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The Behavior of Fixed-income Funds during COVID-19 Market Turmoil
Author:
Mr. Frank Hespeler
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5328-5033
and
Felix Suntheim null

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Series:
Global Financial Stability Notes
Volume/Issue:
Volume 2020: Issue 002
Language:
English
Publication Date:
14 Dec 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513563695.065
ISBN:
9781513563695
ISSN:
2791-3112
Pages:
13
Keywords:
fixed-income funds; cash; financial stability; AN; fixed-income fund; low-liquidity assets; fund flow; liquidity condition; portfolio composition; stress scenario exercise
Legal-disclaimer:
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.
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This note analyzes the stress experienced (and caused) by open-end mutual funds during the March COVID-19 stress episode, with a focus on global fixed-income funds. In light of increased valuation uncertainty, funds experienced a short period of intense withdrawals while the market liquidity of their holdings deteriorated substantially. To cover redemptions, afflicted funds predominantly shed liquid assets first—for example, cash, cash equivalents, and US Treasury securities. But forced asset sales amplified price pressures in markets and contributed to liquidity falling across fixed-income markets. This drop in market liquidity, as well as the general stress in financial markets, may have led to fund investors becoming even more sensitive to challenging portfolio performance and encouraged further withdrawals. Only after central banks intervened, directly and indirectly supporting asset managers, did liquidity and redemption stress subside. Overall, the March episode validated the financial-stability concerns about liquidity vulnerabilities in the fund industry and calls for further action to address them.
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Cover Global Financial Stability Notes
Global Financial Stability Notes
ISSN:
2791-3112
Publisher:
International Monetary Fund