'm going to send a repeat request to BlackRock again, as the previous question was ignored and was obviously too much for them to cope with ie 'why has the fund persistently dropped in value the past 3 weeks?'

I think it is a bit of a cheek to ask this question. No fund manager company would answer this sort of question. Why shouldnt Blackrock fall for 3 weeks ? It doesnt breach any legal guarantee. What does it matter anyway if it has the odd blip if it does well in the long term. The similar UBS fund has been tanking solidly for the last six months.

wombat42_2

purch wrote: »

I thought you'd 'bottled' out

As a non-investor you're entitled to nothing.......

Absolutely. Us bovva boys stick together .:D:D

earlgrey_3

jamesd wrote: »

I don't think that the returns are only modest....

Hi James, sorry, I possibly didn't express myself very well.

I really meant the meant the potential gains being modest in comparison to other investments. The actual gain compared with other investments is always an unknown until realised. The potential returns in an emerging market or similar fund, for example Neptune Russia, might be 50-100% pa with corresponding risk and volatility. I wouldn't expect the best return on Blackrock Abs fund to ever be much more than their own 10% pa target. To compensate for that lack of upside potential there needs to be a corresponding lack of downside potential.

jamesd wrote: »

it's worth considering whether even this fairly low volatility fund is suitable for you....

If you're uneasy you might consider selling half

I am fairly used to volatility. I've invested for over 30 years through some very bumpy times and although I moved substantially to cash some time ago, I still have several hundred thousand directly invested in the markets, mostly as shareholdings. Being a few thousand up or down wouldn't be a new experience.

I sold half of the 30k holding I had in the Blackrock fund last week until I can better judge just how volatile it's likely to be in future. When I know more I might well reverse that. Moving in and out is cheap. It's not that I now doubt Mark Lyttleton's ability to walk on water, it's just that now I'm less sure he can do it without getting his socks wet.

The fund has been going a relatively short time and the obscure workings require faith as much as judgement. During the blip last year you mentioned I believe the fund lost 1.40% over 7 trading days with a maximum period of 3 consecutive trading days when there were falls. This time it has fallen 2.48% without rising for 15 consecutive trading days and we have yet to see how long that will continue. So I think that does provide valid new information on performance. Nothing to get too excited about but I'm watching with interest.

earlgrey_3

wombat42 wrote: »

The similar UBS fund has been tanking solidly for the last six months.

That's not a recommendation of the UBS fund I assume. :rolleyes:

astrogeezer

purch wrote: »

I thought you'd 'bottled' out

As a non-investor you're entitled to nothing.......

I am as a holder of units @ XD. Bottled out, as you put it, is a crude expression to use. By so-called bottling out, I've already effectively saved myself over £1500. Some bottling out that is. Enough said, I think.

astrogeezer

wombat42 wrote: »

I think it is a bit of a cheek to ask this question. No fund manager company would answer this sort of question. Why shouldnt Blackrock fall for 3 weeks ? It doesnt breach any legal guarantee. What does it matter anyway if it has the odd blip if it does well in the long term. The similar UBS fund has been tanking solidly for the last six months.

Its a free country. I can ask whatever questions I like. If you think its a bit of a cheek, tough.

I'll keep the reply from Blackrock to myself. And you can remain unenlightened.

This is a money saving forum. By definition, anything that assists to save money, providing its legal, should be welcomed, whether you think it a cheek or not. Of course, if you don't think it assists in saving money, that's your prerogative, but you should keep your personal slights and attacks to yourself until you're better able to reach a more considered response. My aim was to pass onto the forum any information that Blackrock can provide. Obviously you don't wish to know. Ergo you don't wish to save money. But other forum memebers may want to know. This is, after all, the information highway. I would have thought any information forthcoming from Blackrock about the fund is important. Doubtlessly you would act on it accordingly. Whether you care to thank me for my cheek would leave you in a bit of a quandary, would it not?

astrogeezer

I've now had a reply from Blackrock. Very informative, and I shall be acting on this information accordingly. Purch and Wombat 42 can remain in blithe ignorance. If their aim is to 'moneysave' and profess expertise in that quest, they had better learn to keep their personal opinions to themselves. When I need advice from self acclaimed 'Bovver boys', I'll know where to go. Cheers.

panos_k75

I don't know about the rest but personally I would be very interested to see what thay had to say, as I have invested in them too.

Many thanks